Our Top Three Beijing Hotels
Grand Hotel Beijing – very centrally located and adjacent to Raffles and East Chang’an Avenue, and the price is much better compared to other hotels of a similar standard in the neighborhood. The charm is that you can see the Forbidden City if your room is above the 5 th floor. The hotel is very popular with Government officials and don’t be surprised if your confirmed booking is cancelled at very short notice. The rooms are very spacious and in a typical Chinese style – furniture is made from pear wood and the walls are covered with Chinese paintings or calligraphy. There are 3 restaurants which serve delicious Chinese food and 3 bars, one of them being in the lobby. The service is good but sometimes a bit slow because of the lack of English speaking staff.
RedWall Hotel – when you check in it’s like Victoria train station during rush hour – so many people in such a small place. The hotel is a typical Chinese style hotel – overcrowded with not very good service. So why stay here? Because it’s very centrally located and there is a new part which is secluded from all the hustle and bustle in the rest of the hotel, giving you the feeling of staying at a much calmer, pleasant and serene place. When booking a room at this hotel ask for a room in the new part – the price is the same but the experience totally different. The hotel has one restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and it’s very dark inside. If you have the option not to book breakfast, then don’t book it and instead walk to Behai Park and have a snack in one of the many restaurants set along the lake.
The Opposite House – The hotel reception is a like Chinese pharmacy – lots of drawers in which your room key is stored. The only difference is that a pharmacy has a counter while at the Opposite House Hotel there is no counter – the reception is an open space which spills into a big entrance hall Created by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and usually filled with quirky exhibitions.
The rooms in the hotel are spacious with high ceilings, all in white and minimalistic. If you are travelling with a friend do not expect any privacy as the bathroom is an open space too, with a huge wooden bathtub. The hotel is not centrally located but it is in an area of Beijing which is up and coming. The service is perfect and is reflected in the price.
For more information about accommodations and day tours in China please email tara@readyclickandgo.com
About the author: Tara
The travel professional with years of experience in the travel industry – in guiding, reservations, operations, contracting, customer service and product development – and have travelled extensively in Asia and Eastern Europe not just on holiday but also for work, inspecting hotels, visiting attractions and seeing exactly what each destination has to offer. The only way I could do this properly was with my own guide, car and driver and this inspired me to create my own range of customised private day tours for other people to be able to explore in-depth and learn to love their destination as much as I do.
Website: www.readyclickandgo.com
Website: http://www.readyclickandgo.com
