Ritz-Carlton Financial Street

The Ritz Carlton Beijing Financial Street made its debut in October 2006. Condoleezza Rice was the hotel’s first high-profile guest and the hotel’s location on the edge of ‘Beijing’s Wall Street’ means she probably won’t be the last. A touch more modern than other hotels associated with the brand, the hotel aspires to be as Chinese as possible, with oriental screens surrounding the lobby, a courtyard-shaped entrance and ‘lucky’ animals guarding the door of each room. Rooms are simple, slick and equipped with most amenities, including a widescreen TV, DVD player, electronic blinds and internet connection, and the modern and elegant bathrooms feature a rather exciting selection of mini-Bulgari products. Each day there is a tea ceremony at 3pm, where a selection of Chinese dim sum or traditional English treats are served by women in yellow qipaos.