Yitingzhenshe Hotel Beijing Qianmen

There's a washing machine, but registering to use it requires a Chinese mobile number. The staff mostly speak Chinese, though Google Translate helped us communicate and they were willing to assist. The room was small but comfortable, and the hotel is surrounded by local restaurants. It's a peaceful place to enjoy the old town. Zhushikou subway station is only a few meters away, and you can walk to Quanmen, at the entrance to Tiananmen. If you're looking for a Beijing hotel, I'd highly recommend it.

The good points were the location, near attractions like the walking street, and the nice staff. But the noise made this a terrible stay. We knew we'd booked a ground-floor room, so that wasn't the problem. What we hadn't been told was that it was right beside a construction site. For at least two nights, trucks brought construction materials or tools through from around 11 PM until 3 AM. They were so loud we could hear them clearly with the window shut. One day, construction started again at 6 AM, and the nonstop noise woke us up. We couldn't really sleep, and I was so angry I recorded it on my phone. Nobody at the hotel had warned us about the work, including the overnight noise. Unbelievable. The heating was also too hot. We tried adjusting it several times and couldn't get it right, which was another reason we couldn't sleep.

The location is convenient, right on Qianmen Street among lots of well-known spots for Beijing local food, and Zhushikou Metro Station is within walking distance. I stayed last winter, and the front desk kindly moved me to a room with a window at no extra charge. The staff were very polite and patiently answered all my questions. I'd recommend staying here.

The location is fairly good, with the subway about a 10-minute walk away, though getting a taxi there is difficult. Service was average. The room is old and needs an upgrade, and the bathroom was the worst part, it was moldy.