BEIJING — We’ve enjoyed some superb, five-star hotels in our travels — along with some splendid budget accommodations, once for as little as $10 a night in Taxco, Mexico — but the Rosewood Bejing is extraordinary. And it exemplifies the good travel deals that are available in China.
The 282-room Rosewood Beijing, located in the Chaoyang District opposite the iconic CCTV Tower, is the first China property for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
The 54-storey, OMA-designed CCTV building is a spectacular sight to look out on to, its eccentric shape giving rise to a local nickname: the Big Pants Building. The Forbidden City is 20 minutes away by taxi, traffic permitting.
The Beijing Rosewood’s public areas are accented with Chinese touches and contemporary artworks and “repeat guests can expect all manner of personalised extras, including pillow cases embroidered with your initials,” according to the London Telegraph.
“The indoor swimming pool under a sky-lit atrium is particularly lovely just after sundown when the lights come on.” (see video below)
The well-appointed rooms are akin to living quarters, full marble bathrooms, and adorned with original Asian artwork, even classical Chinese novels such as “Dream of the Red Chamber.”
The hotel’s Country Kitchen is a favorite with local diners and the Peking duck is roasted in a wood-fired oven. I’m going there tonight for the duck.
I woke up late this morning so I sampled room service — in this case, “hot and sour prawn soup, bamboo shoot, mushroom, tofu, eg, ginger and chili oil” and “Gong Bao Chicken: dried chili, ginger, peanut, Sichuan pepper, and steamed Wuchang rice.” It was delicious.
So let’s get down to brass tacks for those serious travelers: I’m “camping out” at this beautiful hotel for four nights on the American Express “Fine Hotels and Resorts” program. It’s $860.47 for four nights ($215 per night), which includes a complimentary night, room upgrade, daily breakfast for up to two, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, complimentary wifi and $100 food and beverage credit.
It would be impossible to experience this in San Francisco, Chicago or New York — let alone London or Paris. And travel deals like this — 10 days for as little as $500 , including air fare from the West Coast — abound in China.
Here’s a detailed video tour of the hotel and some Beijing sights:
Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report 
How’s the air quality? Are electric cars more evident?
Chip,
The air quality has been pretty good, thanks to some afternoon drizzle. Shirt-sleeve weather but not too humid. I’ve seen some electric cars around, but it was more noticeable when I was in Shanghai last fall. I saw more of them of all makes, as well as the Tesla showroom. (Tesla plans to build an electric car manufacturing plant outside of Shanghai). This Tesla showroom in Beijing is about 10 minutes from the hotel, but I haven’t been in that direction. https://www.tesla.com/findus/location/store/beijingchinacentralplace Lots of bikes, though! All over, and lined along the boulevards in neat rows. Cheers,