Not a bad hotel, but unless you need to be here for a reason there are better choices.

The hotel website is [--] , which I had a hard time finding before I went.

The major problem is the rooms. When you book a room, especially if you get a good deal, expect to be put into one of the old rooms. They are bad. Really bad. To liken them to a Motel 6 would be an insult to Motel 6. The room smelled bad, we could feel the springs in the bed, and the carpet was so dirty I wouldn't take off my shoes. [I've been to bad hotels in China before, but not in this price range.] So unless you specify a new room, expect to pay US$25+ a night more for a decent room. [We did, and it was money well spent.]

Once you upgrade, the rooms are pretty nice. A couple of problems (shower design is bad and we kept getting water on the floor, there is almost no closet space), but they are quite nice and clean, and the bed was fine if a tad hard for my taste.

The hotel restaurants provide a good variety of food, are pretty decent, but are quite expensive by Beijing standards. While not expensive by US upscale hotel standards, expect to pay 2x to 3x more than other Beijing restaurants for the same food.

The service is about what one should expect from a Government-run hotel: lots of staff, not very attentive service. Most of the staff do not speak much, if any, English.

A second major problem is the location. The nearest subway stations are about a 10 minute walk. It's in a mostly business district, and there's almost nothing within walking distance that would interest a traveler. If you do stay here, and want to get out without taking a taxi, I have four suggestions.
* Small convenience store: behind the hotel (to the north) there is a local shopping area; Chinese language only, but if you exit the building and turn right twice so you are heading north, make a right at the light (at Taipingqiao) and walk about 200 feet, there's a small convenience store on the left where no talking is required. Just to the left of it is a seat-less food stand with really cheap food: 1 yuan (12 cents) for a baozi. Just point at what looks good and hold up 1 finger.
* Shopping: about 10 minutes walk to the east (to Xidan road) there's a pretty big mall with a lot of stores. In addition, I'm sure there are some good restaurants there, but I never got a chance to explore. Has ATMs.
* Beijing food: if you do want to get out to eat, but don't want to take a taxi, there's a pretty decent (but not great) Beijing-style restaurant (serves Peking Duck, other dishes) close by. English menus. To get there, exit the hotel, turn east (left), and just past the CITIC bank turn north (left). It's about half a block down on the left. If you reach the Bank of China you've gone too far.
* Local food: if you're feeling a bit adventurous, there's a really good jiaozi (boiled dumpling) place about 15 minutes walk. It has an English menu and the servers speak enough English to get by. It will be the best $4 you ever spent for a meal! To get there, walk east along Fuxingmen road to Xidan road (on the north) / Xuanwumen road (on the south), turn south (right) onto Xuanwumen and walk a couple of blocks, turn west (right) onto Xinwenhua road (across from the Marco Polo Hotel), and it's about half a block on your left, big red place. [Its name in pinyin is Tianjin Bai Jiao Yuan, but to be honest I forget what is written in English. But you can't miss it, it's big and red, and the address is 12A.]

OK

I was back at the Minzu in October. I did not have a reservation, my wife and I just walked in. They were fully booked as were many other good hotels in town but, the staff bent over backwards to get us a not just a room but a suite.

When you are half-way around the world It is nice to see friendly faces who remember you from your previous visit and welcome you as an old friend.

Yes, the breakfast is only very good (not superb) but they more than make up for it with great service, a beautiful hotel, gorgeous rooms (marble showers) and a first rate location.

A week ago I walked into the Minzu Hotel in Beijing, China. It looked like a modern version of a luxurious golden palace! I arrived with no reservation and (sadly) discovered that the hotel was full. Though I was grubby from travelling in the countryside (muddy shoes, worn out jacket and not appealing luggage) I was treated like the queen of the world.

A bellhop watched my luggage for me (without me asking) while the concierge attempted to find me an available room in another comparable property. I made no fuss - this service, too, was offered to me without me asking. A short while later, a room was found for me in the Minzu. The concierge asked if I "minded" being upgraded (at no cost) to an executive suite. He also offered 1 complimentary breakfast (standard anywhere in China) but a second breakfast at 1/2 price for every day we stayed to "make up for my inconvenience". I was thinking - "the inconvenience that I put you through by walking through your doors without a reservation?"

The room was spectacular! A huge glass-encased rain shower with a bath beside it sat in a modern North American style washroom. The bed was comfortable (firm, but softer than anything I had stayed in in China). The furnishings were modern and luxurious - woods, leathers, mood lighting. There were bathrobes, slippers, toothbrushes - anything you needed.

The maids came in the evening to turn down your bed. The service and room were luxurious and the food delicious. I would go back in a second. All for under $180 Canadian a night. I could simply not afford this type of luxury in North America.

The only hesitation that I have in writing this review is that this property will become far too popular with travellers and I really won't be able to get a room on my next trip to China!

I have stayed in this hotel twice recently on business. I agree with the previous reviews that only certain floors have been recently renovated - and one must specify one wants to stay in a renovated room - ( I think they have finished up to the 4th Floor now - as of Jan 2006) however the renovated rooms are very well done in dark wood with comfy beds and a all-white marble bathroom with a big glass window between it and the bedroom. Cable TV is available, and amenities (soap, shampoo etc.) are not the typical kitchen detergent variety usually provided in China! The new rooms are well done - so make sure to check your room is one of them! Breakfast is a sort of socialist-scrum with large tables where you may have to share with others. The food on offer is pretty mediocre. It helps if you speak Chinese but even if you do not the staff try to help and even raise a smile ! The one thing this hotel has not learned yet is the art of SERVICE.....but then this a new concept for a country like China.
Unfortunately foreign tourists and business people's expectations are usually higher than the services provided by this hotel, despite its 5 star ranking. Actually the Minzu Hotel was the very first hotel to be constructed in Beijing so it has history......but still no service.
Situated about 10-15 mins walk from Xitan the new, young place to shop / eat to the west of Tiananmen......and a short 5 mins drive from the new enormous Beijing Capital Museum which outlines the history and origins of Beijing and which is definately worth a visit. There is also an excellent dumpling shop over the road in a back street : plates of steaming dumplings with different fillings for very modest prices - but you've got to speak Chinese.