22 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.

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.

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.

Airport hotels have a reputation for dullness—not so with Langham Place, a fun and funky spot next to Terminal 3 that screams style with high-tech guest rooms, luxurious marble bathrooms, and soundproofed floor-to-ceiling windows; the in-house contemporary art gallery and stylish dining options point to this hotel's playful sense of creativity. A pink (and free) shuttle bus will drop you at the airport within minutes, from where you can ride the subway into town. Business travelers are just 10 minutes from the New China International Exhibition Center, but if you want to be near the sights, or among the downtown action, then this is not the one for you.

Luxurious (if businesslike) rooms, a prestigious location on the corner of ritzy Jinbao Jie close to Wangfujing, and a spectacularly soaring glass-walled lobby are reasons why the Regent is a top choice for high rollers. The impeccable decor features dark teak woods, beautifully carved furniture, couture bedspreads, sleek daybeds, artist-designed rugs, and mahogany-encased walls. But nothing can compare with the fabulous views out of those floor-to-ceiling windows: witnessing the twilight hour here, as Beijing lights up for the night, can be wonderful. The hotel also houses a branch of excellent Hong Kong restaurant Lei Garden as well as a Morton's steak house.

At this favorite of business travelers and dignitaries, the luxurious interiors combine classic Chinese elegance with modern furnishings, but it's the facilities that really stand out: the health club is equipped with a Jacuzzi that gets its water directly from a natural hot spring, the glass-atrium swimming pool offers a sun-drenched backstroke, and the smart, wood-paneled Press Club Bar has the air of a private club. Add to that some plush rooms backed by excellent service,and it feels like you're getting something more for your money here.

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.

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.

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 number of worthwhile hotels next to Beijing's airport has flourished in recent years, and the Hilton doesn't disappoint, with surprisingly good restaurants considering the lack of passing trade, and plush, soundproofed rooms decked out in cozy deep-red wood accents. Sure, given the hotel's distance from the main swell of the city, your stay here is likely to be somewhat of a brief encounter, but you're unlikely to leave disappointed. The extensive business and conference facilities mark this Hilton as a spot for business events, trade exhibitions, and transit passengers, rather than leisurely loungers. A handy shuttle bus (five minutes from T3; 15 minutes from T2) ferries guests to and from the polished hotel.

This boutique courtyard hideaway claims to have once served as a rehearsal space for Imperial musicians during the Ming Dynasty; renovated rooms wrap around an attractive old courtyard and feature antique pieces, comfy beds with feather duvets, and the usual Western comforts. A pair of suites have freestanding tubs, sofas, and a good deal more space. A roof terrace (above the breakfast room) kitted out with lounge chairs comes with nice views of the surrounding low-rise hutong neighborhood.

One of the capital's older luxury hotels, the Kempinski could stand to give its guest rooms a refresh, but the facilities remain first-rate thanks to a well-equipped gym, easy access to shopping in the attached Lufthansa Center, and plenty of dining opportunities. The likeable Kempi Deli is always popular at lunchtime for its excellent European pastries and sandwiches, and the microbrews at the Paulaner Brauhaus are a draw even to revelers in the nearby Sanlitun neighborhood.

This Shangri-La owned stalwart entices with its stylish Centro Bar, excellent all-day Kerry’s Kitchen, and top-of-the-range health club that has a play area for kids. Called Adventure Zone, it’s kitted out with slides, a play village, and a supervised toddler zone. The service remains impeccable throughout, and the guest rooms have been spruced up to new levels of business chic.

Each of the four rooms at this boutique courtyard hotel—located in a carefully restored home in Dongsi Hutong—are decorated with antiques and according to different themes, such as the Chairman's Suite, in playful homage to Mao, and the two Author's Suites (one inspired by Edgar Snow, a 1930s US journalist who lived in Beijing, and the other by Han Suyin, the Japanese novelist who wrote Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, among others). There's also a cigar lounge where you can sit on original furnishings used by China's early revolutionary leaders, as well as a wine bar housed in a Cultural Revolution–era bomb shelter. You'll know the hotel when you find it—Madame Mao's Red Flag limousine sits outside.

With its landscaped gardens, luxury mall, and the addition of a more modern wing, the Shangri-La is a slice of charm for business travelers and those who don't mind being far from the city center; the service is spot-on throughout, from the pristine rooms to the efficient check-in, while the dining options are excellent.

Though it can feel a little in the middle of nowhere, near the 2008 Olympic area, the Sheraton Dongcheng, with its cubic glass facade, great-value lunch deals, and spacious, clean, and up-to-date rooms, is a decent high-end choice. Some good restaurants (Yue does particularly good dim sum) and views of the architecturally impressive "Bird's Nest" (National Stadium) help make up for the lack of good eats in the area, and the guest rooms themselves serve as perfect cocoons, with soothing colors and woods on show. It's near the Beijing International Convention Center.

A functional name for a utilitarian hotel, Traders is located inside the China World Trade Complex, hence the prevalence of business travelers to be found staying here; its good-value, simple (think muted colors), efficient guest rooms hit the mark, as does its fine service and excellent health club (you'll want to eat out, though, but that's not always such a bad thing). This place certainly knows its market. Oh, and it's attached to a shopping mall too.

True to form, the sassy Starwood brand W has tech-laden guestrooms (and corner rooms here have great city views), comfy beds, pillow menus, and free snacks. The Yen restaurant serves contemporary takes on Cantonese and northern Chinese delicacies. The hotel is close to Beijing Railway Station, and it’s just a few subway stops west to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

With 34 floors of guest rooms, the Westin Beijing Chaoyang isn't exactly a small affair, but what the hotel lacks in intimacy, it more than makes up for in luxury: highlights include the trademark "Heavenly" beds and thunderous rain-forest showers, waking up to the best and most abundant breakfast buffet in the city, and service that is relaxed, charming, and attentive. Guest rooms err toward the businesslike—they are decorated with techy gagdets and contemporary furnishings. On Sundays, Taste restaurant is the haunt of Beijing’s brunch set for Bubbalicious, an all-you-can-drink champagne fest with dozens of live cooking stations that's a relative bargain. The Westin Spa has an extensive menu of massages and treatments.

It's business as usual at this worthwhile spot: comfortable rooms with plush beds, neutral tones and marble bathrooms; a plethora of amenities, including dining spots both formal and fun; and not forgetting the perhaps-to-be-expected, well-staffed executive lounge. As one of the trio of big players on Financial Street—along with the InterContinental and the Ritz-Carlton—the Westin won't wow you to your core, but has more than everything you'd need and expect, and it does it all well. Business travelers will be particularly pleased.