40 Best Hotels in Beijing to Shanghai, China

One of the few lodgings inside the walls of the recently rebuilt "ancient city," this Qing Dynasty–style complex offers simply furnished rooms set around a series of courtyards. The reception staff wears elaborate period gowns, amping up the Disneyesque atmosphere of the surroundings.

The carpets at the Shenghua could do with a scrub, but a few touches like having an on-site bilingual tour operator and guest rooms where teddy bears decorate the beds and bathrooms are equipped with tubs distinguish this average but well-run hotel from its peers. A decent restaurant serves local specialties such as lightly battered stir-fried venison.

This is the only real hotel on the summit, so although it has unusual perks (a bell rings to wake you in time to catch the sunrise), it's overpriced considering the barely adequate rooms.

Overlooking the enormous, lotus-shape sports venue built to host the 11th Chinese National Games, this hotel has indoor and outdoor pools, an excellent spa, and spacious guest rooms with fabulous amenities, including Egyptian cotton sheets and rain-forest showers. Housed in an imposing tower in East New Town, Ji'nan's central business district, this is a good spot for traveling executives.

If you're looking for luxury, this 48-story tower remains a fine choice despite all the recent competition; rooms and suites are chic and understated, with subtle Asian flourishes and all the trimmings you'd expect from the brand, including plasma TVs and rainfall showers. Dining options abound, including beautifully designed Chinese and French eateries. The hotel is within walking distance of the eateries on Hunan Lu pedestrian street.

Looking somewhat like a tube of lipstick from the outside, this 49-story cylinder sits right in the center of town, boasting sleek and spacious guest rooms and a grand lobby with impressive chandeliers and marble columns. A terrific Italian restaurant called Biscotti uses authentic imported ingredients like Parma ham.

Beside a canal and a short stroll to historic Pingjiang Lane, this comfortable and well-run hotel wraps around a peaceful courtyard and Suzhou-style garden. It's done up in traditional style with a sharply peaked roof that's illuminated at night. The hotel's proximity to most of the city's sights makes it a great choice. Rooms have different decor and amenities, so ask to see a few before settling in.

Choose between simply furnished rooms or grandly restored villas at this resort hotel, a short march from Old Dragon Head and centered on a seafood restaurant in a greenhouse filled with tropical flora. As you dine on spicy hotpot or local crustaceans, pay heed to the shrubby mound outside the windows. That's the long-since pillaged hump of the original Great Wall, 100 yards before it meets the grandly restored section running to the ocean.

At this classy summit hotel, you can count on comfortable, spacious double rooms (ask for one in the newer building) that come with down jackets, a welcome touch if you plan to brave the predawn chill to catch the sunrise. A very good restaurant and adjoining café round out the offerings.