TinaM
16 September 2024
Fantastic location if you're about to catch a train via the Beijing West Railway Station. The hotel is just across the station, one can walk through the parking lot and arrive in 2 minutes. If you're arriving via taxi for the first time, it might be a bit confusing when you arrive, as station staff sometimes close off the parking area so vehicles cannot go inside from the main road - just look for the hotel's name though (it's in English and Chinese, both) and you're set. The hotel's reception area is quite small, more than 1-3 people can't really sit in the lobby if waiting for someone/taxi etc. The room I stayed in was large and I was so pleasantly surprised to see how well equipped it was - there was an air purifier, humidifier, water heater etc. The bed was also very, very comfortable. There was hot water 24/7 and the bathroom was clean, though there was a lot of lint accumulated in the hair dryer and it didn't heat properly (this wasn't a huge issue for me so I didn't request for a replacement). There is an absolutely gorgeous teaset in the room too, and brewing my morning tea was such a delight. The ac can both cool and warm the room, which I thought was great.
The housekeeping staff were absolutely lovely. Initially they were baffled when I said I don't need fresh towels and slippers everyday and kept insisting on giving me more water bottles haha, they were so kind and warm. Thank you to them for putting a smile on my face everytime I walked by. The reception staff however were notably less warm, although they did try to help me whenever I asked for aid with directions, breakfast timings etc. If you're a foreigner and don't speak any Chinese, you're probably considering staying here because it's a Radisson property and therefore one assumes that reception staff will speak English - my advice is, if this is your first time in China / you haven't yet figured out how to use translation apps, reconsider staying here, as none of the reception staff can speak English and it may be difficult for foreign guests. If you know a little basic Chinese though or can use translation apps, I do recommend staying here, mainly for the location. If you're worried about the Beijing West railway station being a bit unsafe (which it can be), there is always a security guard posted inside the hotel premises. He was kind and it was always reassuring to see him, even when I stepped out at 3 am for some convenience store noodles!
I will say though that the reception staff were oddly cold at times -- for example, I had unfortunately missed my early morning train due to a communication issue. I explained this to the ladies at reception, apologising for any inconvenience and asking if I could please leave my luggage with them for a few hours after I check out at 2:00 pm. They responded saying "you can leave your luggage here but you cannot stay overnight" - it was presented to me as if I was begging/asking for favours. There was no question of my staying overnight as I had explained that I would check out before their checkout time, and would take the next train out of Beijing. Little things like this do spoil an otherwise pleasant experience.
I did not try the breakfast buffet so can't comment on that. I will say though that ordering takeaway was always a treat, because a cute robot comes to deliver the parcel at your door. This is normal in Chinese hotels, but this particular bot was very cute :)
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