Kerry Hotel, Beijing — A Huge Gym, a Brunch People Talk About, and a Kids' Zone They Won't Leave in the CBD
Picture a 5-star hotel with a 24-hour gym holding over a hundred machines, a 35-metre indoor pool, an outdoor jogging track, tennis and squash courts — and a children's play area your kids won't want to leave. That's Kerry Hotel, Beijing (北京嘉里大酒店), part of the Shangri-La group, in the heart of the CBD/Guomao district. Score 9.2/10 from around 2,525 real guest reviews. This isn't a hushed luxury hotel — it's lively, and built for families and fitness people. It sits right next to Guomao metro, so getting around the city is easy. Just know going in that it's not close to the historic core, like the Forbidden City.
Here's what really sets Kerry Hotel, Beijing apart from the city's other luxury hotels: Kerry Sports. It's a fitness centre so large that many guests describe it as a full premium gym rather than a hotel facility. Open 24 hours, with over 100 machines, more than 30 fitness classes a week, a heated 35-metre indoor pool, plus an outdoor jogging track, tennis and squash courts, and a multi-purpose court. If you train regularly and don't want to skip a session mid-trip, this is the reason a lot of people come back.
One guest recalls: "We stayed with two kids — the gym and pool are huge, and the children's play area had so many toys they didn't want to go up to the room. The Sunday brunch at Centro really delivers. Rooms were spacious and clean, the staff lovely — great value for the CBD."
Another signature here is Centro, the hotel's award-winning bar and lounge. Open 24 hours, with live jazz, fine wines and proper cocktails, it's a long-standing meeting spot for the CBD's expats and professionals. On weekends, the brunch is the thing people rave about most — a wide spread and a buzzing atmosphere that works for groups and families alike. The breakfast buffet earns consistent praise for being varied and good, and for higher room categories the Executive Lounge adds a happy hour and breakfast that many guests find well worth it.
On the family front, Kerry Hotel clearly gets what parents need. There are Jiabao children's theme rooms — a boy's theme and a panda theme — along with a children's pool, a playground with drop slides, themed party rooms, and kids' essentials right down to bathrobes, slippers and toothbrushes. Guests travelling with children repeatedly say the kids' room is loaded with toys, the little ones are happy, and the parents actually get to relax — something many luxury hotels in the old town simply can't offer.
Be clear on the location before you book. The hotel is at No. 1 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, in the heart of the CBD/Guomao — Beijing's most modern business and diplomatic district — and it connects directly to the Guomao mall, so dining and shopping are effortless. It's right next to Guomao metro station (Lines 1, 10 and 14), just steps away, which makes getting anywhere in the city simple, and Sanlitun's bars and shops are close by. The catch: the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are about 5–6 km away, so you'll take the metro or a taxi. This is not a walk-to-the-old-town address. If your trip centres on the historic core, weigh that up.
A score of 9.2/10 from around 2,525 real reviews shows how satisfied guests are. They consistently praise the spacious, clean rooms, the genuinely strong facilities — especially the gym, pool and kids' zone — the warm service, and the metro-side location. The criticisms that come up: the hotel opened in 1999 and had its last major renovation around 2012, so parts can feel less brand-new than freshly built rivals, and the distance from the old town is a real limit for history-focused trips. As always, check the latest room photos and reviews before you book.
Standard rates begin at around ~¥1,050 (฿5,250) per night, with a typical range of ฿5,250–9,000 depending on season and room type — strong value for a Shangri-La-run 5-star offering facilities at this level in the CBD. China's Golden Week (October 1–7) and Chinese New Year are when rates climb 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: Kerry Hotel, Beijing is the best fit for families with kids, fitness travellers, and anyone here for work or meetings in the CBD who wants a lively hotel, generous facilities, and easy transport at a price more accessible than the old-town luxury names. But if your trip is built around walking the Forbidden City and Tiananmen, look at the Wangfujing hotels in our Beijing list first.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Kerry Sports — a large, premium-level 24-hour gym and pool
- ✓ Excellent family and children's facilities
- ✓ Next to Guomao metro, connected to the Guomao mall for dining and shopping
- ✓ Spacious, clean rooms and warm Shangri-La service
- ! About 5–6 km from the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
- ! Opened in 1999, renovated around 2012 — parts feel less new
- ✓ A weekend brunch and the Centro bar that guests rave about
- ✓ Family-friendly — Jiabao kids' theme rooms, a children's pool, play zone
- ✓ Great value for a Shangri-La 5-star in the CBD
- ✓ Next to Guomao metro (Lines 1/10/14) for easy city travel
- ! Rates spike and rooms fill fast during Chinese holidays
- ! Not a walk-to-the-old-town address — you'll use the metro or a taxi
- 💡If your trip centres on the old town (Forbidden City / Tiananmen) · The hotel is about 5–6 km away — you'll take the metro or a taxi · Fix → see The Peninsula Beijing, Hilton Beijing Wangfujing or Crystal Orange Wangfujing in our list, all walkable to the historic core
- 💡If you want a brand-new build · The building opened in 1999 with a major renovation around 2012, so parts feel less new · Fix → check the latest room photos and reviews, or see Rosewood Beijing in the same CBD
- 💡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