Hotel Kapok $$$

16 Donghuamen Dajie
10/6525-9900
www.kapokhotelbeijing.com [1]

COST: ¥500-1,500 per night

METRO: Tian’anmen East (Line 1)

This hotel has an excellent location close to the Forbidden City [2] and Wangfujing Avenue [3], as well as top-notch services and a glowing green grid exterior designed by architects from Studio Pei Zhu in 2006.

The hotel is a modern take on the traditional courtyard setup, and the 89 rooms have either a city or a courtyard view. The Xianjiangba restaurant serves Western and Chinese food, while the funky Bookbar in the basement has free Wi-Fi.

Hotel Kapok has a 5-star look and feel, but its prices are very reasonable.