THE RITZ-CARLTON, BEIJING

As a Chinese international student studying in the us, I kept a mobile lifestyle and I've stayed in several Ritz Carlton hotels in the past 6 years. Personally what makes Ritz Carlton Beijing really special to me is the bar located on the second floor offering signature handcrafted cocktails and chosen scotch by the bar's expert team. I came by on the evening of June 21 and ordered two drinks from a friendly bartender named Fancy. The first one I had named Gentle Gucci having a very fresh and fruitful taste. It tasted a little bit like the classic Pimms but with more lemon flavor. The other one was called Daiquiri which was less sweet and more powerful than Gentle Gucci. Both of drinks were outstanding to me. I would definitely recommend this spot to anyone who has a sophisticated taste on drinking or just wants to spend some quality time after one day's hard work in financial district.

I stayed in this hotel for four days since I was attaining my best friend wedding which was held there. Everything was spotless and up to a very high standard as it is part of the brand Ritz Carlton. The room was spacious and exceptionally clean. The location was fairly centre but can be a hassle for tourist to travel around. Some staffs were able to speak English so they manage to give me some recommendation as to where to go. Being a tourist, this hotel maybe a bit too pricy. However, the quality is definitely worth the price.

The Ritz Beijing lives up to the superior reputation of any Ritz. Outstanding team members, beautiful and comfortable facilities, cleanliness of the rooms and general hotel as well as great restaurants (both in terms of choice as well as quality of meals) made my stay enjoyable. I had everything I needed and if I felt something was missing - there was someone to ensure I had it. The Club Lounge was a very relaxing spot to unwind, get some work done or get ready for the day. The staff in the lounge were attentive and friendly. I felt like a special guest - everyone was welcoming. I highly recommend the Ritz Beijing and will definitely stay there again when I am back.

Hotel is nicely located, quiet; which I like. However facilities are fairly old, not well maintained. And some of the maintenance is clearly not up to Ritz standard. (I will attach some photos later on) Food is nice I have to say, breakfast is good. However they could extend the breakfast serving time a bit longer over weekend or public holidays (till 11am I suggest) On one note, this Ritz-Carlton seems not really care about the royalty program; I'm a gold member, however no recognition during my stay at all. No gold member amenity was offered(complimentary upgrade, late check out) though they tried to upsell me to higher category. Housekeeping need to check their bath amenity, the boxing for comb is almost impossible to open. Don't take my word for it, try one yourself.

We had a recent vacation in Beijing and chose to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing. While the hotel was clean, attractive, and comfortable, what made our experience so memorable was the excellent staff. Beijing turned out to be a fun and interesting place to stay. The Ritz Carlton, Beijing served as our safe haven to get away and relax when necessary. It proved, however, to be more than that and managed to serve as a place to meet people and gain tourist insights. The hotel is at a nice location with close proximity to the metro. A straight shot down line 1 puts you at the center of most tourist attractions. Our arrival to the hotel started with the airport pickup service offered by the Ritz-Carlton for an additional fee. This was my first time in China and this service was a very convenient way to arrive. An airport employee met me at my gate and escorted me through the airport and customs out to where the car was waiting. The car was not stationed at the regular pick-up/drop-off location, instead I was taken to a special elevator to a less busy and hectic area. The car to the hotel was comfortable, clean, had no discernible smell, and took me direct to the hotel. It is worth noting that my return car to the airport did smell of cigarettes as did the car that picked up my wife from the airport. While the pickup service is very helpful I think a simple taxi drop off at the airport for one’s return home is adequate. Check-in at the Ritz Carlton, Beijing was effortless. I was escorted up to my room along with my bags. No stop at a counter was required, I just found myself in my room all of a sudden and all business was taken care of there. The young woman who checked me in was very nice, polite, and helpful. My wife, who was meeting me after a business trip, arrived on a separate flight and the woman who checked me in kept me informed of her flights arrival and phoned me when she had been picked up from the airport. This was both attentive and thoughtful. The room was elegant and comfortable. Though not new or modern, it was kept clean, the walls and ceiling did not appear aged, the furniture was in good condition, and all the electronics were suitable. The windows shades were electronic and hid the sun while we recovered from jet lag. The room service was good, for the most part. They left gifts of chocolates, fruit bowls, a towel rabbit, and a hand written card to express their hope that we were enjoying our stay – a nice personal touch. The turn-down service quality was a little inconsistent on a couple evenings; an espresso cup was not replaced and bedside mats not always provided. The bathroom, like the room, was pleasant. The shower was comfortable with a rainfall shower head. The towels were heavy and effective. The sinks were large, but the lighting could have been brighter. While we didn’t actually use the bath it looked comfortable and a bath pillow and bath salts were provided. The night we arrived we were tired and chose to eat at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Barolo, before venturing into local cuisine the next day. The food was very tasty and a welcomed treat after a long flight. The staff was also very good to us and was enthusiastic to share their thoughts on different places to visit during our stay. We ate breakfast every morning at Aroma, the hotel’s buffet restaurant. There was a wide selection of food and most everything I tasted was good. The staff was very good and would promptly greet us and take us to a table. They seemed to remember who we were and always greeted us with warm smiles. During my final breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton the Aroma staff knew of my departure and offered to make me a bread basket for the road. I thought this was very kind, although I declined. After a particularly long day we needed some rest and chose to dine at Aroma for dinner. The buffet proved just as tasty as the breakfast. The staff continued a consistent theme of attentiveness and friendliness. The assistant manager, Bob, shared with us his business card and offered to provide us assistance if we need any help or guidance while we toured the city. My wife and I visited the bar on several occasions, either as a pit-stop between touring and dinner or to end our evening. The bar was elegant. The bar staff is excellent and treats their patrons very well. We became acquainted with Billy, Rex, and Fancy. These were their assigned Ritz Carlton names to make it easier for guests to address them. They told us about places to visit, recommended restaurants, and whipped up special cocktails for us. To give us a proper taste of China, Fancy shared with us a traditional Chinese alcohol called Baijiu (Ganbei!). Billy, the bar manager, also gave us his business card in case we needed any help outside the hotel. He also called up a friend of his to get us a reservation for some excellent Peiking Duck. Rex, the bartender, was very thoughtful and seemed to know what we wanted even before we did. One late afternoon he surprised us with some Irish coffee. The experience made our stay very fun and sociable. The only complaint I would make is that the hallway bathroom smelled like cigarettes. My wife and I were very dependent on the concierge. The individual we worked with the most was Bob. He proved very professional and spoke excellent English. The concierges helped set up shows, we saw an acrobatic show and a kung-fu show, set up taxi service, and recommended and reserved restaurants. Bob was very attentive and would greet us every time we passed through the lobby. He always knew of our evening plans and was ready to provide assistance. He gave good advice, wrote out directions for the metro, and overall helped make our trip stress free. The hotel also provided a useful card that says “Please take me to The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing” in Mandarin characters with the address also written in Mandarin. On the inside there is a list of common phrases, advice bout taxis, and a list of popular tourist destinations with Mandarin translations. The card is quite helpful if you hail a taxi because most drivers do not speak English. Also, while the hotel map is helpful and has a diagram of the metro, I would suggest that touring guests still carry a more detailed map. When taking the metro it’s useful to ask for a printed copy from the concierge that you or they can mark up. All in all, the Ritz-Carlton, Beijing gave us a great experience. I give the hotel a top notch review. Thank you to everyone at the Ritz-Carlton, Beijing for their hard work to make our stay in China great and memorable.