Grand Hotel Beijing — Step onto the Rooftop and the Forbidden City's Roofs Are Right in Front of You
Picture taking the lift to the very top of the hotel, walking out onto the rooftop, and finding the golden roofs of the Forbidden City spread out right in front of you — that's the trump card of Grand Hotel Beijing (北京贵宾楼饭店), a classic 5-star hotel on Chang'an Avenue, sitting right beside the Forbidden City in a way few hotels can match. Score 9.5/10 from around 5,146 real guest reviews. It opened in 1990 and had a major renovation in 2020. Honestly, if you're coming to Beijing for the first time and want to wake up a single step from the heart of the old city, this address is the real deal.
Here's what sets this hotel apart before anything else: a location that practically leans against the Forbidden City. Grand Hotel Beijing is part of the historic old Beijing Hotel complex, at No. 35 East Chang'an Street — the storied avenue that runs straight past Tiananmen Square. Walk out the door and within a few steps you're at the eastern red wall of the imperial palace. Plenty of guests note they were able to walk into the Forbidden City in the morning before the tour groups even arrived.
But the feature everyone talks about most is the view. The hotel has rooms that face the Forbidden City through large French windows, and best of all, a top-floor rooftop that looks over the palace roofs in a full panorama — one of the finest elevated views of the Forbidden City in all of Beijing. There's also the Red Wall Café on the 2nd floor, where you can sip a coffee with a close-up view of the palace's long red wall. Newer hotels simply can't offer this, because you have to be standing on exactly this spot.
One guest recalls: "Going up to the rooftop in the evening and seeing the whole stretch of Forbidden City roofs — that image stayed with me. The classic-style rooms felt refined, the staff looked after us beautifully, and the location made getting anywhere so easy."
The hotel has 206 rooms, decorated in a classic British style — traditional British bathrooms, wooden furniture, heavy drapes, the kind of old-world luxury that came through a 2020 renovation. If you love that mood, you'll fall for it. But to be honest, if you're expecting the clean, minimalist design of a brand-new hotel, the style here can feel a touch 'grown-up'. Rooms come in several sizes, from a 28 m² Deluxe Twin up to a 40 m² family room and an Ambassador Suite of around 120 m².
On facilities it delivers properly for a 5-star: there's an indoor heated swimming pool, a gym, a spa and sauna, plus the ZiJi Chinese restaurant and the Red Wall Café. Getting around is easy too — Wangfujing metro station (Line 1) is about a 3-minute walk and connects you across the city, while Tiananmen East station (Line 1) is close by. The Wangfujing pedestrian street, packed with shops and food, is just a few minutes away as well.
A score of 9.5/10 from around 5,146 real reviews is very high and reflects how consistently guests come away impressed. They praise the same things over and over: the location, the Forbidden City view, the cleanliness, and the warm, friendly service. The criticisms worth knowing are real too — some reviews say certain rooms feel dated or overly classic for the price, a few guests hit air-conditioning or blackout-curtain issues, and there are reports of occasional construction noise nearby. Rooftop access also comes with time restrictions that aren't always clearly communicated. If you're coming specifically for the rooftop view, it's worth asking the hotel about opening hours first.
Standard rates begin at around ~¥1,350 (฿6,750) per night, with a typical range of ฿6,750–12,000 depending on season and room type — rooms facing the Forbidden City run noticeably higher than city-view rooms. China's Golden Week (October 1–7) and Chinese New Year are the two periods where rates climb sharply and rooms fill fast, so if you're travelling then, book several months ahead and take a free-cancellation rate to keep your options open.
The honest summary, friend to friend: Grand Hotel Beijing is for travellers who want a location right beside the Forbidden City, a rooftop view over the palace roofs, and the charm of a classic hotel — at a rate considerably lighter than contemporary luxury names like the Peninsula or Mandarin Oriental. If you value the location and historic views more than a brand-new design, it's excellent value. But if you really want sleek, modern rooms, look at the other options in our Beijing list first.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Right beside the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square — walk everywhere
- ✓ Rooftop and Forbidden City view rooms you can't find elsewhere
- ✓ Charming classic British style, clean and well kept
- ✓ Warm, friendly staff plus an indoor heated pool
- ! Some rooms feel classic and dated for the price
- ! Rooftop access has time restrictions, not always clearly communicated
- ✓ On Chang'an Avenue, right at the heart of old Beijing
- ✓ Wangfujing metro (Line 1) just a ~3-minute walk away
- ✓ Red Wall Café with palace red-wall views + ZiJi Chinese restaurant
- ✓ Easy walk to the Wangfujing pedestrian street and food
- ! Rates spike and rooms fill fast during Chinese holidays
- ! Occasional construction noise nearby — ask for a higher floor
- 💡If you want sleek, modern, minimalist design · This is classic British style, and some rooms feel dated for the price · Fix → see Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing or The Peninsula Beijing in our list — newer rooms, but several times the price
- 💡If you're coming specifically for the rooftop view · Rooftop access has time limits and isn't always clearly communicated · Fix → ask about opening hours at check-in, and book a Forbidden City view room as a backup plan
- 💡If you're travelling during Golden Week or Chinese New Year · Rates surge and rooms sell out fast · Fix → book 2–3 months ahead and take a free-cancellation rate in case plans change