Novotel Xi'an The Bell Tower — Sleep on the Bell Tower Plaza, Walk to the Muslim Quarter, an Accor Base in the Old Town
Honestly, if you want the one Xi'an hotel where you can genuinely walk to everything, few beat Novotel Xi'an The Bell Tower (西安钟楼诺富特酒店) — because it sits right beside the Bell Tower (钟楼) plaza, in the very heart of the old town. Step out of the lobby and you're at the landmark people fly to Xi'an to see; carry on a little further and you reach the Drum Tower and the Muslim Quarter (回民街), the legendary street-food strip. Better yet, Zhonglou (Bell Tower) metro station on Lines 2 and 6 is practically at the door, a ~110-metre walk. This is a 4-star Accor hotel, opened in 2020 with 198 rooms, set inside the smartly restored Yisushe (易俗社) cultural block of shops and restaurants. It scores 9.6/10 from over 10,000 real guest reviews — a volume that tells you this isn't a fluke. If you want to stay in the heart of the old town, walk to everything, in a dependable international hotel with genuinely helpful staff at a price you can live with, this is a hard base to fault.
The first thing nearly every guest mentions is the location — and it isn't an exaggeration. This Novotel sits right beside the Bell Tower (钟楼), the exact centre of Xi'an's old town. The Bell Tower is about 510 metres away, the Drum Tower (鼓楼) around 770 metres, and the Muslim Quarter (回民街) about 840 metres — all comfortable on foot. Even better, Zhonglou (Bell Tower) station on Lines 2 and 6 is only about 110 metres away; come up at Exit H and the hotel sign is right there. That means you can explore the old town all day and be back in your room in a few steps, or hop the metro out to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda with no fuss. A location like this is genuinely rare in Xi'an.
One guest sums it up: "Best location of anywhere we stayed in Xi'an — walk out and you're at the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Muslim Quarter, with the metro right downstairs. The room was spotless, the staff spoke English and helped book our train tickets and recommend places to eat, and there was free water and an afternoon tea. Really impressed."
The other thing guests praise often is the staff. As an international Accor property, the team here is known for being attentive and English-speaking — reviewers describe them helping book high-speed train tickets, arranging trips out to the Terracotta Army, hailing taxis, and answering travel questions easily, which matters a lot for international visitors who may not have much Chinese. There's also free drinking water topped up daily and an afternoon tea service with tea and snacks, small touches that several guests say made them feel properly looked after.
Getting around is sorted from the start, with Zhonglou metro (Lines 2/6) right below the hotel. Line 2 runs the north-south spine of the old town — ride it down to the South Gate (永宁门) to climb the wall and cycle the loop, or up to the railway station. Line 6 is a newer line linking a few more sights. On foot the area is a gift: the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Muslim Quarter, and the Great Mosque (大清真寺) are all within walking distance. The Terracotta Army (兵马俑), on the other hand, is out of town toward Lintong, so set aside half a day to a full day and take a car or tour — the front desk can arrange it or point you to a good one.
On rooms and facilities, the hotel has 198 rooms in the usual Novotel range — from a Standard Queen and Superior twins up to family rooms. They're modern and clean, with a work desk, flat-screen TV, bathrobes, a mini-bar, and in-room soundproofing, and reviewers single out the cleanliness and tidiness in particular. A real plus for families is the kids' club and indoor play area. There's a gym, a restaurant, a bar and cafe, and a buffet breakfast with both Chinese and Western options including some Xi'an local dishes (breakfast runs around ¥98 per person if it isn't bundled into your rate). One thing to flag up front, though: there's no swimming pool here, so if a pool matters to you, look elsewhere.
A score of 9.6/10 from over 10,000 real reviews is a seriously solid number, and it shows how consistently guests come away happy about the location, the cleanliness, and the service. The criticisms are real and worth knowing first, though. The main one is noise: the hotel sits in a very lively pocket right by the Bell Tower plaza, so some street-facing rooms can pick up sound from outside or the shops below — if you sleep lightly, ask for a higher floor or an inward-facing room when you book. The second is that a minority of guests report some inconsistency in maintenance and a few service touches; it's a small share against the overall picture, but it's fair to know going in.
Standard rates start at around ~¥450 (฿2,250) per night, with a typical range of ฿2,250–3,500 depending on season and room type; larger rooms and high season can push toward ¥650+. China's long holidays — Golden Week (October 1–7), Chinese New Year, and Labour Day (May 1–5) — are when rates spike and rooms fill fast, since Xi'an is one of the country's most popular historic destinations and this is exactly the address everyone wants. If you're coming then, book several weeks ahead and take a free-cancellation rate to be safe. On the whole, if you're in Xi'an to explore the old town on foot, eat street food in the Muslim Quarter, and want a dependable international hotel in the dead centre with staff who actually help, this Novotel delivers it all.
The honest summary, friend to friend: Novotel Xi'an The Bell Tower is for travellers who want a heart-of-the-old-town address beside the Bell Tower, everything walkable, the metro right below, and a dependable international Accor hotel with English-speaking staff who help — equally good for families and international visitors. If walking to everything without a taxi is the point of your trip, you want service you can trust, and a kids' club helps, this is excellent value. But if you want a swimming pool, or a boutique with its own distinct character, compare it against the Atour Hotel Xi'an Bell Tower South Gate or the Hilton Garden Inn Xi'an Bell Tower in our list first.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Prime location beside the Bell Tower — walk to the Drum Tower and Muslim Quarter
- ✓ Zhonglou metro (Lines 2/6) right below the hotel, a ~110 m walk
- ✓ English-speaking Accor staff who genuinely help
- ✓ Spotless rooms and a kids' club — good for families
- ! In a lively pocket — some street-facing rooms pick up noise
- ! No swimming pool
- ✓ Walk straight out to all the main landmarks
- ✓ Free drinking water and an afternoon tea service
- ✓ Chinese and Western buffet breakfast with local Xi'an dishes
- ✓ Kids' club and an indoor play area
- ! Rates spike and rooms fill fast during the Chinese long holidays
- ! A minority of guests note some inconsistency in maintenance
- 💡If you're a light sleeper · The hotel is in a very lively pocket right by the Bell Tower plaza, and some street-facing rooms pick up noise from outside · Fix → ask for a higher floor or an inward-facing room when you book
- 💡If you want a swimming pool · This is a 4-star hotel with no pool · Fix → see the Shangri-La Xi'an or the Sofitel Legend People's Grand Hotel Xi'an (indoor pool) in our list
- 💡If you want a boutique with its own distinct character · Novotel leans on reliability and international standards more than a one-off design identity · Fix → see the Atour Hotel Xi'an Bell Tower South Gate (its "Seeing the Wild" design) in our list