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Grand Hyatt Beijing: Cheap Lodging, Expensive Food

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This is a continuation of my Japan/China trip report. See also Back from China and Japan Trip! 5 Takeaways, Worth it: JAL Premium Economy Award Seats, Better Than Expected: AA Premium Economy Shanghai PVG to DFW, Hits and Misses from our day at Tokyo DisneySea, Take this Line and Shove It (Literally): Shanghai Disneyland Hits and Misses, Dormy Inn Shibuya Jingumae Hot Spring in Tokyo, Highlights of our Tokyo Shenanigans, Surprise Upgrade at Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay, Our Machiya Rental in Kyoto, The Deer Really Do Bow! Day Trip to Nara, Japan, Highlights of our time in Kyoto, Japaan, Was Universal Studios Japan Worth the Time and Money?, Two Nights on Miyajama Island, Highlights from Our Whirlwind Day in Osaka, Japan, Beijing, China: Airport Confusion, No Photos, and We Don’t Speak Russian, Grand Hyatt Beijing Review (this post)

For our 3-night stay in Beijing, I wanted to make things as easy as possible. So, I booked Grand Hyatt Beijing because of its proximity to the Forbidden City/Tiananmen Square and because I knew that some staff would be able to speak English.

Booking and Location

Grand Hyatt Beijing is a World of Hyatt Category 3 hotel that costs 12,000 points per night. I decided to pay cash after I found a rate equivalent to $150 USD/night.  That’s a relatively great price for such a prime location in a city center.

The image shows a modern, curved glass building with a reflective facade, surrounded by well-maintained landscaping. Several red flags are flying on flagpoles in front of the building. There are neatly trimmed bushes and trees in the foreground, and a fountain is visible near the entrance. The sky is clear and blue, with a few clouds.

My daughter and I took a Didi (Uber) car to the hotel after taking the airport train to the Caoqiao Station. The hotel is close to Wangfujing Street shopping district and a little over a mile to Tiananmen Square.

A city street scene with a tall building featuring a clock tower on the left. The building has a pinkish hue and a green roof. There is a large digital billboard displaying colorful advertisements. People are walking along the wide pedestrian area, and a person in the foreground is pulling a suitcase. Trees line the right side of the street, and the sky is clear with a few clouds.
Wangfujing Street

Wangfujing Street had several restaurants and a few alleys with food stands:

The image shows a bustling food court with various food stalls. The stalls have bright, colorful signs in both Chinese and English, advertising different dishes such as "Noodles with Soybean Paste" and "Tomato Egg Noodles." A large, ornate golden teapot with dragon designs is prominently displayed on the counter. People are seen ordering and eating food, with one person sitting at the counter enjoying a meal. The atmosphere is lively, with hanging lanterns and a variety of food options visible.

We had some yummy dumplings here and returned the next day:

A cardboard tray filled with several pan-fried dumplings, some skewered on a wooden stick. The dumplings have a golden-brown, crispy exterior and are arranged on a wooden table.

There is also an indoor mall connected to the hotel that had many shops and restaurants. A Subway and Starbucks are located in a nearby office building.

Lobby and Checking In

The lobby was immaculate and filled with businessmen. I felt underdressed in shorts. But, I didn’t care too much, because it was so hot outside.

The image shows a hotel reception area with two staff members behind a long, dark-colored counter. The background features an intricate, decorative wall design. In front of the counter, there are stanchions with black ropes forming a queue line. To the right, there is a red box and a hand sanitizer dispenser. On the left, there is a blue sign with text in Chinese. The floor is polished and reflects the surroundings.

The image shows a luxurious hotel lobby with a large, elegant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. In the foreground, there is a round black table with several vases containing purple and blue flowers. The lobby features marble columns and walls, and there is a person cleaning the floor with a mop. A reception desk is visible in the background, along with a luggage cart. The space is well-lit with natural light coming through large windows.

The lobby had a fancy bakery with pastries and ice cream that were pretty pricey.

The image shows the entrance to a patisserie with a modern and elegant design. The interior features marble walls and floors, with a glass display case showcasing various pastries and desserts. There is a counter with a person behind it, and the area is well-lit with overhead lighting. The patisserie sign is visible on the left wall, and there is an emergency exit sign on the right.

Check-in went smoothly. We had the option to purchase the breakfast buffet for $33 a person. I was really surprised at that high price considering the cost of the room wasn’t that high, and food was much cheaper at nearby restaurants. So, we declined the breakfast add-on and purchased yogurts and pastries from a convenience store down the street for just a few dollars. We didn’t eat at any of the hotel restaurants due to the plethora of other options nearby.

Our Room

Our room had two beds and was quite spacious:

The image shows a modern hotel room with two neatly made single beds. The room features a large window with sheer curtains, allowing natural light to fill the space. There is a chair and a small table near the window. On the opposite wall, a flat-screen TV is mounted above a long wooden desk. Two suitcases with red tags are placed near the desk. The room has a neutral color palette with beige walls and carpet.

The room came with free bottled water since tap water is not suitable for drinking in China. It was replenished daily.

The image shows a hotel room refreshment station. It includes a wooden cabinet with a glass shelf. On the shelf, there are two containers with yellow lids. Below, there is a tray with a kettle, several bottles of water, and two cups with saucers and spoons.

The bathroom was fine, but we sure missed those Japanese toilets! Just a regular toilet.

The image shows a modern bathroom with beige tiles. There is a toilet on the left side, and a glass-enclosed shower on the right. The shower has a handheld showerhead and a small shelf with toiletries. A towel is hanging on a bar attached to the shower door. A framed picture is mounted on the wall above the toilet, and a toilet paper holder is visible on the left.

Our window faced the front of the hotel:

The image shows a view from a high vantage point overlooking a modern urban area. There are two tall glass buildings with reflective surfaces, and a circular plaza below featuring a fountain in the center. Several red flags are displayed on flagpoles around the plaza. The area is landscaped with trees and shrubs, and there are a few vehicles parked near the buildings. In the background, more buildings and a road are visible.

It was so wild to see the Chinese flag every morning. I couldn’t believe we were in China!

The image shows several red flags with yellow stars, resembling the flag of China, waving in the wind. They are mounted on flagpoles in front of a modern glass building. In the background, there is a street with a white van and a black car parked nearby. The area appears to be an urban setting with a paved plaza and some people walking.

Club Oasis Swimming Pool

We did not take advantage of the hotel amenities like the fitness center and pool because we were so wiped out from our sightseeing. But wowsa, the pool is quite the oasis!

The image shows an indoor pool area with a tropical theme. There are artificial palm trees and rock formations surrounding the pool. The water is illuminated with purple and blue lighting, creating a vibrant atmosphere. A small waterfall feature is visible on the left side, and there are decorative stone sculptures near the pool. A metal handrail leads into the pool, and a caution sign is placed on the tiled floor nearby.

Overall Thoughts

Staying at Grand Hyatt Beijing was a safe and convenient choice. Since I don’t have Hyatt Globalist status, the food was quite expensive. But because there were so many food options nearby, we had no problem finding less expensive varieties.

Author: Nancy

Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.

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