Zhong Tang Hotel - Beijing, China 

Nice thought, but not so great experience
Posted: Tue, Nov 06 2007
We booked this hotel as a way to hopefully soak up some of the Chinese culture. It was a mixed bag of results. Good: The staff at the hotel was very nice and helpful. They spoke very good English and were very friendly. They helped us book our hike at the Great Wall, arrange for a laundry service and cooked a wonderful breakfast. The rooms were clean, but it was a bit surprising when we found that our bathrooms included a one room housing both the toilet and the commode. Bad: The location was terrible. We apparently did not do our research well enough because the hotel was located a good 20-30 minute walk from a metro stop. The walk itself wasn't the problem, but when you are trying to pack a ton of stuff into a short stay every few minutes counts. This was the only time I felt uncomfortable walking at night in Beijing...walking through the neighborhood we were staying! Our rooms also had some plumbing issues. After a shower, you got stuck with an hour or two of total stinkiness. All in all, I would stay there again, but only for one night (instead of 4!)