Ocean

Not a bad hotel. But there are drawbacks: 1) The room could use a little renovation. 2) The cleaning is done very poorly. The good: Good breakfast, large selection of different dishes and everything was well prepared and tasty. But the quality of room cleaning greatly spoils the impression.

I guess I probably got the most basic room the hotel had to offer (the website which I booked it through stated that my room was "windowless"). Upon arriving, I realized it really meant that the window opened to a view of the sewage pipes (it was really better off left closed! what's really funny was how after I opened the window to check what was outside, I had problems closing it and had to get the staff to help me do it. Of course, you can guess that I left it closed for the rest of my stay). The room was really small and basic and the tv only had local channels (though it was amazing how there were more that 100 of those and not a single one that was non-Chinese). Despite being a "non-smoking" floor, the entire room (and level, for that matter) reeked of cigarette smell. It was uncomfortable initially but once you get used to it, it doesn't bother you too much. Location wise, it is directly opposite Regent and really near to Wangfujing. It's about 2 mins walk to Dengshikou subway station, making it really convenient to travel around the city area. Beijing is very well connected by its subway network. It's really a good location to stay for a short while (ie. one night) but any longer you might want to reconsider.

This hotel has a lot of potential, but it is bit worn out. My room was nice. A bit larger than a "normal" room. A corner room, 5th floor, big windows and a very good view (two large luxury hotels and a small park across the street). Hotel´s location is excellent, not far from Forbidden City and Wangfujing shopping (pedestrian) street. However, the room suffered a bit of wear and tear. Maybe this is normal in this city and price range. With a bit of renovation this hotel would make a really great one. My room type was "city view". Business room looked (in pics) even nicer with hardwood floors. I understood that Ocean Hotel has rooms with no window. Breakfast was Oriental and served in a very unimpressive windowless room. Not recommended. Please note that Ocean Hotel has a sign outside the door but only in Chinese. It is easy to find, it is across the street from The Regent.