Hotels in Beijing, China

The Jade Garden Hotel exceeded the expectations of my fiancee and myself in almost every aspect. Best of all, it is close to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square... shopping in the downtown district... and a great morning and lunch buffet. The bed is the best I have ever.. I mean "ever" slept on... very comfortable... quality bedding... and the room was immaculate in all respects. There was only one downside to the room... an extremely small closet with hanger space for shirts or dresses... and only two drawers for stuff like socks and underwear... no big deal if your stay is short and you don't mind living out of your suitcase. We were here for 12 evenings, so it was very challenging to us. Big plus for the room... a large flatscreen TV that also served as the monitor for a computer system with wireless keyboard and mouse... free ethernet connection to the internet which we hooked to our Apple laptop... and plenty of desk space for a business stay. The staff was very helpful... kudos to them... and also very friendly. Word to the wise... beware of the taxi drivers in Beijing... they remind me of a Clint Eastwood movie... The Good, The Bad and The Ugly !! The hotel staff can hook you up with quality taxi service, but anything on the street is like gambling in Las Vegas which is no big deal if you embrace a little adventure in your life. A taxi is needed to see Tian Tan or the Great Wall or a trip to the "new" Beijing downtown to see the Birds Nest and other Olympic venues. A tour bus is recommended for the Great Wall... we found an excellent tour for 300 yuan for two people on a quality bus, with guide, with lunch, pickup and dropoff at the hotel, and a stop at the Ming Tombs enroute to the Great Wall... tremendous value. Our tour was organized for English speaking visitors, but the guide was gracious and also communicated in Chinese if necessary. If you are interested in tours and guides, be careful... there are some great values and quality service available... and others designed only to open and empty your wallet.