If you are looking for an elegant, luxurious top of the line-hotel and all that in a super central location the Waldorf Astoria Beijing is the right place. The westgate of the Forbidden City is just one kilometre in straight line away and the nearby underground line 5 will take you to tourists favourites like the Lama and the Confucius temple within ten minutes. Opened in 2014 the hotel tries to give you the impression of a boutique hotel though there are 176 rooms. Waldorf Astoria Beijing consists of two buildings divided by a little street. If you prefer the shortcuts to public spaces like the Brasserie 1893, the main and international restaurant, the Zijin chinese restaurant or the bar/cafe Peacock alley the main building would be the right choice. If you are in time travelling the second Hutong building is the right choice where luxury suites and rooms are inspired by the Quing dynasty. The rooms in general boast high quality furniture and design like Suzhou silk walls, black laquered wood. The hotel designers also appreciated art. Shandong painter Ling Jian’s androgynous face, a two meter painting inspired by Austrian painter Ernst Fuchs is a real eye-catcher. Our recomendation: Try the pool and the spa after your city explorations.