I stayed here for 1 night March 15-16 for the the first American baseball games played in China. I choose this hotel because it's only a 10 minute walk from the new Olympic baseball stadium where the games were played. The new arena where the Olympic basketball games will be played is right next to the baseball stadium. The subway is also next to the baseball stadium making it also near the hotel.

It's a very nice hotel with the front desk able to speak decent English. I choose a superior room for the separate shower, which also has an extra large bathroom and an electric pants press in the room. The bed is very comfortable.

I booked the room on the Holiday Inn website and pre-purchaed my room and breakfast which saved me about $20. The breakfast is okay with a cooked to order omelet station. Nothing to brag about but the cost with the pre-booking was only about $8.

BUT, the location is on the far west of Beijing. Sure it's near the subway. However, the subway was ALWAYS crowded whether it be afternoon or evening, Saturday or Sunday. The subway is only 26 cents one way though! A taxi from the airport took 1 hour and $18. Going back took only 45 minutes. The problem with relying with taxis is that the city traffic is so bad that it could take a while to get to this hotel from anywhere not taking the highway. I used the subways all the time except for the airport. To Tiananmen Square by subway took about 15-20 minutes.

If you don't mind crowded but cheap subways, this hotel is half the cost of something more central.

Nice rooms, friendly staff. Close to the subway which is the fastest way to travel around Beijing. Go out the front, turn left go to the corner turn left again and it's just a few blocks down. Indoor pool is heated in winter so pack the swimsuit, breakfast is good but a little pricey...but it is a buffet with western food as well as Chinese and you can fill up for the day. Massage was cheap at the hotel and very good, though unlike in the US where you totally disrobe and get under a sheet they are not used to this and were a bit shocked. We really liked this hotel and the Chinese people were friendly and go out of their way to help if you need it. Not many people in China speak English but it wasn't a problem for us and most signage was in English too, even the subway makes stop announcements in English as well as Chinese. Overall hotel was great, and China was awsome! Must see's are the Wall, Summer Palace, Forbiden City, Teinamen Square, Temple of Heaven & an acrobat show. The hotel can set up tours to any of these places and more, we used a tour for the wall & acrobat show and explored the others on our own.

Stayed in Holiday Inn Chang An West for three nights in Beijing. This particular hotel is a bit far off from the center. It is in the southwestern edge of the city and at least 30 minutes from popular areas such as Wangfujing and the Forbidden City. However, there is a subway station around 10 minutes walk from the hotel.

To be honest, I was initially not expecting much from a Holiday Inn. However, I can probably say that this hotel is of four star quality. Though the interiors weren't any different from other places, this hotel gave off a pretty good ambiance. It could be because it was a relatively new hotel when I stayed there. The staff were helpful and gave me tips on where to go in the city. They knew how to speak good English. Maps of the city were also readily available in the counter.

The rooms were very clean, well-appointed and most importantly, spacious. Standard amenities were included (toiletries, slippers, etc). High-speed internet was also available in the room, though it was certainly not free. I had to call for a technician to set-up my Apple laptop for internet use. Service was prompt and my laptop was ready for in no time.

The breakfast buffet was okay. It was nothing special and the variety was pretty average. Aside from the usual Western fare (bacon, scrambled egg, etc), they also had some standard Chinese breakfast items such as congee, salted vegetables, etc.

This is a good hotel overall. The only real downside is that it is a bit far from the center. Next time I am in Beijing, I would probably stay elsewhere simply because of convenience. Nevertheless, I still recommend the Holiday Inn Chang An for the traveler looking for good value but not really keen on a city center location.

Stayed in Beijing for Business - had 3 rooms on the Executive Club floor. Service was good. Rooms were great - very large and clean. Bathroom was also very good. I had a seperate shower unit from the bathtub but that is not in every room. In room safe is handy. Executive Club offers 4 pieces free laundry per day which is nice for an extended stay. Free internet was good for business. Food was poor. Breakfast was good (custom made eggs) but lunch and dinner in the buffet restaurant was very poor. Very few Western or European dishes despite the restaurant being called Florence. Mainly Chinese food. Tried the satay in the bar but it was very tough. Red curry chicken in the Thai restaurant was good. Elevators slow in the morning but good bell hop service and access to cabs.