The Skytel Hotel (Beijing Aoyu Hotel)

Skytel was a good stay. The rooms were clean, and the breakfast buffet had lots of variety. A large shopping center nearby seems to have everything, though the hotel is far from the city center.

There are useful places around the hotel, including convenience stores, an ATM, cafes and restaurants, plus parks and a running area, even though the hotel itself is outside the city. I was there on a holiday package. The room was a good size and had what I needed: a small fridge, jug, charging plugs, good curtains, and a hard bed. The TV was in Chinese, and there was no brochure explaining how to switch it to English, access content, or add English subtitles. Staff didn't understand English, but we managed with phone translation apps. The hotel has no bar, though there's something outside near the footpath in the evening if the weather is fine. There isn't a restaurant either. Breakfast was in a large function room with no atmosphere. Nearby local restaurants were reasonably priced. Breakfast was okay, mostly eastern cuisine with some basic western choices. Coffee was okay too, with options, though the machines were slow. There was also a cool delivery robot in the foyer that brought things like food orders to individual rooms.

We stayed at the Skytel Hotel in Beijing with a TripADeal tour group. The room was surprisingly spacious and well equipped, with a separate toilet and a large walk-in robe despite being a standard room. On the last night, the light by the bathroom sink wouldn't switch off no matter what we tried. Breakfast was included but pretty average. Most of the food was cold, even a fresh tray of bacon, which seemed as if it had been cooked and put in the fridge. The dumplings were good. There was no juice for three days in a row, so we had hot water for three mornings.

The location is a long way from central Beijing. We were with a tour group, but when we stayed on to explore the city at our own pace, it was difficult getting back to the hotel at night. If you want somewhere more central, I'd look at other options. For a hotel in this area, though, I'd recommend it. For the price, the hotel is comfortable, and the rooms are clean with the basic things you need while traveling. Staff were very friendly and patient when we used translator apps, since we didn't speak the language.