WHERE TO STAY YOUR FIRST TIME IN BEIJING

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Choosing a hotel in Beijing for a first trip isn’t easy. Of course the hotel is always one of the biggest decisions when planning a trip but for a more exotic destination like China it is even trickier.

I know I was quite unsure when I was planning my three week trip to Beijing. What area is best? What are Chinese hotels even like? Do you have to book an expensive international hotel? Are budget Chinese chains okay or will you end up in a dump?

The good news first: booking a hotel in Beijing is much easier than I feared. I stayed at 6 different hotels at various price points – from budget to luxury – in six different parts of town and was happy with all of them!

Still, depending on your personal taste and your plans for the trip (and of course your budget) some places will work better than others. Read on for my recommendations for the best neighborhoods to stay at (and for whom they are best) as well as concrete hotel recommendations.

This post will focus on actual neighborhoods and hotels I recommend. You can find my general tips and tricks for booking a hotel in China – from how to when – in my general hotel booking article.

Some basic Background about Beijing

Before my trip I read recommendations on forums and blogs but was a bit confused. Mainly, because I had absolutely no clue about the layout or infrastructure of Beijing and reading Chinese street or area names didn’t tell me much.

So just in case you are the same here a very short overview. It is oversimplified and may not be quite 100% accurate but will give you a general idea what to expect. Obviously, I will only mention areas that are of interest to most tourists.

Beijing’s Layout

Basically, Beijing is laid out kind of like a target with a bull’s eye in the middle, surrounded by concentric circles. The surrounding circles correspond to major “ring roads” – called second, third, fourth, and fifth ring road with the fifth being the furthest from the center.

My hand-drawn map above isn’t quite to scale and only shows a couple of main landmarks but should give you a basic idea of where the various areas are located.

The Forbidden City and Tian’anmen Square are right in the middle of town, at the bull’s eye. Wangfujing (which you will find recommended not just here but in most blogs as it is the most convenient) borders the Forbidden City to the East.

The Central Business District (CBD) with modern skyscrapers is even further to the East, around the Third Ring Road. Sanlitun, Beijing’s hip neighborhood with trendy shopping, fancy hotels, and nightlife, is just to the North (and slightly West) of the CBD.

The main Hutong Area stretches along the Northern side of the Forbidden City, just inside the Second Ring Road.

Most attractions are located within this inner perimeter. Main exceptions are:

• the Summer Palaces in Haidian, a good 15 km to the Northwest of the Forbidden City between the 4th and 5th Ring Road
• Universal Studios far out to the East (way beyond the Ring Roads)
• Daxing Airport even further straight south from the city center

Getting around Beijing

Public transit in Beijing is excellent: easy, reliable, and cheap ( read my navigating Beijing post to find out more). As far as choosing a hotel is concerned, I recommend staying close to a major subway line. Luckily, this isn’t difficult as there are numerous lines, some circling the city similar to the ring roads while others cross the city either North to South or East to West.

Personally, I found staying near Lines 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, and 10 especially helpful but it will of course depend on your plans.

Best Areas and Hotels to stay in Beijing

I stayed in all the areas mentioned here (unless I specifically say otherwise) but obviously did not stay at all the hotels I recommend (checking in and out of six different ones in three weeks was enough for me).

Hotels I actually stayed at are denoted by a *. All other recommendations are based on location and reviews but I did walk by and check most of them out!

1. Wangfujing Pedestrian Street

Neighborhood Vibe Wangfujing

Around Wangfujing Street you will find plenty of shops, restaurants, and other necessities

My personal top recommendation for a regular, short (3-4 day) stay in Beijing as a regular tourist is the area just to the East of the Forbidden City near Wangfujing Pedestrian Street.

Wangfujing Pedestrian Street offers various shopping malls, stores of all variety, and eateries. Somehow I had imagined it to be more an Old-Timey place (narrow alleys with Chinatown-like stores). This is not the case! It is a wide plaza with upscale stores, similar to Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. (Check out #3 below if you are looking for a more traditional vibe).

Now the main negative I have read online is that it is very touristy. And it is – but presumably you are a tourist as well. And the vast majority of tourists are Chinese. So while you will be surrounded by tourists and amenities geared to tourists, the area is still all undeniably Chinese.

The Wangfujing Pedestrian area has several distinct advantages. First, you are very close to many/most of the attractions you will likely visit. You can walk to the Palace Museum and Jingshan Park. Other attractions like Temple of Heaven and Shichahai Area are very easy to get to by public transit. If you are a bit nervous about public transit this location will be ideal as you will limit transit time.

In addition, the touristy nature of the area means there are plenty of hotels and restaurants and shops are used to foreigners. There are really quite few Western visitors to Beijing. Here you won’t be quite as much of a curiosity.

It is exotic/Chinese enough to be exciting and interesting but not so different/hard to navigate to be difficult.

Please note: In older blogs you find the recommendation to eat at Wangfujing Snack Street/Night Market. This was mostly closed down during Covid. However, you can find modern Chinese food (various hotpots as well as sushi etc.) in the food courts within the malls. There are also hotel restaurants, convenience stores, and a row of food stalls along the Northern edge. You won’t have to go hungry here!

Advantages	Disadvantages
Very close to Forbidden City	Potentially more expensive
Excellent public transit connection	A LOT of tourists
Short/easy transit to most sights	Not as cute/traditional as some areas
Used to foreign tourists
Fun pedestrian shopping street
Lots of shops
Plenty of restaurants and food outlets

My personal opinion: My top recommendation for the most convenient place to stay for a regular tourist/shorter stay.

My hotel recommendations for Wangfujing

If Wangfujing Street sounds like the place for you, here my recommended hotels:

Luxury: Peninsula Hotel

The Peninsula has a top location, right next to the metro station and a very short walk to the shopping district. The Palace Museum is a little further but still walkable. It is very highly rated and while expensive not outrageously so.

I stopped by one day to have lunch. My curry was very tasty though the sodas were sadly overpriced (a pet peeve of mine) and the vibe was maybe a bit sterile for my taste. But the location is top-notch and a great choice.

Mid-priced: Jade Garden Hotel

Jade Garden is recommended on a lot of blogs and very popular. It was right next to my hotel (see below) so the location is basically the same and outstanding. It is in a historic building which is cool, has very good reviews, and is a notch fancier than the hotel I stayed in.

Tourist-Class: Youfang Hotel*

I stayed at Youfang Hotel and would classify it as tourist class. The location is outstanding, about 10 minutes walk to the subway (Jinyu Hutong Station) or Wangfujing Pedestrian Street and basically right next to the Forbidden City. There is a convenience store across the street. Probably one of the best locations in Beijing.

The hotel has a cool old-time look and a really nice roof garden as well an as enclosed courtyard as a public space. The rooms are a bit dated/plainer but adequate. Given the reasonable price, I would highly recommend this hotel!

2. Central Business District (CBD)

Neighborhood Vibe CBD

My second recommendation is to stay in the Central Business District. Now this area has fewer sights/things to do right there, but it has great transit connections, a cool modern vibe, and some outstanding hotels!

If you prefer to stay in a modern, luxurious hotel this is the place for you. The metro runs right through it and getting to the Forbidden City takes only minutes and is a straight shot. Sanlitun is also very close by (you could potentially walk).

For me, my stay in the CBD was a highlight. I loved, loved, loved my hotel and transit was very convenient. Here you will probably see more international visitors than you would in the Wangfujing area.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Top modern hotels	Not as many sights right there
Excellent public transit	More modern city than old China
Ideal for business travellers
More foreigners
Great malls nearby

My personal opinion: I loved my stay here. It was very convenient and I would recommend the CBD area if you are looking for a more luxurious hotel experience.

My hotel recommendation in the CBD:

Luxury: China World Summit Wing*

I can’t say enough good things about China World Summit Wing. It wasn’t just my favorite hotel in Beijing but probably the best hotel I have ever stayed at.

While expensive it did offer a great value for the price (it included breakfast, happy hour, and executive lounge). The rooms were very practical and the pool beautiful. In addition, it was pretty close to the subway and attached to my favorite mall in Beijing.

On the negative side, the room design is maybe slightly dated/more traditional than some other top choices. And it is not the hotel for you if you have a fear of heights as all the rooms are on floor 64 and up! But if you don’t mind this the views are absolutely stunning! My top recommendation for Beijing overall!

Budget: Hi Inn Hotel (Beijing Guomao Yong’anli Station)

I did not stay at this Hi Inn but my experience with Chinese budget chains was very positive. This hotel has been recently opened, the reviews are very positive, the rooms look plain but modern and serviceable, and it is right next to the metro station Yong’an Li.

I would not hesitate to book this if I was looking for a budget accomodation in this area!

3. Beijing’s Hutong Area

Neighborhood Vibe Hutongs

For the purposes of this post I am calling the general area between Shichahai and Lama Temple “Hutong Area”. This is the place for you if you prioritize staying in an atmospheric, very Chinese looking area and want to avoid huge tourist masses. The Hutongs (small alleys lined with grey-brick courtyard houses) give a unique sense of place and are something you can not experience everywhere.

One of the advantages is that it is quite walkable (look out for scooters though). I stayed near Gulou Dajie Station and walked to Shichahai, Prince Kung Mansion, and Lama Temple. But it was a fairly long walk. The metro is close by but less convenient than the previous areas as you will likely have to change lines, depending on where you want to go. This is not a huge issue but worth noting.

While there are small neighborhood stores, upscale boutiques, and cafes sprinkled around, you won’t find the huge numbers of big stores that the previous areas offered. The feel of the streets vary quite a bit. Some seem like regular neighborhoods with local families while others are much more curated (and feel a bit fake).

I enjoyed my stay here but parts seem touristy in a different way from Wangfujing Street. Instead of hordes of Chinese budget tourists you will see more upscale travelers looking for old time China.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Typical old Beijing vibe	Not quite as convenient for most sights
Atmospheric	Touristy in a gentrified way
Walkable	Fewer shopping and eating outlets
Some nice boutique hotels

My personal opinion: Stay here if you dislike cookie-cutter hotels and prefer a local (though a bit gentrified) vibe in a walkable area.

My hotel recommendation for the Hutong Area

Here you will mostly find courtyard hotels. These vary quite a bit in price and comfort, from more basic local hotels to fancy properties.

Comfortable: Manxin Mansion Beijing Houhai and Drum Tower Courtyard

This Manxin Mansion Beijing is quite close to the Gulou Dajie Station and offers a mix of authentic public areas and more modern rooms. A good choice when you are looking for a unique property but don’t want to forego modern conveniences. (Alternatively there is a second Manxin Mansion Hotel located a bit further south that also looks nice).

Tourist-Class: Junhefu Courtyard Hotel*

I would classify Junhefu Courtyard Hotel as tourist class. It is located right in an authentic Hutong and not far from the Gulou Dajie Subway Stop. I stayed at this economy priced hotel at a quite competitive price which included breakfast.

The hotel and rooms were slightly rough around the edges (e.g. the furniture was a bit wobbly and there were white patches on the wall) but still fine and definitely felt authentic. Reception/service was extremely friendly and helpful and you get the full courtyard vibe in a less gentrified neighborhood. Definitely a good choice if you are looking for an atmospheric stay on a budget and aren’t too bothered by minor faults.

Budget: CHEERMAY Hotel (Beijing Drum Tower Houhai)

The newly renovated CHEERMAY Hotel would be a good choice if you want to stay in this area at a low price and value modern convenience over nostalgic chic.

4. Sanlitun

Sanlitun is the hippest and most popular area for foreign visitors at this time and reminds me a bit of West Hollywood or the Grove in LA. Ideal if you want to see some other international visitors around, enjoy high-class shopping, fancy hotels, and nightlife.

I only put it at number 4 as I prefer the central location of Wangfujing, the convenience of CBD, and the cute hutong style. But if you are looking to see other Westerners, want to enjoy nightlife, or hang out with the in-crowd – this is for you.

Transit options are fairly similar to the CBD. The two areas are very close to each other and you can walk between or take a short metro (or Didi) ride. How convenient it is will depend on where exactly your hotel is located. My hotel was closeish to several stops (about 12 minutes on foot) but not really close to any. Next time, I would probably book a hotel close to Taikoo Li or alternatively right near a major subway stop for more convenience.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Best for nightlife (I have heard)	Feels less Chinese than most other areas
Hip and trendy	Maybe a bit generic/too hip
Good shopping and restaurants
Most international

My personal opinion: Stay here if you are looking for a fairly westernized experience with hip stores, modern hotels, and a cool nightlife.

My hotel recommendation for Sanlitun

Luxury: InterContinental Hotels BEIJING SANLITUN by IHG

There are various nice hotels in Sanlitun but I would prioritize proximity to Taikoo Li and public transit.

My recommendation would be for the InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun – it is right across from Taikoo Li, close to a vast number of eateries, shops, and nightlife, and convenient for public transport.

The building is beautiful, the room photos look gorgeous, reviews are good, and the hotel offers a great night-time view. A top recommendation for Sanlitun.

Mid-Tier: A.C. Art Museum Hotel*

The roof garden and laundry facilities were a real highlight

I stayed two nights at the A.C. Art Museum Hotel and am struggling a bit with this review. There were some aspects I loved and others I did not care for.

On the positive side, it is NOT cookie cutter but very distinctive, you will see lots of interesting people due to the nearby embassies, it is fairly luxurious at a good price, the roof terrace was gorgeous, and the laundry facilities were also nice. On the negative side, the service wasn’t great and it was too far from public transit for my taste (if you plan on using Didi that would not matter to you).

A good choice if you want a nicer hotel for a good price close to nightlife and don’t mind some service issues.

Premium Economy: Orange Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Taiguli)

This Orange Hotel is right next to the InterContinental and offers the same convenient location, close to shopping, dining, and transportation.

The price is significantly lower so you can’t expect the same level of luxury. However, Orange Hotels are a well-regarded chain and you will get a nice modern room with all the amenities needed. A great choice if you want to stay close to the action without breaking the bank!

5. Haidian

Haidian doesn’t show up often in best areas to stay in Beijing lists – it is quite a bit further from the central sightseeing district and there are few foreign tourists here. However, I stayed there for nine days and had a great time. While the subway ride to the city center takes a bit longer it really isn’t too bad and easily doable.

I am not really suggesting it as the prime area for a short first-time visit but if you plan on visiting the Old or New Summer Palace, have business in Zhongguancun (Beijing’s “Silicon Valley”) or at the local Universities, or if you can’t find an affordable place to stay in the more central areas it is a pretty good choice!

Bonus: This area is truly authentic (more so than any of the others) without being gritty. Here you will find various local malls, parks, and plenty of shops and amenities.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Comparatively inexpensive	Quite a bit further from the city center
Very authentic	No foreign tourists
Convenient with shops, restaurants, amenities	Not pretty or a highlight in itself
Close to Summer Palaces, Universities, Zhongguancun, and malls

My personal opinion: Stay here on a return visit if you want to feel really immersed in Chinese life (the regular modern kind).

My hotel recommendation for Haidian

Hotels here are mostly of the utilitarian variety, geared to business travelers, budget tourists, and people visiting the nearby Universities.

I don’t have a photo of the Summer Palace Hotel but this is the nearby palace itself

Ultra-Luxury: Summer Palace Hotel

If your main purpose for staying in Haidian is a visit to the Summer Palace, if you love traditional architecture and Imperial history, and cost doesn’t matter to you the Summer Palace Hotel is the place to stay!

This luxury hotel offers a mix of traditional and modern styles and various amenities like a pool and a spa. The Summer Palace is right next door. I would definitely stay here if I could ever afford it!

Premium Economy: Ji Hotel (Beijing Zhongguancun Suzhou Street Station)

This Ji Hotel is located at the same busy intersection as the cheaper 7 Days Premium I stayed at (below), very close to Suzhoujie Subway station and surrounded by restaurants and convenience stores.

Ji Hotels are slightly more upscale and offer a modern, clean aestethic with all the usual amenities. Very convenient and reliable.

Budget: 7 Days Premium (Beijing Zhongguancun Renmin)*

I originally had booked only three nights at this 7 Days Premium close to Suzhoujie Station but extended it for another six nights because I liked it so much! Not because it is fancy or spectacular but because it offered a solid value for a very reasonable price.

The bed was comfortable, the bathroom modern (I am not a fan of wet bathrooms), and the desk serviceable. Best of all, the employees were very friendly and helpful (though they did not speak English) and the area very convenient.

I would absolutely stay here again if I was looking for a hotel in this part of town!

Some other Beijing Areas you may consider (or not)

The above are the five areas I would recommend and that I personally stayed at. However, there are a couple more areas I considered or that may be of interest to you. Below my opinions on these additional areas and whether I would recommend them.

Universal Resort Area for Harry Potter Fans

This photo is from Universal in Florida as I did not manage to visit Universal Beijing

When I was planning my trip I stumbled across some hotels near Universal Beijing and absolutely loved the way they looked. For a low price you can basically stay at recreated Harry Potter scenarios!

I ended up not booking any of these (so can’t give a personal review) as I decided against visiting Universal and was a bit unsure how convenient it would be. Looking back, this was likely the right decision – Universal is quite far from Beijing’s other sights.

However, if you are a big Harry Potter fan and/or planning a visit to Universal these themed hotels may be just perfect. I couldn’t quite tell if they are close to subway stops though so if you are planning on using public transit make sure to consider that!

Beijing Railway Station Area for the budget-conscious

When I was looking for hotels to stay at I noticed that the biggest cluster of cheap hotels is near Beijing Railway Station. I ended up booking in other areas and never even checked it out. However, this area is not far from both CBD and the Forbidden City and offers excellent transit options.

It is presumably not the most atmospheric or exciting part of town but if your budget is tight you might want to start looking there.

Shougang Park for Steampunk Lovers

I absolutely loved my visit to Shougang Park. This cool area with repurposed factories is a bit far from the main tourist sights and probably not ideal for a first visit. However, if you have been to Beijing before or if you are traveling with kids and prefer something near family-friendly outdoor fun it may be just right for you.

Another reason to stay here is the Shangri-La Shougang Park. Located inside a former power plant it is one of the coolest hotels I have ever seen – if you are a lover of unusual hotels this may be enough to choose to stay here.

Daxing Airport Area for early or late flights

I stayed at Beijing CSN Pearl Hotel* the last night before my flight and would highly recommend it for a short stay if you have a very early or very late flight. It was quite comfortable, offered a free, regular shuttle service to the airport (no need to pre-book or call!), and was inexpensive.

However, I would not recommend staying in this area for longer or indeed if your flight leaves late in the day or arrives early in the morning. While you can save money by staying here it is very far from the city center (and the fare is not expensive but pricier than other rides in Beijing), there is nothing else around, and due to security measures getting into and out of Daxing airport is a pain. (Find out more about Beijing’s airports in my PKX and PEK post).

Where to stay in Beijing in a nutshell

• Stay around Wangfujing for a general, short city and sightseeing trip
• Choose CBD if you are in town for business or if you prefer a hotel with all conveniences and want to see modern Beijing
• Choose the hutongs if you love an old-time Beijing vibe and prioritize atmosphere
• Book a hotel in Sanlitun if you want to stay in a trendy area with shopping and nightlife
• And go for Haidian if you plan to spend time in that area (for the Summer Palaces, Universities, or business) and if you want to be far from the normal tourist haunts

My Thoughts for a future Stay

I moved hotels a fair amount during my three weeks in Beijing and stayed at a total of six hotels at various price points. Luckily, I was happy with all of them, whether inexpensive budget chain, convenient tourist hotel, or fancy luxury hotel.

While I would recommend Wangfujing as the best overall area for a first-time tourist my favorite hotel was definitely the China World Summit Wing! On my next trip to Beijing I would definitely stay there again if I can make it work. And I will happily stay at the 7 Days Premium in Haidian (clean, safe, and perfectly fine if not exciting) to balance out my budget!