Beijing: Friendship Hotel (3 Star Hotel)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Address: 1 south avenue haidian area , Beijing 100873, China
Show on map

Lonely Planet review

The 'friendship' in this hotel's name marks a time in the communist past when this sprawling garden-style hotel was used to house foreign experts. Today the stately grey brick buildings see a steady stream of visitors from all walks of life and from all over the world.

When we say 'sprawling garden-style hotel', we mean sprawling. The hotel grounds cover 335,000 sq m, much of it wooded gardens, hidden pavilions, outdoor cafes and beer gardens, tennis courts, a fitness centre and swimming pools (there are two). Each of the four main buildings has its own check-in counter, restaurants, cafes and shopping. Few rooms, unfortunately, have a good garden view, or much style for that matter. Still, the low price gets you access to more amenities than all but five-star hotels can provide. The Friendship is quite a distance from downtown, but it is close to the Summer Palace.