>> ' Reception, lounge & meeting rooms being refurbished 
>> from 19 May - 30
>> Jun 08. Temporary Reception & limited bar/dinner service 
>> operating
>> from meeting rooms. Boxed breakfast will be made 
>> available.
>> Now with air conditioning in every guestroom! '
>>
>> So the fact I've paid full price for breakfast and dinner 
>> and will not
>> be getting that, or the use of the lounge (not a great 
>> disappointment)
>> is apparently a highlight of my stay - still air 
>> conditioning, hmm,
>> for foreigners that might turn out to be misleading, - 
>> British air
>> conditioning used to mean, there is a heater for the 
>> winter, and
>> either the window opens or someone can rustle up a fan 
>> during summer.

Beijing.
Rubble lined alley way to hotel.
No lifts.
Two young women insisted on heaving my overweight bag up 
several flights of stairs.
(Embarrassing even if it's their job).(Sexism can be valid 
:-))
Drop sheets or worse on all carpets along the way - 
renovations in hand. Room next to mine a  battle zone. Walls 
being cut out. Loud hammering and grinding and ... .

Did I mind?
Certainly not!
:-)

They stopped at a sane hour and didn't disturb my sleep.
The room was a clean tidy and air-conditioned haven with own 
hot water supply (Mr Fusion? :-)) and clean and comfortable 
bed.
By day I was out and about so the surroundings didn't 
matter.
10 minutes walk to the centre of Beijing.
Phone in room. No internet in hotel but an internet cafe 3 
minutes walk away.
And at $US25/night I couldn't complain.

Good enough that I went back there the next time.
And, after all, once you've learned to say one hotel name 
well enough that a Beijing taxi driver can understand it, 
it's a shame to waste the investment :-).


        R

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