Have been confirmed in the Crowne Plaza for my 8.5hr layover which begins at 5:30am. No response regarding my longer layover which begins at 11am...

I have a flight from HKG-PEK-HIJ (Japan) that requires overnight stays both ways. I was wondering if anyone has been able to get transit hotel for regional flights? Even though it is international, it seems most posters here have experience with long hauls only.

Also, if you're travelling alone, will you need to share rooms (as is common in China it seems)?

The 8.5 hours layover is not worth the trouble. Let me explain.

If you arrive in PEK at a jet bridge, you would not get off the plane and be at immigration until 1 hour later. Now if you arrive by remote gate, add another 45 minutes.

From PEK T3E, you need to take train to T3C. That is 20 minutes. Go outside to arrivals hall, then you need to go downstairs to the public bus area to located gate 5, then you would find the hotel shuttle, this process without escort is about 30 minutes.

So from the moment the aircraft arrived at the stand, to the moment you arrive at the shuttle bus area, it could be anywhere between 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours.

Now, the shuttle bus to Crowne Plaza only departs every 30 minutes. So if you unfortunately arrived at a time that you have to wait 25 minutes, then it is 10-15 minutes drive to the hotel.

By the time you arrive in the hotel, the check-in agent needs to scan your passport and both of your boarding pass. By the time you find your room, and you hope you would get the right tower, and the room is not too far away from the center lift, so it could be 2.5 hours to 4 hours depends on your luck.

To catch your flight 8.5 hours later, you need to be back to airport 2 hours before the flight. This is China, remember. The airport is huge, and there is a train ride involved. Before you enter airport there is anti-explosive check (5 minutes). Immigration queue is guaranteed 30 minutes and a further security check at least 20 minutes. So 2 hours is highly recommended.

Then again, remember the shuttle bus is every 30 minutes and it takes anywhere between 8-20 minutes depends on traffic and other activities. So you really needs to be downstairs waiting for your shuttle at 6 hours after you landed.

If everything went smoothly, you have a maximum 3.5 hours rest, minus shower time, maybe 2 hours in bed. If you are unlucky, you have 2 hours in the room.

In that condition, you are much better to stay in the transit area.

And, if you do not have a Chinese visa and needs to apply 144 hours transit VOA, remember you need to register before you go to the immigration and scan your finger prints etc. Add another 30-45 minutes for the whole process.

Doesn't PEK-HIJ still require the DLC stopover? Even if not, there are much better ways to get from HKG to HIJ.

You can take taxis both ways to eliminate this variable.

Although my average numbers are much kinder than yours (having echannel helps a lot), I do agree with you in general. That having been said, even 2 hours at the Crowne Plaza would justify the effort IMO.

You are correct on both counts. It's a thought exercise for me since the fare is really low.

Well, if there is a saving grace, you will get some time to enjoy Beijing in both directions. I used to take that flight when I was dating a lady in Hiroshima (and living in Beijing myself). Back then, we cleared customs in Beijing, and used a special cordoned off "gate". Basically, in spite of the cheap fares, I ended up switching to Asiana in relatively short order. From Shanghai, we have a nonstop flight, and I think HK does as well.

If you get a jet bridge and arrive at non-busy immigration times without luggage to pickup, it's entirely possible to be at the hotel (with luck with the shuttle, of course) 1hr after touchdown. 2.5hrs would be when everything goes the worst possible way. I'd definitely head to the hotel.

Agree. But it also depends on how well the poster knows about Beijing Airport, if he carries any Chinese RMB cash or knows how to use Alipay or Wechat Pay. Of course language skill is definitely needed. I have been in PEK T3 taxi queue for at least 20 minutes sometimes. The problem with the taxi queue is that there are domestic and international arrivals in the same time. I would not risk it. Wait on the air conditioned shuttle bus for 25 minutes is much better.

From Crowne Plaza, I sometimes sees no taxi around. Didi is definite better but then again I would wonder if the poster is prepared for that. BTW I have been in that hotel for a dozen of times this year for transit.

I assume the poster is non-Chinese and has no ability to use E-channel. I also draw the attention to the poster that if it was his first time go through Chinese immigration since middle of 2018, he now needs to register his finger prints before immigration. Also to apply transit entry, he needs to register at a desk before the finger prints collection machine. It all takes time.

That is very correct. However, it really depends on what time you land. As I said, the shuttle bus departs every 30 minutes. I have never done it within one hour as I seems to always miss the departure regardless which flight I arrive. I have been transit via PEK with Air China 10-12 times a year last 3 years. And every time I stay in Crowne Plaza. I am a fast walker by the way.

My record for an Air China flight to departs or arrive at a jet Bridge in PEK is roughly 45/55. Most of the time it is remote gate. So far only departures to Europe in afternoon bank is guaranteed a jet bridge. Arriving from Europe in the morning or departure and arrival to Oceania is 80% remote gate. I don't know the North American flight but from my observation, departure is more likely to be jet bridge.

Can't say I agree; your description above is based on absolute worst scenarios. I had to get transit VOA, wait at least 25min for the shuttle bus and I still had a good 4.5 hours at the hotel before making it back to PEK with plenty of time before my onwards flight. Not sure who showers for 1.5 hours...and finding the hotel room is certainly not complicated. The Air China lounge at PEK is crappy, wouldn't want to spend 7+ hours there...

This, added to the fact that the CP is decent, is the main reason I would shoot for the latter even if I had no experience at PEK. Thinking more about the taxi thing, from T3, queuing is the most reasonable option IMO. Sure, the line might be extremely long, but it moves quickly. On the way back, I would either ask the hotel to tell me when the shuttles are leaving or for them to book a taxi for me. If the OP pulls out Y100 from an ATM at PEK, this will be sufficient to cover both taxi rides.

You are welcome to report back your experiences. I can only give you all the obstacles along your journey so that you can be prepared. I wish you all the luck.

For 8.5 hours transit, my advice is to take the Air China transit offering. There are two you could choose if you are travelling business.

First, there is a transit hotel inside the terminal near gate E10, Air China business class passenger can have 4 hours of private room when it is available. There are only 19 rooms so it is possible that you may have to wait or it is not available the entire time.

Second, Air China business class lounge provides very good shower suite. Recently there are new furniture in both lounges. Food is still bad but for a five hours stay it is bearable. Both lounges provide 6 private sleeping rooms for Air China passengers during long transit. Then again, last time when I was there I was told they were not available. So that is a gamble.

You are free to choose the transit hotel if you do not care about the obstacles I mentioned. I have done that route so many times and I much prefer to spend up to 9 hours in the PEK airport nowadays (however bad it is). More than 9 hours I choose hotel. It is a personal opinion and I am not seeking your agreement, just trying to be a good fellow traveler to share his opinion on your experience. That is all.

Has anyone tried asking for the free transit hotels on long daytime layovers (e.g. 6am to 2am)?

FWIW I've been offered transit hotel for a 5:50am PVG arrival with a 22:10 departure. So day hotels are a possibility. I sensed agent discretion, but didn't push for it at all.