Beijing 161 Wangfujing Hotel

Dongsi station is close, and the rooms were clean with good facilities. We were here for one night with a group of friends. Breakfast could have been better, and the restaurant shuts at 10 pm, so it would be nice if it stayed open until midnight. Staff tried to help, though there’s no elevator to the upper floors.

We used this as a base for a few days of exploring Beijing, and it was a cozy, well-priced choice. The rooms are basic and a bit small, but you’re about five minutes from the subway and within walking distance of loads of shops and restaurants. Mornings started with toast and tea in the lobby, a nicely decorated space with plenty of comfortable spots to relax at the end of the day. It was my first hotel on my first trip to China, and I’d booked everything myself without a tour company. Finding the place after landing was a little confusing at first, but once we knew where we were, it felt like home.

The staff made this stay for us, especially the woman who speaks English so well. When our train to Shanghai was cancelled, we came back for another night. They gave us a discount and let us use their phone to call our accommodation in Shanghai. Thank you, 161 hotel! We spent five nights here in total. Dongsi metro station is close, there’s a great restaurant across the road (159), and a hypermarket nearby. The cafe inside had good prices, and it was handy for grabbing a croissant and hot chocolate before heading out. Our room was good too, with nicely pressured showers.

The reception staff were kind. After checkout, they let us shower and even gave us towels, and the hotel is close to two metro lines. Our experience in the room was awful. We stayed 6 nights, but were first put in an underground room with no window. It looks better in the pictures, and I felt a better room was warranted for such a long stay. There were rats. They only moved us after we complained, following one night there, and the new room was nicer. Another couple we met at reception said they had bed bugs in their room on the 5th floor. We booked through Booking, but the hotel told them I hadn’t shown up, so I couldn’t leave a review. I suspect that’s why the hotel has an 8.1 online, since complaints can be dismissed by saying guests never arrived. I wouldn’t recommend it at all.