Shindom Inn Zhushikou

If you're reading reviews for cheap Beijing hotels

This hotel is not luxury living, but is safe, comfortable, and cheap. Hostels are going to be a little nicer and more westernized, such as having a toilet you can sit on and a staff who speaks English, but I'll take a squatty toilet down the hallway to have a private room any day. The hotel is clean; the building is old but well-maintained. My room had a hot shower, towels, a hot water heater, four mugs, a bar of soap, toilet paper to bring with me to the hole in the floor, slippers, and a TV. There was a heater and I had it on the max setting the entire time, but I would never say that my room was hot. I slept with socks and bulky clothing and felt warm that way. (I stayed in March 2015.) The room was filled with frosted windows so when it was light outside, the room was pretty lit up. (Not a problem if you bring eyeshades.) The room also faced the main courtyard and if the wrong people are staying in the hotel, it would be loud. (Not a problem with earplugs and/or courteous co-travelers.) LOCATION! The location is great, but it is difficult to find because it is tucked away in a series of back alleys. I paid tourist information at the Beijing Int'l Airport 300 Yuan for what I thought would be front door service, but it's difficult to squeeze a full-sized vehicle on the narrow road, so I was dumped out with shaky guidance. (I think the ride should cost around 100 Yuan, based on another review.) I want to give you the directions that I wish I had... Easy Directions to Hotel: have a cab driver take you to King's Joy Hotel on No. 81 Meishi Street. (Print the name and address in Chinese characters for best results.) When you are standing in front of King's Joy, facing the front of the building, you will walk left. You are going to take the second right (which will be at the second blue "public restroom" that you see). Now that you are on this small street, the first fork in the road is an obvious backtrack so it won't tempt you, but at the second fork it is narrow on the right and the alley widens a bit on the left. Go left. From there you will stay on this path. When you come to the next fork on this road, keep right. The hotel has a big white circle for a sign - you will see that long before you can read the words. Short Version: Go to King's Joy and walk left. Take the second right. When that road forks, go left. When the road forks again, go right. I rated this hotel with 3/4 stars across the board, not because I think it is a 3 or 4 star hotel, but because for it's category of being a budget hotel for Chinese travelers, it was quite satisfactory. It's a 1-star hotel that is adequate if you love to save money on a room in order to spend money having experiences outside of the room.

There's nothing unexpectedly wrong with this hotel. Had I paid $50+ for this room, I could gripe, but at $14/night it was just fine. Hot water, heat, and a safe place to sleep. Good enough.