In my search for the perfect sight-seeing hotel in Beijing, I had four primary criteria:
- Price – needed to be affordable while still providing standard comforts
- Location – needed to offer easy access to popular tourist destinations in Beijing
- Transportation – easy to get to public transit
- Internet Access – high-speed Internet is a must for me.
The NOVOTEL Xinqiao Beijing comes in scoring high marks in all three categories. The price is definitely reasonable. I booked through eLong.net for approximately $50/night. Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, a restored section of old Ming city wall and a number of other smaller sites are all within reasonable walking distance. If you prefer not to walk the subway is literally right outside the hotel, connecting you to virtually anywhere in the city. Taxis and tricycle drivers are also in abundance, but the subway is truly easy to navigate and it even has English announcements for upcoming stops.
Aside from the bed being extremely firm, I have no complaints about the accommodations at NOVOTEL Xinqiao Beijing. The staff is courteous and quite helpful. My economy room has a refrigerator and safe. The bathroom looks like a bathroom and I can easily find my way to anywhere in the city with this hotel as my home base. I will definitely stay here again when I come back to Beijing.
