Kerry Hotel Beijing

In a city that has more than a few wildly-designed luxury hotels, the Kerry Hotel sits at the other end of the spectrum, though despite its more sober, business-like vibe, that doesn't mean that it skimps on decor and design. The Kerry is housed in a tall, typically corporate-looking glass-and-concrete structure with a flower-flanked fountain and a few flagpoles. Inside, the lobby has an understated business look, with off-white and light-gray marble floors and wooden columns supporting low false ceilings with crystal light fixtures. It's part of the larger Beijing Kerry Centre, a commercial area that features serviced apartments, offices, and a large shopping mall that's attached to the hotel. As such, common areas can get crowded and many of the hotel's facilities are used by others not staying on-site. Although the Kerry is primarily a business hotel, owing both to its location in the Central Business District and its many meeting and event spaces, it is decidedly child friendly, with perks such as free buffet meals for those under age six, a play area, and even a kids' splash pool. Still, most guests here are business travelers as opposed to tourists. 

The Kerry Hotel is located in the city's Central Business District, in an area dominated by office buildings, an apartment complex, and other business hotels. It's attached to a shopping mall and is part of a larger complex with offices and serviced apartments for long term travelers. It's just a block away from the from the China World Trade Center Phase 3, and the Jin Tai Xi Zhao Zhan metro station is an eight-minute walk from the hotel. Most of the major tourist sights in town will require a cab ride to reach. It's a 10-minute drive to Panjiayuan Market, a flea market known for handicrafts and Mao-era propaganda posters. Tiananmen Square is a 17-minute drive away, as is Wangfujing Street. The Forbidden City takes around 20 minutes to reach by car, as does the Temple of Heaven. The Beijing International Airport is about a 40-minute drive from the hotel, traffic permitting.

The Kerry offers a variety of room types, all with similarly muted decor in hues of beige and gray with just a dash of shimmer from details like silk bed runners. The elegant cherry-tree patterns seen in carpets in many rooms is echoed in the reserved wall art -- we spotted landscape prints of river gorges and lovely canvases depicting delicate stems of bamboo as well. These local touches add a bit of personality to the rooms, complementing details like dark wood-veneer furniture. Bathrooms have a similarly streamlined, business-modern feel as the rooms, with lovely walk-in rainfall showers in cabins adjacent to separate soaking tubs plus Japanese-style electronic toilets with in-built bidet features. 

All rooms come with -- at a minimum -- desks, electronic safes, coffee- and tea-making facilities, minibars, electronic safes, and large flat-screen TVs with satellite cable and movie channels. Entry-level Deluxe Rooms have views of a garden or out on the city and measure around 34 square meters (365 square feet). Club Rooms have a similar configuration but are located on the 17th through 21st floors and come with access to the hotel's club, simply called The Club. Club Premier Rooms are a bit larger at 52 square meters (560 square feet) and add iPod docks and sitting areas with sofas and coffee tables. Suites also come with Club privileges and range from Executive Suites (68 square meters/731 square feet) with separate bedrooms and dining/living areas up to a massive Presidential Suite with a study, a kitchen, a TV lounge area, and a dining room, plus a steam shower in the bathroom.

The Kerry is primarily a business hotel, with three floors of conference facilities to match. The largest space is the second-floor Grand Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 1,200 guests or be broken into three smaller rooms. The third floor has 11 meeting rooms of varying sizes for five to 110 guests. There's an additional smaller ballroom on the fourth floor that can fit 280 and be split into two smaller rooms, plus a rooftop garden that's also available for 250-person receptions or banquets.

Guests of suites and Club Rooms get access to The Club, which comes with perks such as dedicated in-lounge check-in and check-out, two hours of meeting room use per stay, free suit pressing and shoe shining, a free breakfast buffet, evening cocktails, and snacks throughout the day. All travelers can use the Hub, the on-site business center and concierge desk, which includes services ranging from translations to airline reservations. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.

The hotel offers five bars and restaurants serving a variety of cuisines. Kerry's Kitchen is open from early morning until late at night and serves a variety of Asian and international items in its breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets. A la carte options are also available throughout the day, and there's a large selection of beer and wine. The more casual Kerry's Pantry is also open all day and offers guests the option to customize their own salads and sandwiches. Pastries and coffee are also served. For something more upscale, the Horizon features predominantly local cuisine, including famous Peking Duck, along with a variety of Cantonese specialties served a la carte at lunch and dinner. Bars include the large Centro, which is open 24 hours a day and hosts DJs during select happy hours. Vinoteque specializes in wine and sells both wine by the glass and bottles -- you can even take wine home with you. Room service is available 24 hours a day.

Wellness facilities at the Kerry include a huge 24-hour fitness center with a wide range of cardio and weight machines, indoor tennis courts, an outdoor jogging track, and personal training on request. There's also a 35-meter indoor pool, a hot tub, and a wading pool for children as well as both indoor and outdoor kids' play areas. The hotel offers special children's menus and up to two children under age 6 get free meals at the hotel buffet; other discounts are available for kids as well, so check with the hotel.