Beijing Travel Answers

I enjoyed the Sheraton Great Wall Hotel in Beijing in the Embassy Row area; close to everything and the rooms were large -- plus if it's still there, there's a Hard Rock Cafe within several steps if you're dying for a burger. About US$133. Embassy Row is nice too since there's lots of great restaurants in walking distance. Sounds like you are working on a choice bet. Shanghai & Beijing. If it's your first time to Asia (as it sounds) then you might want Beijing since it has so so many fabulous sights (Great Wall, tours to the Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Forbidden City). However, Shanghai has an amazing feel too and it's my favorite China city.

Your budget creates ample options to stay anywhere in Beijing with a name brand hotel which bascally has some of the finest locations with english speaking front desk and coicerieges. The Chaoyang District is located on the east side of downtown Beijing and has many western hotels in your budget. The simple Holiday Inn is about 70 usd and is as luxury as a 4 star hotel IMHO. Most of Beijing is safe to walk at all hours and would not be concern too much of crime even though there is something always going on in a big city like Beijing. I was always happy with booking through AGODA...look through their web site and get a idea of prices and different districts where you may want to stay. The district i mention is convience because there is the metro, it is a business area and there are shops and pubs and eatery all over. good luck and cheers tommy x

I agree with the suggestions above from my limited experience of Biejing. I used sinohotel when I went sinohotel.com/english/hotel/...

I would suggest the hotel I stayed in Beijing. It was close to Forbidden City and Wangfujing Road. You could take the metro in 5 minutes and you would be centrally located. It's name was Days Inn Forbidden City Hotel. You can find details about the hotel and other useful tips in my Beijing page. Enjoy your stay in Beijing :)

We visited China May 2011 for 24 days , having 2 days in Beijing prior to joining a 20 day tour, then 2 nights by ourselves in Shanghai post tour. All our hotels were 5 star in Beijing the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, excellent, breakfast included. The 2 days we had pre tour were100 per night per room with breakfast. As for speaking English, many people in hotel speak it. When going somewhere speak to the Consierge, he will give you a hotel card with name etc etc in English and Chinese. He will also ask where you are going and write on the card in Chinese so the taxi driver knows where to take you. They would walk out to the street and hail taxi for you. In Beijing we did not take the metro, however we had 5 days in Shanghai and took the metro on several days by ourselves. Very easy, cheap and exactly like USA. They have signs in English, ticket machines in English.I doubt it matters where you stay as long as it is central Beijing, a monster city. Have a look on my Shanghai page, I have a Transport tip, photos show you how it is. Taxi is very cheap. We stayed in the Padang district, cost 13 yuan by taxi to get to the Bund. The fast train to and from the Shanghai airport is worth taking, we went 300km per hour, sometimes goes 400km per hour butonly allowed on certain hours.

In Beijing our taxi fare from the airport was 130 yuan, about20 and we were in the taxi for over an hour. Taxi fares are extremely cheap.

Thanks for your help everyone! I'm heading to the airport and will be back in a week, and will be able to look into all your suggestions then. Thanks again :)

Ron here from Vancouver (what about those Canucks...sorry) Anyway we stayed at the Red Wall hotel (very nice 3 star) in 2010 (about 50.00/nt. for 2 doubles) It is walking distance to Tinamen and Forbidden city 5-10 min. It is reasonably close to Wangfuging st. as well (20 min. walk) Really didn't do much of the nightlife thing. Hope this is some help.

We have stayed in two hotels: Tianlun Songhe Hotel Beijing and the Novotel. Both close to Wangfujing Street and within walking distance to Forbidden City etc. Close to subway. Not sure about Karoke places. Most staff at major hotels speak some English but do agree make sure you take hotel card with you.

Hey!! I was making a course in Beijing at BLCU. I've liked a lot the area mostly because they have lots of young people, foreigners and bars; There is a place there in Wudaokou that is called Propaganda. You got to go there! On wednesdays is the best day! You pay only 30 yuans and you drink how much you want the hole night long. The other days you can go to the center of the city where you have great places to go at night, as for example the bar at the top of the highest building in Beijing,mix and vics next to the stadium and the unforgettable xiu.