Where to Stay in Beijing?

Written by Sally Guo Updated Jul. 1, 2021

Being one of the top destinations, Beijing has plenty of accommodation. Where is the best place to stay in Beijing? The vast majority of the hotels in Beijing are in 10 neighborhoods, from which you can choose the most suitable one to stay for sightseeing, families, nightlife, shopping, business, budget, and layovers.

For Different Types of Travelers

Everyone has his or her own needs when choosing a place to stay. Here is a simple list of recommendations for different types of travelers to stay in Beijing:

Traveler Type Where to Stay Why
First-Timers City center around Tiananmen Square Easy access to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Qianmen Street, and Wangfujing Street
Families with Children Hutongs area, Chaoyang Park, Olympic Park, Zhongguancun area More green space and better air quality
Business Travelers CBD area China World Trade Center and business hotels
Revelers & Night Owls Sanlitun, Houhai area in the hutongs Bars for nightlife
Layovers Capital Airport area The best for stopover and transit travelers
Budget Travelers Nearby the railway stations Cheap costs, convenient for traveling by train
Experience Travelers Near the Great Wall Avoiding the crowds and hassle of getting there

Feel free to contact us if you have other needs. Our trip advisors will help you find out the perfect place.

1. Central Area around Tiananmen Square

The area around Tiananmen Square is the central location of the city. It is the most popular neighborhood, especially for first-time visitors. Staying here makes it easy to visit Tiananmen Square, the National Museum of China, the Forbidden City, or Jingshan Park, as well as go shopping at Wangfujing Street and Qianmen Street.

Recommended Hotels around Tiananmen Square:

2. Hutongs Area

Hutongs are narrow alleys of old Beijing. associated with traditional courtyard dwellings, the hutongs area comprises dozens of history-filled residential neighborhoods. So it is the perfect place for culture lovers who would love to explore the folk history and experience the local life of Beijing.

Since the courtyard hostels cost less, it is also a good place to stay for people on a budget. What’s more, it provides easy access to Houhai Bar Street, where you can enjoy the late nightlife.

Recommended Hotels in the Hutongs Area

3. Sanlitun Area

Sanlitun & Worker’s Stadium area is the best choice for revelers, night owls, and shopaholics. Sanlitun provides the best bars and clubs to enjoy a wonderful night out, and large contemporary shopping malls to go on a crazy shopping spree.

In addition, concerts and sporting events are held from time to time in the nearby Worker’s Stadium. Close to embassies, it is also an expat hub with lots of hotels.

Recommended Hotels in Sanlitun Area

4. CBD Area

For business travelers, the CBD area is the best location to stay. It is the most prosperous neighborhood in Beijing, where gathers the China World Trade Center (Guomao), Wanda Plaza, and the CMG Headquarters.

The transportation is very convenient here and you can find a lot of new high-end hotels and business hotels.

Recommended Hotels in the CBD Area

5. Chaoyang Park

Chaoyang Park area is the best choice for families with children for the reason that is the largest park in Beijing, the place has miles of green space and kid-friendly surroundings- lakes, gardens, and a fairground with a roller coaster.

It is also a good choice for budget travelers. The weakness of staying here is that it is isolated from historic sights and you’ll need to spend more time on subway journeys.

Recommended Hotels near Chaoyang Park

6. Olympic Park

Beijing Olympic Park consists of the main venues of the 2008 Summer Olympics, which will be used again for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The large green space makes the place relaxing and full of fresh air.

Besides enjoying the best air quality in town, there are fabulous night views of the lit-up Bird's Nest and Water Cube. Therefore, it is another nice neighborhood for families to stay.

Recommended Hotels around Olympic Park

7. Zhongguancun Area

Zhongguancun is a recommended area to stay for families with kids and travelers on a budget. It is known as “China’s Silicon Valley” and Beijing’s university neighborhood. Many universities like Peking University and Tsinghua University are here.

Its convenient transportation makes it easy to get to the nearby attractions like the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace.

Recommended Hotels in Zhongguancun Area

8. Capital Airport Area

Beijing Capital International Airport is one of the most important points for foreign travelers to enter China. It takes about 1 hour by taxi and 1.5 hours by the Airport Express Line to get to/from the downtown area.

To save time, it is the simplest solution for layover and transit visitors to stay at the airport.

Recommended Hotels in Capital Airport Area

9. Nearby the Railway Stations

Staying in the hotels near the railway stations in Beijing is the best solution for budget travelers and train travelers. It costs less in accommodation and is convenient for arriving or leaving by train.

Recommended Hotels nearby the Railway Stations

10. Nearby the Great Wall

Staying near the Great Wall is the best choice for experienced travelers who would like to travel off the beaten path. It helps you avoid the crowds and the hassle of getting there and you’ll get an opportunity to get the breathtaking night views of the subtly lit Great Wall at Simatai!

Recommended Hotels near the Great Wall

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