A stay at the St. Regis in Beijing is a royal experience seeped in comfort and luxury. Located off a busy street in the heart of the diplomatic district, the St. Regis is close to restaurants, the subway, and great shopping. Just past the multi-jet fountain guarded by a fleet of black Rolls-Royces, you’ll encounter the St. Regis’ grand lobby, decked out in marble and glass. In contrast to Beijing’s cement-heavy avenues, the lobby of the St. Regis maintains a healthy balance of greenery, including indoor palm trees, massive flower arrangements, and a view of a large outdoor garden—rare in Beijing—making it the perfect place to enjoy afternoon tea or cocktails.
Upscale Interior Design
Perhaps the most striking tribute to aesthetics in the lobby are the sea of delicate multi-tiered glass chandeliers, enshrouded with elegant lampshades, descending from the ceiling like jellyfish. In fact, you’ll discover that this hotel has great lighting throughout: from soft mood lighting in the guest rooms, to artistic glass chandeliers and lanterns. The interior design was orchestrated by the celebrated New York design firm, Alexandra Champalimaud & Associates, and plays off European and Chinese contrasts. The resulting look is sleek and sophisticated, with plenty of modern touches nestled among classic opulence.
The St. Regis has a regal ambiance that is expressed not only through design, but through impeccable service as well, with each room assigned a personal butler (on call at any hour, night or day), in line with the philosophy that every guest is a VIP. You may run across a celebrity or two during your stay, or better yet—royalty. The St. Regis has also hosted countless world leaders, including several American presidents.
St. Regis Accommodations and Dining
Each of the hotel’s guest rooms are plush and inviting, complete with all the comforts of home. With plenty of space to unwind, guests are treated to Asian-accented furniture, fresh bouquets of flowers, big screen televisions, walk in closets, and sumptuous marble-thronged bathrooms that boast TVs, great water pressure, and magnificent multi-functioning toilets specially designed for the hotel. However, perhaps the most impressive highlight is how thoroughly quiet and private the rooms are. I never heard even a peep during my weeklong stay here—which allowed me to sink into a decadently dreamless slumber each night (although the lovely bed surely played a part).
The St. Regis boasts 8 gourmet dining options for the hungry traveler:
The Skyline Lounge
You’ll never go hungry at the St. Regis since the Skyline Lounge serves up complimentary snacks and drinks most of the day, plus pre-diner canapés and fancy pastries during happy hour from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. each night. Perched 18 floors above the city, you can enjoy unimpeded views of Beijing, as well as free internet, movies, and newspapers.
Danieli’s Italian Cuisine
Award-winning Danieli’s serves up some of the city’s best regional Italian cuisine in a rustic setting. The seasonal dishes are prepared by Italian chefs, and enjoyed under a hand-painted ceiling.
Celestial Court
For a true Chinese experience, head to the Celestial Court for opulent fine dining—where you’ll discover Cantonese cuisine with a local twist, plus regional specialties.
The Garden Court
The Garden Court is set in a space filled with windows, serving light brasserie-style cuisine throughout the day. With an abnormally high waiter to diner ratio, breakfast here involves enough food to feed a royal court—with table after table of gourmet specialties grouped by category, as well as counters piled with more food, and several serving stations dishing up both Chinese and Western breakfast favorites. The best part is that everything is served buffet style!
Have an omelette made any way you like, paired with sausages, potatoes, and fresh fruit. Or go for a Chinese breakfast of jook (rice congee) with all the toppings, dim sum, noodles, and Chinese pancakes. There’s a table just for fruit juices, one for fresh baked breads, another for salads, and yet another for European-inspired meats and cheeses. Plus there is even a table devoted especially to pastries and muffins, alongside one filled with grainy breakfast goodies.
Astor Grill
Drawing its name from the American family that founded the hotel chain, this grill is known for its imported steak and seafood, and sweeping views of Beijing’s Jianguomen district.
Light Cuisine & World-Class Lounges
There are also several lounges on the property specializing in light food and drinks. Aside from the ritzy Garden Lounge in the hotel lobby, there is also a wine lounge boasting 180 wines—the longest wine list in Beijing, and a director of wine. Not to be missed is the cozy cigar lounge, with a selection of cigars from around the world, complete with a humidor cabinet where guests can store their own stogies.
Then there’s the well-known leather-adorned Press Club Bar, a press member hot-spot harkening back to the days of the Beijing International Club, located next door, where journalists and foreign dignitaries frequently met. Today members of the media still enjoy half-off at the Press Club Bar. The bar is home to the Great Wall Bloody Mary, a classic Bloody Mary mixed with Yanjing beer, and garnished with a lime!
If you have any time left over, the St. Regis also has a private 8-lane bowling alley, billiard tables, a rooftop golf putting range, a spa with natural hot spring baths, a salon, tennis courts, and a 24-hour pool and gym with fitness classes. Seriously, what doesn’t this place have! You can get dangerously spoiled here with all the pampering doted out by the attentive staff. A stay here will undoubtedly leave you feeling like royalty.
21 Jianguomenwai DaJie
Beijing 100020
People's Republic of China
Phone: 86 10 6460 6688
* Media discounts were received for portions of this stay.
Gayle Wheatley - Gayle Wheatley is a professional writer, designer, and artist based in Los Angeles, and the founder of Culture Vixen magazine.
