Fab location, great value for money, 5 star service!!!
by A TripAdvisor Member
We just spent a glorious week in busy Beijing. The Crowne Plaza Beijing is situated close to the Wangfujing shopping disctrict (just metres away), The Forbidden City and Tianemen Square. The hotel has an inviting lobby with a gift shop that has some pretty decent prices - check them out before bartering with the locals in the markets. The concierge team were very helpful at all times - giving directions, helping out with phone cards (it's cheaper at the book stall on Wangfujing than from the hotel itself) and assisting with getting airport transfers. The hotel has 4 super fast and efficients lifts, and we checked into the 7th floor, one below the club lounge. the lounge is a great option - and is open from breakfast until 23H00 daily. The lounge staff are excellent, with Jerry, Cici and Vicky always on top form. The club rooms are nice, we had a king size bed which was comfy, a bathroom with separate shower (nice water pressure too) that had great products and the free laundry service (an item a day) was useful. The hotel offers few English channels, among them CNN, BBC World and CNBC. Managed to watch the World Cup action on CCTV with Chinese commentary. The hotel pub has an awesome jazz band and showed the world cup action on BIG screens. The only downer for me was the poor service at the hotel restaurant adjacent to the lobby. We had dinner there twice and both times found the service anything but 5 star, world class. This hotel has recently been renovated and whilst the outside still looks its age, the rooms, lobby and facilities have been spruced up. Beijing is getting ready for the Olympics in 2008 and the Crowne Plaza Wangfujing has stepped up to the plate to welcome inernational guests. The staff were friendly, attentive and spoke good English - and above all, made the week in Beijing memorable.... Will I go back - definately!!!
Could not ask for more!
by TripAdvisor Member Texannone
My husband and I just returned from a 6 night stay at the Crowne Plaza Beijing. I booked this hotel in April after reading the reviews on this site. Although it currently totes a 3 star rating, this is truly a 5 star hotel. It is newly renovated and the decor and amenities are impeccable. At $134 a night - you can't beat the service and room that you get for this price!
We stayed on the club level which are the 7-9 floors. On the 8th floor is the club room which included a daily to order breakfast omelet and buffet. The one touch espresso machine is a godsend! The staff manning the club level even remember your name, room number, and drink choice by the 2nd day! We loved Jerry! He always has a smile on his face and ready to chat with you! Every evening from 6-8 is happy hour! This includes a light bar type buffet - chicken wings, celery and carrots, little finger sandwhiches and chips. Not to mention a wide selection of hard liquor, wine, and beer. The club room is very nice and we enjoyed meeting other travelers and checking our email from the two computers provided. We spent a lot of time in this room!
We stayed on the 8th floor, which is considered smoking but I honestly couldn't tell it was a smoking floor, right down the hall from the club. When we first checked in we had a room on the 7th floor, which was nonsmoking as we had asked, but the room was small and didn't have a view. We went back downstairs and the staff quickly changed us to a bigger room with a view of WANGFUJING AVE. The bathroom was plush with a window seat and marble everywhere
The room was extremely clean and the turndown service was great. We did have to ask to have our refrigerator restocked with the complimentary drinks but that was no big deal!
The hotel lobby and atrium are wonderfully inviting especially after a long hot day of shopping at the Pearl market, visiting Tiananmen Square, or just strolling up Wangfujing Ave. which is one of the most exciting streets in Beijing with shopping , restaurants, and outdoor cafes. My husband and I often ended the day with our translator in the Atrium bar with a great glass of Californian Shiraz - only $5 a glass and a large bowl of peanuts.
All in all, you truly can not ask for more. I have stayed in more expensive and supposedly five star hotels. The staff and their willingness to make the guest feel at home is what make this hotel a must. We are already planning our next trip back to Beijing.
Oh, you can get a car service to meet you at the airport from the hotel for about $45 each way! Just email the hotel using the email address provided on the hotel website and they will email you back right away.
If you have any questions about Beijing in general. Feel free to email me at texanfray@yahoo.com. Please no advertisements - just serious questions about an incredible city!
Great location, helpful staff
by TripAdvisor Member 1s1
We recently stayed at this hotel for almost a week. We found it to be perfect for our needs. After looking at their website, I booked two rooms on the club floor. I chose the club floor because the rooms were larger, and there were several amenities included. The price difference, if I remember properly, was not very much. I used the internet connected computers in the club lounge, ate breakfast there, and had one free shirt a day laundered. The rooms seemed spacious to me, with particulrly nice bathrooms.
One little touch which I found very helpful was a little paper sleeve which the key card came in, which had a small map of Downtown Beijing, plus a list of several of the more common tourist sites written out in Chinese characters, and the hotel name written out in Chinese characters, too. Plus some more info, like taxi times to the airport, and approximate taxi fare to the airport. Really, I think this was a brilliant little "freebie", and very useful since many taxis drivers don't speak English, yet taxis are so cheap you find yourself using them quite a bit. The hotel also has some helpful young women near the front door, who help you get a taxi and tell them where you are going.
We used the concierge to hire a mini van and driver to take us to the Great Wall.
Would I recommend this hotel? Definitely, especailly if this is your first time in Beijing and you want to see a bunch of the most commonly visited tourist sites, since it is a handy location to Tienaman Square and the Forbidden City.
Disapointed, with Business Club
by TripAdvisor Member niedo
We looked forward to our stay at the Crowne Plaza in Beijing based on the reviews and our recent stays at the Crowne Plaza's in Shenzhen and Incheon. Upon arrival the staff was friendly and very helpful. We went to the eighth floor to register at the business desk. We expected the usual business amenities and were told they were included, free internet, breakfast and the cocktail hour. The staff suggested we come back at 6:00 for happy hour. Upon return at 6:30 for snacks and cocktails we were informed that while we had business reservations, we were not allowed to partake in happy hour. We latter found out that while our Crowne Club Floor Business Room Benefits card indicated free internet. We would have to pay additional to log onto the internet. Enough said on this. The room was very nice and clean. Depending on your definition of a short walk, it is a good 30 minute walk to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The shopping street on the way to the Forbidden City is good. If you jump off the path there are some bargains on the side streets and a great little local restaurant area on the shopping street South of the Hotel.
Great location, not so friendly staff
by TripAdvisor Member ale_esteves
We stayed in this hotel for 4 nights. Front desk was terrible, trying to sell us room upgrade to have an early check-in at 10:30. Otherwise she told us to "go away" and not return until 14 o'clock. At the end we took the upgrade, which was a great deal.
Room was amazing, breakfast was good, free internet conection in Business centre and jacuzzi. Location is great, taxis are very cheap in china and staff from business centre were a lot better.
Watch out for the lobster buffet on Fridays. If you arrive after 20:30, no lobster for you.
But I recommend anyway and would stay again.
Forum Posts
opinions pls...
by pink-top
hi everyone!
is there anything going on in beijing mid march?? coz hotel prices are up.
what are your opinions about crowne plaza, shangri-la, hilton and marriott west?? were narrowing it down to these choices and we need your valuable insight in terms of location, service, price..etc.. and also where can i get the best rate of these hotels? like what websites or contact hotel directly..??
ThankX!
:)
RE: opinions pls...
by molenaar
We are staying at the Crowne Plaza Beijing in May/June. The best rates are directly through the hotel http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hpt/PEGWF/2/pt?ptLink=hd, look through all the choices as some offer breakfast and laundry each day. We usually book with asiarooms.com etc but for a change booking directly was much cheaper.
RE: opinions pls...
by pink-top
thank you!
yeah, asiarooms.com has good prices at times. any comments on marriott west and holiday-inn central plaza?? in terms of service, location, etc. thankx!
RE: RE: opinions pls...
by bali_junkie
Not sure about Holiday Inn Central Plaza, location is a bit far from shopping area. Try Crowne Plaza Wangfujing - newly renovated modern concept and right in the middle of Wangfujing shopping area. Walking distant to Forbidden City, Houhai area, quite easy to get around...
