Where to set your base camp in Beijing? I initially wanted to stay near Wangfujing area, but I can’t find affordable but still livable hostel in the area. When you find your hotel make sure that you get location near station that has less transfer from the airport. From airport to city it is easier to get a taxi but it is hard to get a cab going back to the airport, most of them complain about heavy luggage.
I enlisted Day’s Inn Forbidden City Hotel and Citytel Inn as other options, but it would take more than 5-10 minutes from the nearest train exit. Since the days we have visited would have a minimum of -.05 to -5 Celsius, I wanted to stay somewhere very close to train exit/entrance.
I did the reservation from booking.com for Spring Time Hostel and paid 900 cyn upon our arrival. They also required us with 100 cyn deposit for the keys, which will be returned upon check-out.
Location: Good - It is a stone-throw away from Dongsi Station, Exit G from Subway Line 6 or Exit D from Subway Line 5. There is Holiland bakeshop and café on the same corner of the hotel. Across there is a supermarket, McDonalds, banks and post office. It is 3 stations away from Wangfujing and will take around 15 minutes walking to reach the Street Food Market in Donghuamen St.
Check-in Experience: Not the Best – There is main person behind the desk talking to his colleague sitting outside the desk, they were guessing where we came from and bit talking about us being from Philippines. I’m the one talking to them so that made me uncomfortable (going back to the thought, that it is not yet time for us to visit their country). Once the payment was settled, we were escorted to our room. There is a 2-step staircase that we passed by and he never offered assistance to us.
Room: Average – Size of the room is comfortable for two persons. It has wide glass windows that make it breathable. We had plain white bed without heater and with only one pillow. It has the cabinet with enough number of hangers.
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Housekeeping: Average – The room is kept clean.
Culinary Experience: Average – Even if they know that we are scheduled to have breakfast at 7:00 since we need to leave by 7:30 for the tour, they gave us the food a bit cold few minutes before leaving. The free breakfast included in the tour does not include hot drinks, so you have pay for it separately. But, I must commend a different ambiance they have on the restaurant which is very unique.
Issues and suggestions:
1. To have cleaner pair of sleepers.
2. To have English channels on the television.
3. To check the water thermos they provide to visitors. On first morning, I used the thermostat to have hot tea, but I immediately removed it from power since there is a different sound. When we came back from full day stretch of day trip, the water spilled out on its tray.
4. To have glam mirror aside from the small mirror inside the bathroom.
5. To check maintenance of the bathroom, because I don’t want is the foul odor of the bathroom every after cleaning. Looks like there is also schedule for hot water, I had bath at 5am and it is still cold, but when you take a bath by 6am, hot shower is already available.
My total impression of the hotel: Average. It’s good and clean since it is barely new. But they should check maintenance of the bathroom to give better accommodation to the tourists. Remind the staff to watch for their initial behavior and how they treat guests.
Another reason why I chose this hotel is they offer tour for Mutianyu Section of Great Wall (without market visit or side-trips) for 280 rmb, so for a less-English speaking city, that would make my trip a bit easier.
How to get to Spring Time Hostel
No.1 Dongsi South Main Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100010, China
Hi did they allow early check in and late check out?
ReplyDeleteYes, wondering we were able to get in to our room by 10am. Also, they allow our bags to stay on their luggage room on the day we left for the airport.
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