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.
