The Kerry Centre Hotel, Beijing

Advantages: very clean & comfortable, useful facilities, resonable price
Disadvantages: doesnt really give you a chinese experience

...by - although i think thats how beijing is, a bit sprawly with no real centre or heart (go to xian instead!). The main block of the hotel has a money exchange (& the good thing about china / communism is you get exactly the same rate where ever you go) & gift shops - there is also at least 1 pharmacy & 1 mini supermarket on site. Breakfast was great - fantastic selection & for those who cant do sweet & sour chicken with noodles at 08.00 then there's stil plentty of other (more european) choices. Would i stay here again - YES, the only thing is I wouldnt bother going to beijing again, notg my sort of china.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Raffles! Friendly staff, immaculate rooms
Disadvantages: Expensive bowling alley

...Wow, what an amazing hotel - and a true bargain at that. It is actually now owned by Raffles with one part of the hotel being Raffles and the other Beijing Hotel. We visited Beijing in January this year staying for six nights in the Raffles section of the hotel. You know that you are arriving somewhere nice when your taxi door is opened as soon as you get there and friendly men smile at you and welcome you to the hotel. They grabbed our cases and brought them inside for us. The reception is clean and warm (a must as it was minus five outside!!!). The staff welcomed us to the hotel and could not have been more friendly and helpful. An added bonus was that we had booked through Expedia (therefore only paying £60 per night) and been told that we were not getting breakfast included. The reception staff said that as it was low season... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great people, fabulous food
Disadvantages: Pollution levels high, extremes of temperature

...Introduction I've read through most of the reviews on Beijing, but having lived in Beijing for ten years, first as a student, then working, I wanted to give a more personal and in-depth view. I hope that this will help to guide anyone that is planning to visit Beijing in the near future. If you are planning to go, then the first thing that you should do is buy a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide to China - I think there is even one that concentrates on Beijing - this provides invaluable information on places to viist, how to get around the city and has a language guide for emergencies. Getting there A number of airlines fly to Beijing. I recommend Air China, which is cheap, clean and direct. BA is frankly over-priced and Virgin Atlantic flies only to Shanghai. Shop around, prices can vary enormously from travel agent to travel agent... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful