It's like a Motel 6- on a space station!
From Accor Hotels, the same people that bring you Motel 6, comes Hotel Ibis, a budget friendly European style hotel with sufficient service. Not much about it makes it special but it is a clean place to lay your head at night and is cheap considering all the Hiltons and Kempinskis in the same area.
Room Quality- Basic, small rooms. Rooms are done up in a modern IKEA style that seems to be so popular these days. They really do make good use of the size of the rooms proving that its not the size that matters but how you use it! There is a big bed, a small flat screen tv, desk and chair and wardrobe built into the wall. Lights can be turned on from beside the door or beside the bed, making things very convenient for when you want to do a little late night reading and don't want to make the 4 foot trek back across the room to turn the lights off. Very comfy bed but it takes up most of the space in the room so don't plan any big parties here. The bathroom looks like something you might find on the space shuttle (or a porta john with a shower) small, compact and convenient. They are an enviromentally conscious chain (read: cheap) so they have lo flo toilets for using less water but after having their breakfast buffet I needed more than one flush to get rid of the evidence so that sort of defeated the purpose.
Service Quality- Very basic, they expect you to take care of yourself for the most part. There is a vending machine for basic supplies but it doesn't work so you will have to get the desk clerk to open the machine to get your tube socks, shower caps, underwear, razors, and Jissbon brand condoms. Laundry service is available but you have to turn it in and pick it up at the front desk yourself. You won't wait long at the service desk as the manager makes sure those waiting in line get waited on by opening up additional counters quickly, he must have studied management under Mary Weeks from Bruce!
What you get in the bathroom- toothbrush and toothpaste, mini soap and shampoo. There is no sewing kit so if you see me walking around Sanlitun with holes in my pants you know where I am staying.
Clientele- budget travelers from overseas and Chinese business types, mostly a younger type crowd who are constantly broke like me.
How's the pool?- What pool? I did see a big pothole down the street that was collecting rainwater but I wouldn't swim in it unless I wanted tetanus or herpes.
The food- They have a decent but gutbusting breakfast buffet for 20 kuai (about 3 bucks) that includes things like noodles, steamed buns, fruit and cereal. Expect to spend some time in the space age porta john after eating here. There is also an overpriced bar serving food and beverages. Walk down the street to 7-11 for your drinks though, 25 kuai for a bottle of water is exorbitant when the 3 kuai water is just as good. Besides, 7-11 is Japanese owned and they will bow when you come in making you feel like a king, well at least you'll feel a little better about being a cheapskate.
Entertainment- there is a game room with a dart board and a computer area or bring your own computer to watch bootleg dvds on in your room or use their free internet service. If you want really funny entertainment get into a cab and listen to the driver cuss in Chinese as he tries to find this hotel, has to be in one of the hardest to get to spots in Beijing!
Overall, not a bad place to stay, just don't expect much.
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