Beijing Downtown Travelotel

The staff were really nice and helpful, and the hotel itself had beautiful, clean rooms. It’s in a lovely hutong area with lots of good places to eat, and close to many attractions. The standout was the trip they arranged to the wall for 500 yuan per person. Transport there and back was included, as well as around 3-4 hours on the wall. There were five of us. Our guide, Jackie, kindly explained how to get from where we started to the meeting point. After that, we climbed independently, free to split up and go at our own pace, which was great because some parts are honestly difficult to walk or climb. The section we visited had almost no other tourists, and very few people in general. We watched the sunset, then had a simple but amazing dinner at a farmers restaurant after coming down. Vegetarian options were available. It was an unforgettable experience.

The location is central in the hutong, with the subway just a five minute walk away and connections to Beijing’s tourist sites. I also highly recommend their Jinshaling Great Wall day trip, even if you don’t stay here. It was fantastic and relaxed, and the price was great. I stayed four nights in April 2013. Because the hotel was so booked and I reserved late, I switched rooms twice. All three private rooms had their own ensuite and were clean, as were the bathrooms. The staff were friendly and spoke decent English. Breakfast was simple but enough to get the day started. WiFi only worked in the common room and restaurant, but the signal was good there. I’d definitely stay again if I return to Beijing.

This was my first hostel stay, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Things have been really good so far. If you’re up for it, take a hiking tour. For getting around the city, skip walking and rent the hostel bikes for 40RMB a day. Totally worth it, and my favourite way to see the city. Kind regards, Dylan and Shannen

We stayed three nights while in Beijing on an "in transit visa". The hotel was very clean, and the staff were super helpful, especially Jerry. It’s in a trendy hutong in the Dongcheng district, on S. Luogo alley, with snack shops and restaurants right outside. The metro is a five minute walk away, and Jingshan park is about a half hour on foot.