Hotels in Beijing

Beijing’s highest hotel towers over the new central business district. The panoramic views, particularly from the 66th-floor China Grill and the 63rd-floor lobby, are magnificent. By some margin the most opulent international hotel in Beijing, its 237 rooms and suites feature rainforest shower and spa-style tub, plasma TVs, espresso machine and iPod dock. The Tian Spa is on the 59th and 60th floors, while the swish China Bar overlooks the capital from the 65th floor.

Another beautifully renovated 300-year-old courtyard complex, this is the most reasonably priced of the quality courtyard hotels in Beijing. Rooms come with traditional Chinese furniture and all the modern comforts you would expect for a hotel in this price range - wall-mounted flatscreen TV, free Wi-Fi, underfloor heating and slick en-suite bathroom. It's in the same wonderful back-alley-ridden area as DuGe Courtyard Boutique Hotel, with Nanluoguxiang, and its chic cafés, cool boutique shops and bars-a-plenty, just a short walk away.

Located in a 200-year-old courtyard residence, this historically themed boutique hotel incorporates the Red Capital Club restaurant, a communist history-fest. The five suites are decorated in a style to befit 1950s communist leaders, and the bar is a converted bomb shelter. Not cheap, but for sheer 'experience' factor, this unique hotel in Beijing is hard to beat.

This excellent-value, 128-room hotel is well located in a hutong district near the Temple of Earth Park. Its clean, good-sized rooms feature modern amenities, internet access and cable TV. Though aimed largely at Chinese business travellers, its location and price make it a good mid-range travel option in Beijing.