I spent a week at the Zhongyu Century Grand Hotel which sits conveniently across the street from the Bejing West Railway Station and the bus station. Rooms are clean although I found the hot water pitcher had crystals floating in the water and there was a small leak in the bathroom. In Beijing, you can only drink bottled water.

The best part of the room was free ethernet access to the Internet which was great! TV stations in English are limited, but you should be outside anyway. The room is generally quiet.

The staff speak very little English, even at the front desk. It helps to have someone translate for you. I found when I needed help, they were responsive.

There is a fitness room, but no swimming pool or sauna. A restaurant on the second floor is very good and the first floor offers a mediocre breakfast buffet each morning. All in all, I would stay here again, but there are probably other hotels where English is more commonly spoken.

I found the hotel room standard nice and clean but I was very disappointed and offended with the rude staff. The check in staff ignored me on trying to check in and continued the private conversation with other staff while processing the checking in. I understand enough Chinese to understand this was not related to work. On finalizing my check in the receptionist tossed the key card at me and turn away to continue her discussion with other staff. I had to ask her if the check in process was complete. I then was charged for a map when I requested directions. Then I was refused assistance by the China Airlines ticketing office to changing my flight back to Shanghai. To top it this off I was opening laughed at by two Breakfast buffet staff members after trying to converse with them in Chinese at the breakfast which I found incredibly rude.
Neither my staff nor I will ever stay with this hotel again. I travel every week around china and Asia for my job and have never experienced such a pathetic display of customer service. This is a truly disgraceful example for a new hotel particularly with the Olympics coming.