So I had to try out the Palace hotel while I was in Beijing. I knew that I would have only the basics in Mongolia so I figured I'd splurge a bit in China. I was pleased with my stay, the room was very nice, the hotel itself is beautiful, the location is ideal and the staff are always curtious and speak englisH. One thing should be noted though. I'm sure this would happen anywhere, but I was treated a lot better on my stay coming from Canada where I was clean-cut and dressed fairly nicely, than when I came back from Mongolia where I was kind of scruffy, tanned and wore slightly dirty clothes. I got a few glares from the hotel staff and guests when I was waiting in the lounge as I was checking in. Other than that I was treated very well. This hotel is all about luxury. The rooms are tastefully decorated, the room I was staying in had a 45' plasma TV mounted in the wall. The building is gorgeous and on the lower floors is where you find the most extravagant shopping boutiques in Beijing. The hotel is also conveniently located close to several attractions in Beijing. This photo is not actually of the hotel but of the famous posh shopping street adjacent to the hotel. The hotel is prime located, there are many international European designer shops in the hotel and the decor and service is consistent for 5-STAR Hotel. As part of the famous Peninsula chain, my expectations for the Palace hotel in Beijing were high but my recent stay from 4 - 9 October surpassed even those expectations. Check in was fast and efficient and the staff throughout our stay were warm, helpful and efficient. We were made to feel at home in a foreigh city. It is the people that work there and their attention to detail that makes the Palace my hotel of choice in Beijing.