V Continent Beijing Parkview Hotel

The staff were excellent, and there’s a large mall with places to eat just a short walk away. It also seemed like a safe place: parcels for guests were often left in the foyer waiting to be picked up. The breakfast buffet had plenty of Western and Eastern choices, and the staff there were friendly and gave great service. The rooms were decent, with big beds, though the shower door opens outward and water ends up on the floor by the toilet and basin. The air conditioning is limited to reduce pollution emissions. If you tend to get hot, the windows should open to let in cooler summer air, or pack lighter clothes. It’s a lovely, very large hotel. You’ll often see fancy, expensive cars out front. They host conventions, so it can get busy then. Staff service was excellent.

There’s a reasonably sized mall right next door, so food and drinks are convenient, and the neighborhood is calm. The hotel is close to the Olympic venues, including Bird's Nest and Water Cube, which you can see from across the room. It’s also not far from International airport.

The nearest metro is National stadium, almost a kilometer away, so the hotel isn’t especially close to a station. The rooms were clean, breakfast was good, and the staff were friendly. The hotel facilities are fantastic.

The location is probably the hotel’s strongest point. My stay wasn’t too bad, but I expected more from a five-star place. The hotel has lost some of its initial wow factor by the time you get to the room. The rooms are okay, though they still look more than a decade old, with pale carpets throughout. There was a strong smoke smell in the hallways despite signs warning of a hefty no-smoking fee, and quite often it seemed to be staff who had smoked. In the cold season, the heating also made the rooms extremely dry.