Lonely Planet Review

Right in the heart of town, the Asian Pavilion has an aura of gentle decay, but low prices ensure the rooms remain relatively good value. However, the history is more of a draw than the rooms themselves. In its pre-revolutionary incarnation, this was the Hotel Constellation, immortalised in John Le Carré's The Honourable Schoolboy.

In its earlier incarnation as the Constellation, it was frequented by all sorts of secret-agent types during the '60s and '70s and the walls were believed to have been bugged by the CIA. The story today is less inspiring. The rooms have satellite TV and minibar, but one look at the ageing telephones will tell you that the place hasn't had a make over for many a year. Paint peels off the corridor walls and the carpet is threadbare, but the staff are fairly efficient and the place is surprisingly quiet. It may not be up there with the best in town, but for those with a romantic sense of history, looking for cheap comfort, it could be right up your alley.