Beijing Double Happiness Hotel

The staff were incredibly kind and helped us with all our questions. Our room was clean and practical, and breakfast from 7:00 had both Chinese and Western choices. The hotel is in a traditional Beijing hutong, close to several sights. A wonderful place to stay, and I’d gladly return.

The team made our stay especially easy, helping us buy tickets and arrange taxis whenever we needed. Everyone was super friendly, and we enjoyed the breakfast too. We really liked the decor and the location, and would definitely come back when visiting Beijing.

The hotel had a lot of little surprises I wish I’d explored more. There are turtles, fish, and talking birds that imitate door sounds. The front desk always had someone who spoke English, and the customer service was fantastic. Breakfast was consistently great, with a large mix of Western and Eastern food. They even packed breakfast for us when we had to leave before the kitchen opened. The AC worked great, and since we visited in August, heating wasn’t an issue. The shower temperature was random, though. The place was reasonably clean, and we didn’t see any bugs or mosquitoes. They provide tiny toilet paper rolls, about half an inch thick, so we had to ask for a few each day. I still wouldn’t use towels from Chinese restaurants or sit on their toilets. That’s pretty standard for restaurants I visit in China. The hotel sits in the middle of a very narrow alley. Most of our drivers were willing to bring us in. They were usually hired through a school in Beijing and had better customer service than most. On the alley we walked through every day, there were a few public toilets that always smelled pretty bad. We had Baidu map, and I’m fluent in Chinese and English, so getting around was easy. My husband didn’t speak English, but he enjoyed the stay. Would I recommend it? Yes, if you want to experience traditional Chinese life, though people don’t live this way anymore. Would I return? Probably not.

Henry and the rest of the staff were extremely friendly. The location is fantastic, right in the centre with lots of good places to eat and temples to visit, though the street looks a little scary at night. The room has an old fashioned, traditional style, and it was always clean.