69 Best Hotels in Beijing, China

Modern, minimalist design—pure white interiors, freestanding bathtubs, individual courtyards—meets old Beijing at this intimate four-bedroom boutique hotel within the quaint alleyways (hutong) near the historic Drum and Bell towers. This is the perfect refuge for the style-conscious visitor looking to escape the big city bustle. Or, indeed, those wanting to experience Beijing's increasingly forgotten traditional surroundings while having access to the benefits of contemporary technology, such as iPod stereos and in-room Wi-Fi. Service is discreet; guests get their own front door key, so you'll soon feel like a local wandering home. The owner also operates Cafe Sambal, a Southeast Asian restaurant nearby.

The epitome of blissful indulgence, this luxury hotel (part of the famed Aman chain) is spread out across a series of carefully renovated ancient Qing Dynasty courtyards—it even has its own private entrance to the Summer Palace—with guest rooms decorated in restful earth tones (lovely traditional wooden screens and bamboo blinds) and grounds that are positively stunning. Luxury and peace are the order of the day as guests enjoy breakfast overlooking a reflecting lotus pool, stroll the boutique, or relax in the excellent Aman Spa.

Occupying a third of the original Grand Hotel de Pekin complex (with Raffles and the Grand Hotel the other tenants), this venerable hotels retains a modicum of old-world charm, its impressive lobby and enviable location next to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square making up for the rather outmoded decor. Grandees and high rollers have stayed here since it opened around the turn of the 20th century—Nixon was a guest on his historic visit, and China's long-time premier Zhou Enlai lived and worked in room #1735. The guest rooms, many adorned with classically French touches, are comfortable enough but overdue for a spruce-up.

An iconic 1901 residence houses the original lobby and historic rooms, and a newer addition offers rooms with amenities for business travelers at this hotel, formerly part of the Raffles brand; it's now overseen by the luxury NUO group, which has ensured that the standards for service remain high.

For dining, choose between classic French and international, while the Writer's Bar is replete with large leather armchairs and a polished wooden dance floor dating back to the 1920s.

Located on the city's main east–west central axis and close to Beijing railway station, this white monolith—curved like Miami's Fontainebleau hotel—symbolized the rebirth of China's tourism industry in 1987; these days, reliable service and decent facilities continue to draw tour groups and business travelers. Make sure you ask for a renovated room, as some of the older ones still suffer from the odd problem here and there (especially in the bathrooms). What with the endless hallways and gigantic ballrooms, you need to look hard for special, quiet places, but there are delightful garden nooks and smaller salons with Chinese antiques to escape to. The pool and gym are top-notch, but the hotel's dining options are overpriced, and breakfast can be repetitive. The hotel is only a couple of stops away from Tiananmen Square on the subway.

At the edge of the only remaining scrap of Beijing's once-mighty city walls—there are great views from the lobby coffee shop—this hotel is in a good location, relatively near key tourist sites and the Beijing railway station. It's reliable choice for those wanting clean, spacious rooms and excellent service. Other pluses are the comfortable beds, the well-appointed bathrooms (complete with marble finish, modern showers and tubs; a blind shields the view from bath to bed should you demand a bit of extra privacy), and the three dining rooms, which offer Cantonese, Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian menus.

Small, quiet, and cute, this appealing courtyard hotel—inside one of the city's hutong and featuring a centuries-old date tree, red lanterns, and other such traditional Chinese decorations—may once have been the home of Mei Lanfang, the legendary male Peking opera star known for playing female roles. All guest rooms are furnished with rosewood beds, antique bureaus, and modern gadgets (like satellite TV), but the VIP room, as you would expect, is the largest and best, and worth reserving in advance. If that's not available, request one of the executive rooms. Bicycles are available for free.

Once placing high on lists of top Beijing hotels, this place now does opulence in a rather unsubtle way—gold highlights in the lobby; marble tubs in the luxe rooms; high-priced fine dining—but it still just about lives up to its look: the service is slick, the restaurants are very good (Aria, serving contemporary European cuisine, is particularly special), and the attached mall/cinema is a welcome escape. It's no surprise that during conferences and exhibitions, business travelers pack its modern, well-appointed rooms.

Occupying the upper floors of Beijing's tallest building, the business-chic Summit Wing offers knee-trembling views from its luxurious guest rooms—if you need a drink to steady your nerves, the excellent 80th-floor cocktail bar makes a perfect Old Fashioned. Guest rooms average 700 square feet, each with complimentary broadband Internet access, 40-inch flat-screen TVs, bathroom LCD televisions, iPod docking stations, and Nespresso coffee machines. The 25-meter (82-foot) infinity pool on the 78th floor might just be the highlight of your trip.

One of the capital's newest luxury hotels is in a distinctively curved, tapering tower on the east second ring road; its standout personality extends to touches like Vivid, a rooftop nightclub and lounge, and the skyline views from the guest rooms, enlivened through lozenge-shaped windows. Though this is a business hotel at heart, night owls won't be disappointed, with champagne cocktails in Vivid's rooftop garden a fine way to jump-start an evening at the restaurants and bars of nearby Sanlitun.

More an option for business travelers than casual tourists—meaning it's not too far from the airport and a number of work hubs—this hotel near Wangjing High Tech Park understands that a functional location doesn't have to mean a completely utilitarian aesthetic. A 24-hour fitness center; modern, well-equipped guest rooms; plus a handy café and decent breakfasts all come in very handy.

Expect modern, good-sized guest rooms, a great pool and gym, a sparkling marble lobby, and many convenient dining and shopping options in the integrated U-Town shopping mall (even a German-themed bar that brews its own beer). The locale, within Chaoyang's commercial district, makes this a popular option with those doing business in the area. Beijing's nightlife district and CBD are both short taxi rides away, but tourists keen on being close to the sights will want to look elsewhere. There's nothing special on offer here, but it does everything you'd expect, and it does it well.

The best thing about this mid-range choice is its central location on Wangfujing, Beijing's most famous shopping street, where there's a mix of traditional stores, international chains, and a touristy "food" market—scorpions on a stick, anyone? The standard guest rooms, however, are small, and although the place provides everything you'd expect from a Crowne Plaza, it lacks knockout design details or killer features, as the rather uninteresting lobby makes plain. Craving more space? Try the executive floor, where guest rooms have extra work space and sprawling bathrooms.

Functional rather than fancy, the Day's Inn is about as close as it's possible to get to the Forbidden City without staying in the palace itself, and though guest rooms are tiny, they are definitely inexpensive and relatively comfortable. Built in an unfussy style with the slightest of architectural nods toward the city's classic courtyard houses, it does feature such alluring touches as its grey-brick walls inlaid with traditional carvings of chrysanthemums (the Chinese national flower). Beware of booking the cheaper basement rooms unless you can live without a window. If you have time, visit the Worker's Cultural Palace next door, laid out like the Forbidden City but on a smaller scale and without the crowds.

The rooms in this atmospheric warren of wooden corridors, courtyards, and rickety staircases are fairly spacious, with Chinese-style beds, wooden furniture, and small bathrooms, but it’s the friendly, English-speaking service, central location, and good rates that make it so popular. All rooms come with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee facilities, and a computer. A couple of family rooms sleep up to four people, and a trio of rooms have delightful private balconies. Located midway along a hutong lane close to the center of town, the neighborhood has some good local restaurants and is just about walkable to the Forbidden City. In the evening the breakfast room becomes a simple restaurant serving Chinese and Western food.

Soaring 22 stories into the air, the DoubleTree is a solid hotel with perks that compensate for its out-of-the-way location, frorm the warm chocolate-chip cookies in the lobby to the alluring oasis of the terraced outdoor swimming pool. More pluses include the bright and modern guest rooms and the well-stocked gym. On the debit side, the dining options are not exactly spectacular, and the hotel's location is a little off the beaten track (but there are usually enough taxis on hand to ensure that neither is much of an issue).

One step beyond the striking Moon Gate doorway of this 18th-century hutong home—once owned by the Minister of the Imperial Household to Emperor Xianfeng (1860)—and you're transported, thanks to swaying bamboos, flickering lanterns, blazing red walls, and a chic lobby, to a nobleman's courtyard house. Each of the six guest rooms has its own unique look, from the ancient Chinese four-poster beds and tints of gold in "The Imperial," to the rich red, old-Shanghai feel of "The Peony Pavilion," to the sheer drama of the "Golden Lotus," with black-glass chandeliers and shimmering lotus mural. The emphasis on design means that much of the furniture and decorative pieces at Du Ge were custom-made (and can be bought from them). The availability of French wine and Cuban cigars, along with the small bar in the courtyard, add to the contemporary feel. The room rate includes an airport pickup service, refreshments, and bicycles.

From the folks behind the Opposite House, EAST is a business hotel with pizzazz, from the contemporary, light-filled guest rooms done out with oak floors and huge windows (the corner rooms have the best views), to Xian, a hip bar, lounge and music venue with delicious wood-fired pizza and a connoisseur’s selection of single malts. Business travelers who need to be close to Wangjing, the airport or the 798 Art District couldn't ask for more; those hoping to hit up all the sights should probably look elsewhere. There's a vast mall next door with plenty of shopping and eating.

Glowing inside and out in rich shades of bronze and gold, the Fairmont Beijing, close to the Silk Market and the diplomatic district surrounding Ritan Park, stays just on the right side of tasteful, with guest rooms that mix marble floors and deep carpets, Japanese tech toilets, bathtub TVs, iPod players and a pillow menu. The Cut restaurant serves some of the finest (and priciest) steaks in the city, and the hotel's Wellstream Spa, located on the futuristic-sounding "skybridge," is a fine spot for posh pampering.

Even the most modest "deluxe" rooms at the Four Seasons Beijing come with state-of-the-art tech, bathtubs with city views, and clever architecture that seems to amplify the already generous 46 square meters (500 square feet) of living space. Overlooking the embassies of the United States and Japan, Four Seasons Beijing occupies a business-minded part of the city. The see-and-be-seen Italian and Chinese restaurants, Mio and Cai Yi Xuan, here could be destinations in their own right, and the serene internal tea garden matches the tranquil bliss of the spa that surrounds it. The megabar EQUIS is a lacquered nightlife destination for the rich and beautiful of the city. This level of quality and service comes at quite a cost, of course, but if you enjoy the finer things in life and are OK with paying dealy for them, you'll feel right at home.

One of the largest garden-style hotels in Asia, the Friendship Hotel was built in 1954 to house foreigners (mostly Soviets) who had come to help rebuild the nation; these days, it relies more on tour groups and those who need to be close to the university area. It remains far removed from most sights, and many of its rooms, done in a traditional Chinese style, are in need of a redo and more up-to-date furnishings. Facilities include restaurants, a swimming pool, and a driving range. Building #1 is the most comfortable and up to date, and more expensive.

Housed in a redbrick Bauhaus factory building in Beijing's 798 art district, this stylish boutique hotel mixes French-colonial and art deco touches, with contemporary artworks dotted throughout the stylish guest rooms, which range from boxy singles to spacious suites with freestandng tubs. There are few more attractive hotels in the city, and its location places you directly inside one of the capital's most creative hubs, where there are world-class galleries, art shops, and style-conscious cafés to explore.

On the north side of Chang'an Avenue, and adjoining the ritzier Raffles, the Grand offers a decent blend of luxury and comfort without the international brand price tag. The classic Chinese gateway at the hotel's entrance is a nice touch, and Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are a short hop away. If you want to splash out, book the Emperor suite and prepare for an extravaganza of antique carved furniture, landscape scrolls, and fiercely carved wooden room dividers. A range of dining options is at hand (note: the non-Chinese food isn't up to snuff) but you also should plan to enjoy sunsets on the terrace bar, which has an impressive vista of the Forbidden City (only from May through October, from 5 to 9:30 pm). The breakfast buffet is recommended.

The wow factor at this top-notch hotel—close to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City—comes from its huge glass facade and extraordinary lagoon-like swimming area: above its lush vegetation, waterfalls, and statues, a "virtual sky" ceiling imitates different weather patterns. Guest rooms, decorated with comfortable cherry-wood furnishings, and many with floor-to-ceiling windows, aren't quite as inspired, but they're still grand and Hyatt enough. Big draws are the seven restaurants and bars, most notably Made in China, one of the best places in the city for Peking duck. The hotel is part of a mammoth complex that includes an upscale shopping mall, cinema, and a wide range of places to eat—so the wows keep coming.

Deep in the heart of the Central Business District, this glass tower is a well-appointed business hotel with smart, unassuming guest rooms and a top-notch pool and gym. Though there's little that's visually exciting, and service standards can vary, the facilities are all modern, and Yao Chi's open kitchen is a tasty little option for those in search of dinner and a culinary show.

One of the oldest luxury hotels in Beijing, the Great Wall Sheraton is still going strong because of its popularity with tour groups. The guest rooms are comfortable but dated, and the top-floor restaurant has pleasing city views and dishes up some decent Sichuan and Cantonese food. Note that the service throughout can be a little uneven.

At one of the elder statesmen of the city's hospitality scene, good deals can be had. Despite smaller than average rooms and some aging decor, it has several fine pluses: an assured staff that is always helpful; excellent restuarants, including One East, serving upscale North American and European cuisine; and one of the liveliest hotel bars in town (with an extensive wine list). Guest rooms are clean and modern (if rather simple), and the pleasing health center is a real asset. Though some distance from the sights, it's convenient for the airport and the nightlife of Sanlitun.

Even the smallest rooms at this big-brand boutique-style hotel come with walk-in wardrobes, freestanding tubs, and six-head showers, and if you can stand the very bachelor-pad brown and slate interiors, you'll reap the benefits of being just a stroll from the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Standards of service and comfort are as you'd expect from the brand, and west-facing rooms on floor 10 or higher even come with Forbidden City views. The hotel opened in 2008 for the Olympics, and by now the rooms are showing the odd sign of wear and tear, but it's still a great option, especially for first-timers to the city. The Fizztastic champagne brunch, held every Sunday, is certainly worth a splurge. Breakfast at Vascos is a bright, sunny affair with excellent home baked pastries.

Cheap and cheerful does it at this value chain close to Sanlitun (Beijing's lively nightlife center)—yes, it lacks a pool and gym, and guest rooms are somewhat small, but the lobby gleams, the beds are surprisingly comfortable, and the free-to-use Macs next to the front desk and a games console are thoughtful touches. This hotel offers both meeting rooms and a self-service laundry room, so both businesspeople and backpackers have what they need. Next to the hotel entrance is a handy tour operator that can help organize trips to the Great Wall and so forth.