NovaShine

Dear Friends,

I will be arriving in Beijing Capital Airport in April around 1am. However, my tour guide will only pick me up at 10am in the airport. That means I have to wait for about 9 hours in the airport. I am a member of Priority Pass which allows me to rest in some designated lounges. However, the designated lounges are in the Departure Hall. Can anyone advise me if there are any lounges in the Arrival Hall or any place where I can rest for the 9 hours?

Any advice would be highly appreciated! Thank you!

kja

Here's information about the airport:
http://en.bcia.com.cn/

I wonder if you have considered going on into the city on your own? Its actually easy to do.

temppeternh

There are mini-hotels ('hourly lounges') with rooms for rent by the hour in each of the three terminals. The rooms are simple, and usually windowless, but good enough if all you intend to do is fall asleep. A twin room with bath is about ¥400 for eight hours.

There are full details, and some pictures, here:

en-shopping.bcia.com.cn/app/...

NovaShine

I've already booked the land tour.

filmwill

We stayed in the hourly lounge/hotel in December and they are, as far as I remember, only found on the airside (departure area) -- not sure how that'd work for you if you're going to be on the landside (arrivals.) That said, there are a TON of airport hotels (just off the airport premises with transportation provided to/from the airport) that you could just as easily stay in. I'd argue these are a much better option and no doubt nicer than the hourly lounge -- those rooms were outrageously expensive per hour and stunk to high heaven of cigarette smoke.

I think you're better off looking at an airport hotel. There's a Hilton, Crowne Plaza and Langham Place that all get decent reviews. Maybe look at those?

temppeternh

There are hourly lounges on the land-side of all three terminals, although the airport website fails to mention them for Terminal 2 (but then it didn't even get around to admitting the existence of Terminal 3 until a year after its completion, so no surprises there.)


http://en-shopping.bcia.com.cn/app/i...name/rest-time

filmwill

The hourly lounges could be upwards of $500 for a 9 hour layover. $63/hour times 9 hours. Not exactly what one would call a deal.

We spent almost $180 for only a few hours and while convenient for a transit layover (couldn't leave the airport) I would never have said it was worth the money.

Since the OP has the option to leave the airport, I still think going outside is a) more interesting and b) more economical.

Marija

Where do you get $63 per hour?! Are you sure that's not RMB?

filmwill

Look at their website. Their rate (Terminal 2) per hour for a 6-9+ hour stay is 400 to 480 RMB per hour.

There's nothing about the hourly lounge that's affordable--just convenient.

Marija

I believe that is the total rate for the stay, not an hourly rate. Note that the amount given in the table increases with length of stay.

temppeternh

As already stated, and as the web pages linked clearly say, the price for a twin room with private shower for eight hours is ¥400 or about US$63 in total.

Whether the OP wants to take that deal or take a taxi or shuttle and extra cost at 1am only to come back a few hours later is entirely up to him. He asked if there are lounges. There are, and their locations and rates were provided.

The nearest hotel with rates anywhere near those of the airport lounges is the Ibis; plain, but pleasant enough.

filmwill

Ahh...welcome back, PeterNH. I thought you were banned from Fodors? Maybe the temp in your new screen name is a promise of the length of your new residency (one can hope!)?

The rates in T3-E must be 5x that of the other terminals. We paid $186 dollars in December (would you like a scan of our credit card receipt) for 5 hours for a room without a shower (the cheaper of the rooms.) Maybe they charged us the people who arrived with us the same erroneous rate? Curious.

kja

I couldn't resist checking - it seems that the rates in T3-E (the rates for the business lounge mentioned by filmwill) are substantially higher than those for T3-C (the rates that temppeternh quotes). It's all right there on the link Peter provided above.

I, for one, am very glad that Peter is back and hope he continues sharing his expertise.

Marija

<I>The hourly lounges could be upwards of $500 for a 9 hour layover. $63/hour times 9 hours. Not exactly what one would call a deal.</i>

Even with the higher rates in T3-E, the maximum is "980 Yuan All day" for the double room.

filmwill

Ok, you got me, Marija. I'm lying about what we paid. Would it help if I sent you a copy of my credit card statement?

That's *exactly* what we paid in December for a 5 hour stay from 6 PM - 11 PM on a Friday night. Maybe they don't adhere to their quotes on their website? Maybe they add in taxes? I have no idea. All I know is what we paid for our time there only a few months ago.

Not quite sure what the point of all the back and forth is -- other than perhaps to be right. My original point still stands. The hourly lounge is grossly overpriced for a bedroom that smells vaguely like a toilet bowl and comes with no real amenities (when compared apples-to-apples to the option of an airport hotel.)

kja

Did you check the site, filmwilll? Did you see that the price currently quoted for a 5-hour stay in a standard room in T3-E approximates what you paid? I don't know what happened with the shower or whether you were billed correctly or not.

The point of my responses is not to question what you paid, but to let the OP know that there appear to be other options that are less expensive than what you describe if it suits him/her and to indicate that the information Peter provided - and especially the link - might prove useful to him/her.

filmwill

kja, I did--and that was not directed at you. I appreciate you clarifying that, despite appearances, I'm not a total nutter.

kristine924

hi. are there any 24hr restaurant in t2? im arriving 1am and planning to stay in the arrival are until 7am.

temppeternh

@kristine924

http://en-shopping.bcia.com.cn/store/648.html

And click around website for others.

temppeternh

Sorry @kristine924. The link should have been this for T2 restaurants:

http://en-shopping.bcia.com.cn/app/e.../right_ref/129

Several claim to be open 'until the last flight', but I wouldn't rely on that. Some are open 24 hours. Personally I'd find 'The Rucky Shamrock' [sic] irresistable. As you'll have guessed from the name, it sells noodle dishes. Really a perfect introduction to the entertaining cultural confusion that is often China.