Good hotel, good value - M Sague. Date of travel: May 2007
I just returned from Beijing and stayed for a week at the Cui Ming Zhuang. Be aware that the hotel is also known as the Jade garden Hotel. That's what the sign in front of the hotel says. The location is excellent... 2 blocks from Wangfujing, 2 blocks from the Forbidden City. The hotel was very good. It was remodelled last year so everything is new and clean. Beds are super comfortable. Rooms have nice big windows. This is not a hotel with a lot of personality. It's like any chain hotel in the US but it's a great deal for the price. The breakfast buffet has western and Chinese food for 68 yuan per person. You can get a cheaper breakfast at a cafe about a block away if you are going towards the Forbidden City... I think it's called Gate Cafe or Egate Cafe. The only downside to our stay was the limited English of the staff. The man at the travel counter and in the gift store spoke no English at all. Regardless, they try to be helpful and have a good attitude. They have standard rooms and suites. We reserved our room for 490 Yuan a night for a standard room. The reservation service was recommended to us by friends in Beijing and we had no problems with it. At the front desk they have an endless supply of cards with the name and address of the hotel in Mandarin. Make sure you have one with you at all times. On the back of the card is the name of most of the places you will want to visit in Beijing, written in Mandarin so you can show the cab driver.