Where to stay in Beijing is a common question from first-time travelers. To put it simply, staying near Wangfujing or in Dongcheng district is usually the most convenient.
If your Beijing itinerary includes the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, or the Great Wall, you might want to focus on the convenience of transportation, whether the accommodation is close to a metro station, if you’d have to transfer to get to most attractions, and dining options nearby. Sometimes, these factors may be more important than your exact distance from the downtown area.
- Note: The hotel ratings referred to in this article are based on information from mainstream booking platforms. Not all of them are in accordance with the official national hotel rating system. Please refer to the hotel’s official website for the most accurate and updated information.
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- 6 Areas to Stay in Beijing & Recommended Hotels
- Where to Stay in Beijing for Different Types of Travelers
- Where to Stay: Close to Attractions, Airports, or Railway Stations
- How Much Do Hotels Cost in Beijing? – Prices by Hotel Type
- How to Choose the Right Hotel in Beijing
- Things to Know Before Booking Your Accommodation
- FAQs on Where to Stay in Beijing
Quick view of areas to stay in in Beijing
Areas |
Suitable for |
Advantages |
Things to know |
Wangfujing |
first-time visitors, families |
close to the Forbidden City, convenient for shopping and dining |
highly commercialized, highly priced |
Qianmen |
travelers seeking to experience local history and culinary culture |
easy access to Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven |
busy with tourists |
Gulou/Shichahai |
couples, travelers seeking cultural experiences |
surrounded by hutongs and courtyards |
hutongs are difficult for walking with luggage |
Sanlitun |
younger travelers, those seeking a vibrant nightlife |
lots of bars, restaurants, and shopping centers |
relatively far from the iconic attractions |
Dongdan/Chongwenmen |
travelers seeking cost-efficient options, families |
convenient metro connections |
there are many hutongs to choose from |
Guomao CBD |
business travelers, high-end accommodations |
concentrated five-star hotels |
not so convenient for visiting the historical attractions |
6 Areas to Stay in Beijing & Recommended Hotels
There’s not an absolute best answer regarding where to stay in Beijing. What’s important is to find the accommodation that works best with your itinerary plan.
The six popular areas listed below can pretty much cover what you need whether you’re on your first trip to Beijing, a family tour, solo trip, business trip, looking for shopping or nightlife options.
Wangfujing: Top Choice for First-Time Travelers
Wangfujing is close to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Jingshan Park, as well as many shopping centers and restaurants. It’s a very convenient neighborhood to stay in for traveling to Beijing for the first time.
Recommended Hotels:
- 5-Star: The Peninsula Beijing, Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing Beijing
- 4-Star: Sunworld Beijing Wangfujing Hotel (The Forbidden City), Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing
- 3-Star: Orange Hotel (Beijing Wangfujing)
Among them, Sunworld Beijing is located at No. 88 Dengshikou Street, near Wangfujing. It’s an excellent option for visitors who would like to stay in the busy area but are not seeking a luxury experience. Mandarin Oriental is located in WF Central with a view of the Forbidden City. It’s a typical Beijing luxury hotel.
Recommended Classic Beijing Tour
Discover Beijing's imperial heritage visiting Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and Mutianyu Great Wall on a comprehensive private tour.
Qianmen Street & Dashilan: Traditional Foods & Old Beijing Vibe
Qianmen is a great part of Beijing for travelers who enjoy historical districts, traditional Beijing cuisine, and evening strolls. You’ll be able to walk to Qianmen Street, Dashilan, with convenient access to Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven as well. It is a great area to stay in Beijing for local foods.
Recommended Hotels:
- 5-Star: Mandarin Oriental Qianmen Beijing
- 4-Star: Beijing Wanda Moments Hotel, Manxin Mansion Beijing Qianmen Courtyard
- 3-Star: JI Hotel (Beijing Qianmen Courtyard House)
Travel Tip: Some hotels in the Qianmen and Dashilan area are located within pedestrian zones or hutongs. If you’re traveling with a lot of luggage, older travelers, or kids, it’s important to make sure that it is accessible by car before booking.
Gulou, Shichahai, Hutongs: Best for Courtyard Experiences
For the most authentic old Beijing experience, Gulou, Shichahai, Beixinqiao, and Dongsi are better neighborhoods compared to the more modern and commercial ones. Hotels here are great for couples, solo travelers, as well as those who enjoy cafés, pubs, and exploring the city on foot.
Recommended Hotels:
- 5-Star: The PuXuan Hotel and Spa, Ancient City Old Courtyard Boutique Hotel
- 4-Star: Manxin Mansion Beijing Shichahai Park Nanluoguxiang, Houhaiyuan Hotel (Beijing Gongwangfu Nanluoguxiang Branch)
- 3-Star: Xinyuan Hotel 1875 (Beijing Gulou Nanluoguxiang Store)
Although the accommodations hidden deep in hutongs may be traditional and great for cultural experiences, it’s important to check whether it is accessible by car, whether it has elevators, whether it is soundproof, and how large the rooms are.
Recommended Old Beijing Tour
Our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel at the appointed time. The first stop on today's Beijing tour is Tian'anmen Square, which is the heart and symbol of Beijing and is the largest...
Sanlitun: Top Choice for Nightlife, Dining, and Shopping
If you’re looking for where to stay in Beijing for nightlife options, Sanlitun will be your top choice. This is the most concentrated area for bars, cafés, restaurants, and shopping centers. It’s a great area for younger travelers and couples.
Recommended Hotels:
- 5-Star: InterContinental Hotels BEIJING SANLITUN by IHG, CHAO Sanlitun Beijing
- 4-Star: Crystal Orange Sanlitun Taikoo Li Beijing, Beijing Sanlitun Taikoo Li Yunjing Hotel
- 3-Star: Holiday Inn Express BEIJING DONGZHIMEN by IHG, CitiGO Hotel Sanlitun Beijing
Stay in Sanlitun if you prefer the urban lifestyle, dining, bar hopping, and shopping over traditional attractions.
Dongdan & Chongwenmen Metro Stations: Balancing Good Location and Affordability
If the cost of accommodations near Wangfujing is not within your budget, you can stay down south near Dongdan or Chongwenmen. You’ll be able to get to Wangfujing, Temple of Heaven, and Qianmen easily with a number of metro lines. It’s a very cost-efficient area to stay in that is sometimes overlooked by travelers.
Recommended Hotels:
- 5-Star: New World Beijing Hotel, Regent Beijing
- 4-Star: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel, Crystal Orange Beijing Chongwenmen
- 3-Star: Beijing Chongwenmen Hotel
Beijing Chongwenmen Hotel is only 78 meters from the Chongwenmen metro station which is served by both Line 2 and 5. It is also right across from the New World Shopping Mall. The furnishing and amenities are traditional and practical.
Guomao CBD: Best Area for Business and High-End Accommodations
Beijing CBD is great for business travelers, and those looking for modern urban cityscapes or luxury hotels. But if your Beijing tour mostly consists of iconic attractions like the Forbidden City, hutongs, and Temple of Heaven, there’s no need to stay in this particular area.
Recommended Hotels:
- 5-Star: China World Summit Wing Beijing A Shangri-La Hotel, Kerry Hotel Beijing
- 4-Star: Mercure Beijing Downtown, Scitech Hotel
- 3-Star: Orange Hotel (Beijing Guomao)
Where to Stay in Beijing for Different Types of Travelers
- Family trips or traveling with kids: Wangfujing, Dongdan, or Chongwenmen
- You’ll be close to attractions and have lots of dining options. You can easily return to the hotel to rest during the day.
- Solo trips: Gulou, Dongsi for culture and cafés, Sanlitun for shopping and nightlife
- Budget travel: Chongwenmen, Dongsi, or nearby metro stations within the city center
- It is not recommended to stay outside the 4th or 5th ring in order to save about RMB 100 per night. It’s not worth it to spend an extra hour on the road every day.
- Food tours: Qianmen for traditional Beijing snacks and old brands, Beixinqiao and Guijie Street for night snacks, Sanlitun for international cuisines
- Shopping tours: Wangfujing (best for sightseeing), Sanlitun, Xidan
Recommended Beijing Highlight Tour
A private guided day tour covering Beijing's four iconic landmarks: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the imperial Summer Palace gardens.
Where to Stay: Close to Attractions, Airports, or Railway Stations
In most cases, travelers shouldn’t have to switch accommodations for visiting different attractions in Beijing. Staying at one hotel in the city center is a good option for touring the city highlights.
- Near Forbidden City: You can only enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate (South Gate). You will be close to the entrance staying in the southern section of Wangfujing or east of Tiananmen Square.
- Near Mutianyu Great Wall: Most travelers make a day trip from their accommodation downtown. You may want to consider spending a night near the Great Wall if you’re going on a photography or hiking tour to see the sunrise or sunset.
Recommended Beijing Great Wall Tour
At 8:00 am, your private tour guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby in the Beijing downtown area.
- Near Universal Studios Beijing: Stay in the city center for a day tour. If you’re traveling with kids, planning on entering the resort early, or spending two days there, you can staying a night in Tongzhou.
- Near the railway station: If you have a train to catch the next day from Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station, you can consider booking for a night at Homeinn Plus (Beijing Chaoyang High Speed Railway Station Joy City). It’s close to the railway station, Damei Center, and the Joy City. However, it is not in a central area for all the attractions, so it is not recommended to stay here for the whole Beijing trip.
- Double check your ticket, whether it’s Beijing Railway Station, Beijing South, Beijing West, Beijing North, or Beijing Chaoyang.
- Near the airport: Spending a night near the airport is only recommended for travelers arriving in Beijing late at night or catching an early morning flight or transfer.
- Double check your airport, whether it is Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). Daxing Airport has an excellent airport express line that can get you to the other side of the city quickly, so there’s usually no need to spend a night nearby if your flight is during the day.
How Much Do Hotels Cost in Beijing? – Prices by Hotel Type
Hotel prices in Beijing largely depend on the area, season, and star tier. Hotel rates usually surges during holidays like the summer, Labor Day holiday, and National Day holiday.
Accommodation type |
Usual cost per night |
Hostels and budget stays |
¥200 – 400 |
Economic hotels |
¥300 – 600 |
3- to 4-star mid-range hotels |
¥500 – 1,000 |
4- to 5-star high-end hotels |
¥900 – 1,800+ |
Luxury 5-star hotels |
¥2,000 – 3,000+ |
The general idea is that for the same price, the more central the hotel is, its rooms maybe smaller with fewer facilities. For example, RMB 800 will get you a room in the CBD or in the outer rings that is bigger and has more amenities than in Wangfujing.
That being said, if you’re looking for cheap hotels in Beijing, your priority should be convenience for getting around and then the hotel’s rating.
How to Choose the Right Hotel in Beijing
Top hotels may not be the ones that suit you the best. Here are some insights on choosing the right accommodation based on your needs.
- Luxury stays: Choose Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing Beijing for Forbidden City views and top-notch services. Stay in Guomao CBD for high-end business stays.
- Mid-range hotels: Focus on the distance to nearby metro stations, preferably within 5-10 minutes on foot, 24-hour reception, luggage storage, and breakfast options.
- Budget hotels: Location is more important than rating. A four-star hotel may be cheaper than a three-star hotel that is closer to a metro station, but the latter is likely to be more suitable for travelers.
- Coolest accommodations: If you’re looking for the coolest hotels in Beijing, consider courtyard boutiques within hutongs. However, keep in mind that the rooms may be smaller than modern hotel chains. Historical buildings are sometimes not very noise-proof. Cars may not be able to reach them directly.
Recommended Popular Beijing Tour
Experience Beijing's top imperial highlights on a 2-day layover tour visiting the Great Wall at Mutianyu, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven.
Things to Know Before Booking Your Accommodation
Before booking your accommodation in Beijing, here are some things that foreign travelers should double check.
- Make sure the hotel is eligible for hosting travelers with foreign passports.
Hotels without without a license to accommodate foreign travelers technically cannot host visitors from abroad. Book on international platforms or stick to international chains.
- Check how far the hotel is from metro stations.
Some websites may list things like “500 meters from the metro station.” It’s better to double check the specific station, its exit, and actual walking distance.
- If the hotel is located in a hutong, make sure it’s accessible by car.
This is particularly important if you’re traveling with oversized luggage, elders, or kids.
- See if there are non-smoking rooms.
If needed, choose a non-smoking room or non-smoking floor when you make your booking.
- Save the hotel information in Chinese.
Screenshot the Chinese name of the hotel, its address, and phone number. You may need it when you take a taxi.
FAQs on Where to Stay in Beijing
Q: Is it advisable to stay near the Forbidden City?
A: If you’re staying in Beijing for less than 4 days, you can choose to stay near the Forbidden City. The hutongs and Sanlitun are more recommended for a longer trip.
Q: Is it recommended to change hotels when visiting the Great Wall?
A: Not usually. A day trip from the city center is usually the most convenient.
Q: How many nights should I stay in Beijing?
A: We recommend spending 3-4 nights in Beijing for a first trip. Visit the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square in one day. Take a day trip to the Great Wall. Spend one day on the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and the old Beijing city center. If you’re short on time, you can spend two nights and squeeze it down to a 3-day trip.
