jopalenc

Does this hotel offer complimentary breakfast buffet for Plat members?

How is the buffet?

-j

shootermcgav1n

I've heard bfast is served in the lounge, which Plat members would obviously have access to. I'll be staying there in a little over a week.

jopalenc

I'd like to have access to both with a preference for the restaurant over the lounge. Can you please check on Plat access to the buffet in the restaurant during your stay?

Thanks!

-j

fmkgb

As a platinum, I stayed there in March and had a choice of the buffet in the restaurant or the exec lounge. Restaurant was quite extensive including a noodle bar, waffle bar, Japanese salads and fresh fruit or veggie smoothies made to order. Everything was great except the Beijing pollution.

jopalenc

Thanks fmkgb!

This sounds exactly like what we are looking for.

How did you like the public transportation options near this hotel?

Any non-tourist restaurants in the area for dinner or late-night snacks?

-jeremy

fmkgb

Closest metro is about a 15 min walk. Taxis are pretty cheap in Beijing so that was our mode. Lots around to walk to. Sorry, but didn't try any restaurants except the Chinese restaurant in the hotel which was very good but pricey.

shootermcgav1n

Good to know. For the restaurant buffet, do you just charge it to the room and the charge will get removed at checkout based on status?

fmkgb

Signed a receipt and I never saw the charge.

Jimgotkp

Just stayed at this hotel. Have zero Marriott status but booked a Suite Dreams promo rate of 850 CNY per night which included club access. Enjoyed my stay at this property. Pretty good location, brand new hotel, and loved the decor. Only negative thing was that the chef in the club lounge that makes the eggs wouldn't acknowledge my presence or greet me, but she did for other guests who were Westerners.

talfred

Hey guys
How is the platinum suite upgrades at this property?

Staying 2 nights on redemption in Dec and have emailed them for suite top up cost but would be good to hear from here as well

Thanks

blackavar

Staying here next week. New platinum member with Marriott -- still learning about all the benefits.

Anyone have any recommendations for the hotel or nearby in the area for our stay? We love trying hole in the wall places. Never been to Beijing before either...

nk15

The hotel is very good, location great, room service very good. The concierge speaks good gibberish with a little bit of English sprinkled on it, and he booked me a local rundown taxi to the Mutianyu Great Wall for 800 cny with a Mandarin speaking driver. The lounge I recall is ok, and you will hear stories of other tourists getting on rickshaws and being taken in alleys and robbed (avoid). There are a lot of street vendors a few blocks from the hotel, where you can enjoy fried scorpions on a stick...
Take a taxi from the airport, they are very cheap and safe, 130cny ($20), but from the official ranks, NOT from solicitors. Have the address of the hotel written in Chinese on a paper or on your phone.
Western tourists downtown are less than 1% of the crowd, and you will stand out for sure. Women will be chasing you around wanting to "practice their English" (run...) and will be approached by various characters offering you rides, wanting to sell their art, offering to be your tour guide, tea ceremonies, etc...Pretty much anyone approaching you have a scam to run, lol (they have to make a living). It is a great experience though, you will love it, and hopefully not too cold.

moondog

I applaud the flavor/excitement of your post, but ~7 (by my count) derogatory comments about a country that you presumably visited for the very first time???

@Others: Beijing is insanely cool, and don't worry about art sellers or tour guides approaching you if you are semi(+) cool.

nk15

Yes, it is indeed very cool, yes my first time, just be aware of some possible scams, some may not be, but they fitted what I read in the guidebooks about local scams, and some I experienced, so beware. All in all pretty safe and cool, as I said, just be cautious, as in any new country.

The people approaching you is common in many countries. But I am not talking about art street vendors talking to you, I am talking about random guy coming out of the crowd following you in a busy street, start talking to you as a friend and two minutes in wanted to take you to his art studio in a different part of the town to sell you art. Still ok and harmless, but interesting...Few experiences like that and some more intense, like random cars with 2-3 guys in stopping next to me asking if I wanted a ride, women literally chasing me down the street with unknown intents, lol, etc., I probably looked like a tourist.

SkiAdcock

Please do a trip report after your stay at the property. It's always nice to have updates on properties. Thx!

Cheers.