Hello.

I'll be in Beijing from October 16-20 with a friend. We are looking for a hotel of international standard at a good rate (pref. >CNY1000). We're not too picky about the location, but it has to be central or close to a subway station.

Som of the options I've found are:
New World Courtyard - http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BJSCY
Holiday Inn Downtown - http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/pegdt (or one of the other Holiday Inn hotels - this is the most central, as far as I can tell?)

I'm looking for advice on these hotels, and suggestions on other hotels where I can get a good discounted rate.

Thanks in advance!

/RasmusDK

I haven't been there yet, but I am going to Beijing during the first part of September. I am staying at the Marco Polo Hotel. They are very close to two subway lines, and about a 15 or 20 minute walk to the major tourist attractions. They get excellent reviews in tripadvisor.com. They also have a rate of $110 on their top floor continental club, which includes express check-in, guaranteed late check-out, breakfast, evening drinks, etc. etc. All the reviews I have checked at a number of travel sites including those on here speak very highly of the hotel. I will report back when I return.

Don't use regular discount sites on the web. They are all more expensive than the direct hotel website which is (I believe) marcopolohotels.com.

I've stayed at both the Marco Polo (a few months ago), and the Downtown Holiday Inn (a few years ago--so things may have changed since). The rooms are bigger at the Marco Polo, but it's not as well-run as the Holiday Inn and there are no tour desks on site (useful for booking trips to the Great Wall etc.). Both are convenient and comfortable.

The GH and the China World have the best subway access of the major hotels. The former offers good rates because it is enormous.

the New World Courtyard Marriott is right next to a subway station and is also attached to a shopping mall. I stayed there a few months ago, and although the room was a bit on the shabby side, it was clean and tidy overall. Rooms were very large (although the bathrooms were your standard size tub, sink and toilet combo). They seemed to have spent most of the budget on making the lobby and common areas look nice. Their hotel restaurant was also decent - the chef was a HK import.

You're also a 20-50 RMB cab ride to most of the big central attractions (Tienanmen Square, Forbidden City, Wang Fu Jing street, Temple of Heaven, Silk Alley Market, Qian Men district with the best roast duck!!)

I'd only stay there again if the price was right (the room was a bit too downscale for me). But then again, maybe I was spoiled by staying at the JW Marriott in Hong Kong immediately before that!

We stayed at the New World Courtyard for a little over a week back in March. We liked it -- it's not particularly beautiful or luxurious, and the rooms are a tiny bit run down (not unlike Courtyards I've stayed in in the US), but it was clean, quiet and comfortable, with a very helpful and friendly staff, and it's in a very good location -- you're a couple of minute taxi ride from most places of interest to visitors in Beijing. Ours was an award stay, but Marriott was quoting $105/night rights while we were there.

We'd definitely stay there again when we return to Beijing.