Kerry Centre Hotel (Beijing Jiali Zhongxin Fandian)

Description:

• The Kerry Centre is our top choice for a hotel in the Central Business District. Where nearby China World (also a Shangri-La hotel) plays instrumental versions of Carpenters classics, Kerry Centre has hip lounge music in public areas. Standard rooms are decorated in textured, solid colors of gold and dark green, with maroon accent pillows. Bathrooms are small and rather awkwardly laid out, with tubs jammed into the corner and toilets tucked behind the door. Executive floors have far roomier bathrooms and added luxuries like free broadband or Wi-Fi Internet, Bose CD players, huge plasma TVs, and DVD players. They also have the best health club in town, including a spacious gym with the latest equipment, a 35m (115-ft.) indoor lap pool and two Jacuzzis, two indoor tennis courts, and even a short outdoor jogging path. Their restaurant Horizon is popular for its scrumptious ¥168 ($22/£11) dim sum lunch buffet for two, and Centro is a popular gathering spot for proper cocktails and a night of people watching.

  Facilities: 2 restaurants; bar; indoor pool; indoor basketball/tennis/badminton courts; fitness center; children's play area; concierge; tour desk; business center; shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service; same-day dry-cleaning/laundry service; executive-level rooms; 5 nonsmoking floors; currency exchange; roof-top track for running and in-line skating; sun deck

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2009
•  Highly Recommended 2010

Other features:

The executive floors (the Harbour Club, 17th and 18th floors) provide late checkout, free lunch, afternoon tea (4pm-6pm) and drinks (6pm-8pm). The hotel restaurants offer Shanghainese, Cantonese and other Chinese cuisine, as well as American, Malaysian and Japanese.