We were one of the first to stay in the hotel after its extensive remodel. We must admit we were impressed. Everything inside was new, from the sound proof windows that blocked out all street noises to the black marble bathroom floor, everything was perfect. This Crowne Plaza has the same look and feel of any good 4 star hotel but the service from the staff and their attention to our comfort was impeccable. We were new to China and wanted to see the sites on our own so the staff of the hotel helped us in every way. We recommend the club floor with its amenities. Both restaurants were excellent as well.
Location, location, location makes this hotel a great place to stay. It is located on Wangfujing Street with some of the best restaurants and the best shopping located all around it. For such an active area the hotel was amazingly quiet. It is located in one of the safest areas of town and we walked freely around the whole area both day and night. Located in the heart of the business district it is just a 15RMB ($2.00) cab fare to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Silk and Pearl markets.
My husband and I spent 8 days in this hotel in April. It is not in the least bit Chinese but if you are wary of going a bit too native, it is a perfect base. It's in absolutely in the right area of the city - Beijing is huge and I spent a long time looking up where the best place to stay would be. The Forbidden City and Tian'amen Square were about 15 mins walk away, and the hotel offered many different ways of getting out to the further away places like the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. The pool and jacuzzi were fine and when we used them, late at night, no-one else was around. The hotel was really quiet and when we ate in the restaurant, it was mostly empty. The food incidently was great. The only slight problem I had with this place was that the bed sheets were very heavily starched and not the usual softness you'd expect. Beijing does have very hard water though so this was probably the reason. We really enjoyed our time in this hotel and would recommend it to others.
The staff went out of their way to be helpful to us. We ordered meals on room service a couple of times and they were always really good. One staff member arranged a cheap private driver for us too. The hotel offered a more expensive version, 800R, we only paid 500R for the day. Not quite a hotel positive but an example of the sort of thing that goes on here.
This hotel is good but nothing special. It offers the same high and consistent standard of service as one would expect of Crowne Plaza hotels worldwide. The hotel is slated as a 5-star but it feels more like a 4-star. The room is a bit tatty and cramped, but it's fitted with good working chair and a broadband internet connection (that was still free when I stayed there) so no complains there.
The hotel's best feature is its location. Just 10 minutes walk from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, plus right in the heart of Beijing's shopping district of Wangfujing Avenue. The hotel is even exactly located across a shopping mall.
Bottom line is, if you want a good, comfortable hotel with consistent, no-surprise, and friendly service then this hotel can be your option.
Great location in the middle of Beijing's shopping district and only 10 minutes stroll from Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
