2go2China

Hi spgaston, when are you travelling? This B&B is often fully booked, you should first check the online calendar http://my.calendars.net/beijingcourt...lockmonth.html to see if your dates are available. There's a link back to the room descriptions & pictures at the bottom. If you use the booking inquiry form it will go straight to Sally who does all bookings. Just ensure the email address you give is accurate.

By the way, unlike Chinese hotels, in this B&B everyone is issued with slippers at the entrance hall this helps to keep it even cleaner!

MrAOK

anyone know anything or have any experience with the days inn forbidden city, which appears to be about as close to the forbidden city as you can get.

http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/contr...e_nostay=false

that or the park plaza

jadalina

Anyone have any experience with the Yueweizhuang Courtyard Hotel? The photos looked pretty neat.

neuro0

A party of 5 checked into the club floor Crowne Plaza Beijing, poor service right from the beginning (bell boy not helpful, club staffs not helpful, indifferent). Generally,the staffs were impolite. After get into the room, found the room in okay condition, but the bathroom was gross with a bunch of hairs on the floor. I could smelled fresh paint in the bathroom. Some of the towel drawer were badly in need of repair. Acutually, they look more like half way being finished.
Filed a compliant. Checkout the next day and moved to a different hotel.
The hotel did try to re-clean my room, but didn't make that much different afterward. They can't fix the half way finished drawers.
The club lounge was small, and old.
The lobby area looks old and used. This hotel is a 5 stars one according to the plaque of the wall, but feel and looked more like 3.5 stars max.
I will probably not stay there again.

mapu

Beijing has a lot of fine hotels like the InterContinental, the Raffles, the Grand Hyatt and many others.

In my opinion location is not an important factor when choosing a hotel in Beijing, since the city doesn't have a single center and taxis are dirt cheap.

allset2travel

Sorry, I had posted a similar post in the Marriott sub-forum to no avail. Thought I try it here, in hope that this topic might bring in some new update.
Question is: I heard that this property is under going renovation. Can anyone give a report as to when will the renovation be completed?
I have some interest in staying here due to its location, but concern about its mixed reviews in FT and ellsewhere (most have to do with tired conditions of hotel). TIA

andrewwm

This isn't necessarily true. Sure, late at night or in the evenings taxis can be quite convenient.

However, given how horrendous traffic can be during most working hours, there can be quite a big difference between staying at the InterContinental vs. the Grand Hyatt, for example. While the cab fares are fairly trivial regardless for most tourists/business travelers no one likes wasting their vacation by sitting in extra hours (and I mean this very literally) of traffic.

For tourists that will be there during normal working periods, I'd second Moondog's recommendations; anything near Tianamen Square, particularly to the East of the Square.

Pantalaimon

Taking a cab in Beijing in the early morning or between 1500 and 1900 can often be an exercise in futility due simply to the traffic overload. Staying near a subway station can be a plus if you're in a hurry.

My favourite hutong hotel is by far the Lusongyuan just north of the Forbidden City. Great locale and good prices especially in the off-season.

MXS

St. Regis is real close to a subway station where you can get you to the Forbidden City quickly.

moondog

not as close as the gh.

that having been said, in spite of the fact that traffic can be downright bad, i'd still take 1 hour in a cab (with my computer) over 20 mins on the subway any day. what's more, if i was a tourist, i'd do my best to plan my travels in a manner that avoided rush hour (e.g. if i were to go to the summer palace, i'd plan on grabbing dinner up there).

flyrad

Just stayed 5 nights in the Grand Hyatt Beijing. Superb experience. The room was clean and spacious (Jr. Suite), service at all levels great (front desk, concierge, club level attendants etc.) and the spa and pool were great also. Plus, prices were a bargain by western (US & EU) standards, though more than most other Beijing options. I will definitely stay there again.

Also, the GHB is connected to a large, modern mall (Oriental Plaza Mall) with every manner of clothing stores and a wide selection of mall type food available. A subway stop is present in the mall and many taxis come there at all times observed. Very close to the Forbidden City and Tianmen Square. It is my hotel of choice in Beijing.

joelnili

joelnili

You might try the Crown Plaza Hotel, but it might be a little higher than $200. It is walking distance to the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square and shopping center.

dergon darkhelm

Thought I'd slide into this thread.

Spending a few days in Beijing in April '08 for the first time with the gf.

We want to be able to easy access for major tourism, enjoy walking about (don't mind putting on a few miles a day to get places as long as it's safe), and like to have good dining & drinking options close to the hotel at night. Also need good english at the hotel (since neither of us have anyhting but English at our disposal...and barely that )

Am willing to pay near to $300 a night but would much prefer to be closer to $200.

Surfing around expedia/ orbitz etc my leading thoughts atm are Grand Hyatt Beijing (around $300), Westin Beijing (at $190), Ritz-Carlton (at $275) .....

I liked the look of the St. Regis but $500/nt is out of my range ...

Thoughts? Alternative suggestions I might look into?

edit: High speed internet access too!

chumbleflea

As a tourist, this is a no brainer. Grand Hyatt for the win. You are located inside Oriental Plaza (read as a nice upscale mall). You are literally 2 minutes away from the subway stop (inside oriental plaza). You are surrounded by nice restaurants and stores, all of whom are fluent in English. You are within walking distance to Tianamen and the Forbidden city.