Jianguo Hotel 建国饭店

Though its low rise, yellow-hued East Wing seems more congruent with the architecture of Phoenix, Arizona than of Beijing, the newly renovated Jianguo, which opened in 1982 as China's first joint venture hotel, has aged gracefully. The rooms, especially those facing the garden, are pleasant, and the service is efficient. Old-school expats get misty eyed at the mention of Charlie's, the hotel bar, which served as the tavern of choice for Beijing's laowai pre-1990, before Frank's Place opened. RMB 2,465-3,145.