Raffles City Beijing

I have very mixed feelings about our stay: Positives: - location (close to subway, supermarket next door,etc) - friendly and helpful reception staff (don't really speak English but use a translator device and keen to help). - big room with a separate area for kids Negatives: - overall decor and cleanliness - as children stay free no amenities were provided for them. Had to ask for bedding and towels on arrival. Their bed never got made or enough towels left. - very rude staff in the breakfast bar (apart from the young guy on a couple of mornings) - rooms only cleaned superficially, sink and floor dirty, mushrooms sprouting in the shower. - limited breakfast options for western palates, not much variety from day to day. - no free ice-cream in lobby. My kids were disappointed. We stayed for 9 days and it wasn't available once. Don't advertise if you're not going to restock it. - view from our winfow: ask for street view if you can!

Everything top notch

The hotel is located inside the 2nd Ring, where most of the historical sightseeing spots located. Since mid November was not busy travel season in Beijing, at time of check in, I requested a free upgrade to a bigger room and the staff was nice enough to give me a bigger one. There is a 1/2 self service pastry stall in the lobby which has my favorite chestnut cake. The nearest metro station is about 15 minutes walk, that I think is a bit far away. The first day I arrived Beijing (11/16) the temperature was zero degree and windy. It would be too cold to walk to the metro station. For the few days I stayed at the hotel, I ended up using taxi most the time instead of subway train. In November the city already turned on heat. My room was facing west and window was locked/unable to open; the room got very warm and I had trouble falling asleep in a " hot room" . On the third day, I had to call the service desk to check if I could have air-conditioning turn on. The answer was no and the housekeeper came to unlock the window so I could got some air! Overall, the hotel is nice, clean and room is spacious.