I was on my first trip to China, and Beijing was my first destination. Having landed in the late hours with missing bags, I arrived tired at the Sheraton.

My first impression of the hotel can be summed up as "It will do." At first glance, the hotel did not seem to have the best location for leisure travelers. The building and the decor did not capture my attention. It was adequate but nothing special. I was definitely not impressed, and one more thing that added to this feeling was the bellboy/doorman they had at the hotel. He was a very scrawny young man. He tried to lift up my carry-on luggage from the cab's trunk (I'm grateful I brought a larger carry-on than I normally do) but failed at his attempt. The cab driver finally helped him... I had to laugh.

Check-in was ok at best. It was late so the staff was not busy. Nevertheless, the person checking me in took quite awhile to get my reservation up. They were courteous to me but I can not say they offered quality service. (I am an Asian in my twenties, so I find that in general it is difficult to get treated as well as someone who looks older and more established.) The hotel seemed very empty so I inquired about a possible upgrade as a Gold Preferred Guest but was told they could not give me an upgrade.

The first room they put me in was AWFUL. It was on the lower floor and the decor was hideous. The whole floor not only looked old but definitely smelled old too. Moreover, my assigned room smelled rotten. Again, the decor and the state of the furniture were old, old, old.

Of course, I was rather upset and went down to the check-in desk. I told them that the room was unacceptable and that I must be moved. I was surprised that they would offer such lackluster accommodation to a SPG Gold member. They had a brochure of the Preferred Guest Program at the desk and I pointed it out to them. Finally, after a long time, they agreed to move me to a Preferred Guest floor... but not until the next day. They told me that they were out of rooms. I did not believe them and told them I would contact Starwood after my stay. They finally moved me.

My impression of the second room was: "Wow, great room." Sure, it was only a typical Preferred Guest room but having just experienced their worst room, I could not complain. It was a bumpy check-in but I had a room where I can breathe so I was going to enjoy my stay.

The restaurants and the food were mediocre at best. I ate lunch at one of the restaurants. I can not remember the name which does not matter since I would not recommend eating at any of the restaurants. They charge full price, full price as in what you would expect in U.S. without the quality.

The room had the usual amenities that one would find at any Sheraton room. The bedding and the furniture were comfortable. I used the pool once. It is a nice size and good for a quick swim. I do not recommend it for lounging. The water was supposed to be heated but it was rather cold.

My first impression is that the location could be better. However, this should not deter anyone from staying here. Cabs are plentiful and unbelievably cheap. There's not much around the surrounding area but there is a Starbucks in an office building across the hotel. Ok, I am in China and going to Starbucks??!! I could not get myself to do it at first, but they do offer reliable coffee in the morning and they also have food items that are not offered in the U.S., like cold noodle dishes and dessert items geared more towards Asian tastes which are good way to get a bite to eat when you are not up for that Peking duck. The prices for coffee seemed to be about the same as in U.S. but food items were priced much lower. There is also a Hard Rock Cafe very near. I am ashamed to admit but I did try the place. However, I left right away as my spring rolls came out cold... nothing worse than greasy food that is cold. I recommend staying away. I look at the experience as a sacrifice so that others
may know to stay away!

Apart from the check-in experience and initial room, there was nothing I would say was of poor quality. Having said that, the service provided at this hotel is professional but not "out of your way to make your stay better." It is my opinion that this is due to the knowledge of the staff's English skills. They are willing to help you when asked, but only when asked. I had a good stay at the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel Beijing. I would recommend the hotel with some reservations. I would probably look for other alternatives and would keep this hotel in mind as a safe bet.

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Review submitted by ajk2n

Posted at February 5, 2006 10:43 PM