We had a wonderful stay at the Jingshan Garden Hotel. The staff were so welcoming and helpful. They assisted us in securing reservations for the National Art Museum, which is nearly impossible if you don't have a Chinese phone number or speak Mandarin. The property has the authentic feel of an old Beijing courtyard house, and staying here turned out to be a much more enjoyable and memorable experience than staying in one of the large international chain hotels that we were originally considering. The area around the hotel is charming, since it located in the middle of ancient hutong alleyways. It is just around the corner from the beautiful Jingshan Garden, which has splendid views over the Forbidden City. Our room was lovely, with a spacious and well-equipped bathroom. The beds here were far more comfortable than any others we had on the rest of our trip throughout China. The air conditioner worked well -- much appreciated in the sweltering temperatures of Beijing in June! I also appreciated the nice tea set in our room. The only drawbacks to this hotel are that it is hard for taxi drivers to find and it is at least a 25-minute walk to most restaurants outside of the hotel. We had printed directions in Chinese, but our taxi driver from the airport still had difficulty locating the hotel. There is a restaurant in the hotel and it is beautifully decorated and has a nice view, but it is rather expensive for local standards and it barely offers any options for vegetarians.
