Raffles Hotel Beijing has a great location on the edge of Tiananmen Square, but trades equally on a long, rich history within the city. Unlike many of Beijing's large hotels, Raffles has a good deal of character to leaven out the corporate chic. Staff are exceptionally professional, polite and courteous, to levels that may seem plain unusual to travellers unfamiliar with China's excessive devotion to the customer.

The superb location places Raffles right in the middle of everywhere you need to go in Beijing. Wangfujing Street, at which Raffles sits at the southern end, is one of Beijing's finest shopping streets, blending upscale department stores with traditional Chinese tea houses and silk shops. The Forbidden City, Beijing's antique inner capital is a short walk away, and of course there's Tiananmen Square itself. The famous 'unknown rebel' photograph was taken from one of this hotel's windows during the protests.

The facilities

The RafflesAmrita Fitness Spa includes the typical selection of relaxation and beauty therapies, along with a gym, indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, and indoor squash and tennis courts. The hotel preserves its cultural heritage with elegant drawing rooms and libraries for the guests to relax in.

The rooms

The Raffles Hotel projects an image of old-world charm, with spacious, well-appointed rooms. While there is nothing characteristically Chinese about the furnishings, they are extremely comfortable and come with spacious private bathrooms.