Review: Park Hyatt Beijing

I love how hotels are moving toward hardwood or solid surface floors. It feels so much more hygienic to me.

Will you be doing a trip report on your other flights to Beijing?

I guess to each his own. I've been to quite a few Hyatt properties as a Diamond and this hotel impressed me more than a majority of them. The service was outstanding from beginning to end, the hotel was beautiful, the room (suite) was awesome, and the food was some of the best I've had at a Hyatt (maybe things have changed now, but I doubt it.) Everyone has their own tastes, but this is, by far, one of the best Hyatt hotels I've been to. Contrastingly, my stay at the Park Hyatt Shanghai was quite the opposite. While I was put into a gigantic room (in excess of 2,000 sq ft.) I thought the breakfast in the morning was horrible. The spread was huge, but the quality wasn't up to par.

@Lucky, breakfast spread is perfect. There is nothing to compliant. You are not staying at Ritz so accept that fact.
In general, Marriott properties in China are best.
Ritz >>> Park Hyatt

Do you know what the welcome amenity would have been if you hadn't taken the points? I'll be there on Friday and trying to decide if the amenity or points are better.

@ SingleFlyer -- Sorry, I'm not sure!

@ Japs -- Why can't it be compared to Ritz? I'd argue Park Hyatt is a comparable brand to Ritz. Neither is Aman or Oberoi, but I think they are in the same league.

@Lucky

Umm, Bullshit? Or truth?

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2015/05/16/Hacker-took-control-of-United-flight-and-flew-jet-sideways-FBI-affidavit-says/2421431804961/

@ Rob -- Leaning towards no, given that I'd probably be yelled at if I do, since I have so many other reports to catch up on.

@ John -- Totally agree.

I agree to each his own. I absolutely love PH Beijing and the breakfast was outstanding. Also the heated floors in the rooms are spectacular, though maybe that was missing now that it's practically summer...

Daniel M: I remember arriving earlier in the morning and the hotel staff was gracious enough (knowing that I had just come off a very long flight) to put me in a "temporary" suite until my reserved suite was available. The staff was simply amazing and I can't wait to stay here again.

Generally speaking personally I like park hyatt less due to it's lack of the lounge club.
By the way grand hyatt jinmao tower in shanghai offers the best wifi among shanghai 5 star hotels so far.

Ben,

Though I'm a Hilton Diamond and Marriott Gold, I've really wanted to stay at a variety of Park Hyatt hotels, especially in SW Asia, and possibly even a Ritz via transferring Ultimate Rewards-I have no status with each program. But I really value things like free breakfast and executive lounge access, something I get with status. I assume that while I can use my UR points to 'get into' these others brands for free stays, I'd have to redeem more points to get a room offering these additional amenities...assuming it's not in a country that already provides a complementary breakfast to everyone.

Beautiful room, but weird layout, by US standards at least. The toilet and sink were in an enclosed room, but the bathtub and shower were out in the open, and you had to walk through the bathtub and shower area to get to the main part of the room? Ben, did you have any problem with hearing the clicking of heels on the wood floors of the room above you? I love wood floors in a hotel room, but the hotel has to be very solid and soundproof otherwise it can be quite miserable.

You used to value Hyatt points at 1.8 cents but now you say you value them at 1.5. Why the change?

Is the shower actually private - if someone else was in the room would they be able to see you? If the partition is closed then can you still leave the room or does it split the room in two?

@ Kyle -- Fully private. It's a sliding door.

@ Rami -- They did slightly devalue their redemption rates on the high end over the past several years, which is the only reason the valuation dropped a bit.

@ tara -- Agree it's an odd layout. On the plus side, didn't have any noise issues.

@ matthewsf -- Hyatt used to have a great Diamond Challenge, though unfortunately they don't offer that anymore. Park Hyatts for the most part don't have club lounges, or else you could redeem points for a club room. So you might be stuck paying for that if redeeming points... sorry!

I'm heading to Beijing in June to try out the new AA 787 service and have been researching the hotel situation. I'll be doing the 72 hour transit visa thing. 5 star hotels are anywhere from $130 to $200. Pretty awesome. I think the Peninsula $128 night.

Now I have to find a Great Wall day trip.

Willy, I believe that you can't leave the airport if you are doing the 72 hour transit visa. If you are planning on spending the night you would need a tourist visa.

SingleFlyer: You are incorrect. You can definitely leave the airport on the 72 hour transit visa.

Willy: I'm sure you've already researched this, but for others' benefit, in order to utilize the 72h transit you need to be transiting to a third country with something like DFW-PEK/72h/PEK-NRT.

Ben: I agree 100%. I found the PH Beijing to be very lacking. I've stayed at the PH (2-3x), GH (2-3x), and now the DoubleTree (1x). The DoubleTree just became my go-to Beijing hotel. It's close to the PH in every way and only a fraction of the price (an absolute steal at 10k HH). I even received a suite upgrade as a HH Gold!

@HansGolden: Thanks for this clarification. That makes a lot more sense. I (perhaps incorrectly) assumed that Willy meant that he was only going to spend less than 72 hours in Beijing before heading right back to DFW.

I am doing a 48 hour visit to Beijing (with no onward travel), so I DO need a Tourist Visa.

Just on a note about Park Hyatts...the Toronto PH will be a huge letdown to anyone visiting on the PH reputation. The rooms and restaurant are old and tired. The gym is small and poorly equipped. There are three redeeming qualities. Location (that's subjective), the spa is well regarded, and the rooftop bar, though small, is wonderful (when you can sit outside).

Thanks for another great review, Ben.

Yes, I know about the onward travel requirement. I went to Shanghai last June and used the 72 hour visa there. It took about 15 extra minutes of processing immigration. For my onward travel I redeem Avios for a short haul business class ticket on Cathay to Hong Kong. Great bargain.

Hans, how long is it from the airport to the Doubletree?

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good reasonable guide for a day trip to the Great Wall?

AirportDoubleTree: 45m-1h depending on traffic. Could be even less without traffic, which I never experienced.

Yes! http://www.joe-service.com [email protected] does a wonderful job. If he takes you to Mutianyu, make sure you stop for lunch at the excellent little cheap restaurant on the way back.

Since this is a recent article of your I wanted your opinion.

The question I have is whether to stay at the Ritz in the Financial District or the Ritz Carlton described above. Is there a difference in the night life, tourist places, walking distance etc, quality of the hotel?? Are there certain parts of Beijing better and why?

In NY when you stay in the financial district you really are out of the way for a NY hubbub experience outside of the normal business hours.
Help!!!!

Why not give the Aman Beijing Summer Palace a try next time you visit Beijing? I heard it's quite a property.