I stayed at two hotels in Beijing this time: the Zhongguancun Crowne Plaza and the Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel. This was also my first stay at a Marriott property. I have to say, choosing a hotel in Beijing is really difficult—they’re either insanely expensive, too far from subway stations, or just way too old…
Zhongguancun Crowne Plaza
I chose this one because I planned to visit the Summer Palace, and since it happened to be the weekend, there was a 30% off weekend rate. My Deluxe Room was upgraded to Club level, which included breakfast and lounge access. It’s also quite close to the subway station, so breakfast and dinner were sorted. The amenities and services around Zhongguancun are also pretty convenient.
The hotel opened in 2008 and was renovated in 2015, but surprisingly, the overall style still feels very last-century. Maintenance is just average; the TV is small with poor picture quality, and the lobby has a rather dated feel—it seems primarily geared toward conferences. On the plus side, the rooms are spacious, and the service is excellent. Both the front desk and lounge staff were great. The toiletries are Borghese, standard for Crowne Plaza Club rooms, and they work fine. Breakfast and the Happy Hour offerings in the Club Lounge were quite varied, and I ate well.
I was actually surprised to find a handy phone in the room—it seems pretty rare to encounter them in domestic hotels.
The lobby, full of nostalgic vibes.
They gave me almost the highest floor available. Unexpectedly, I was greeted by clear blue skies upon arriving in Beijing.
Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel
This hotel is located on Wangfujing Street, though not on the pedestrian section. It’s slightly closer to Dongsi Subway Station, but still quite a walk… Most of my dining was around Dengshikou; I didn’t even venture onto the Wangfujing Pedestrian Street.
As a mere Silver Elite member with Marriott, naturally there were no upgrades, breakfast, or lounge benefits. I was assigned a basic room on the 7th floor—not the lowest, but with nothing to see outside the window. Rumor has it some rooms here have no windows at all, so this was definitely better than those…
The hotel opened in 2014, so the overall style is noticeably newer and more modern. Although the ceilings are somewhat low, the room area is generous. The bed is a bit high, but the mattress is comfortable. There are electric curtains, and while the bathroom lacks double sinks, it does have a vanity counter. The shower area is spacious with strong water pressure. Overall, I was quite satisfied.
Homemade Iced Black Tea
The glowing lion by the elevator
Photos taken with SONY A5100 + 16-50 f3.5-5.6, post-processed in Lightroom.
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