Days Inn Forbidden City Beijing
by the TopOfHotel team
A 3-star hotel whose tropical Bali-resort styling and 5-minute walk to Wangfujing earn it a Top Choice Award and a 9.2 score — strong value near the Forbidden City.
A 3-star hotel whose tropical Bali-resort styling and 5-minute walk to Wangfujing earn it a Top Choice Award and a 9.2 score — strong value near the Forbidden City.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The Deluxe King runs about 28 sq m in bright beige-and-white tones, with a soft king bed, clean white cotton linens and a 40-inch flat-screen TV. There's a minibar with two free bottles of water, a long desk with an adjustable LED lamp, and free Wi-Fi that streams Netflix smoothly. The bathroom has a white ceramic tub and a rain shower with good hot-water pressure, and the lemongrass soap and lotion smell genuinely fresh rather than generic. It's a level of polish you don't expect at 3 stars.
Food and amenities
The ground-floor café serves both Chinese and Western dishes, and the breakfast buffet (around ¥98, about $14) is broader than the price suggests — shrimp congee, dim sum, toast, eggs to order, brewed coffee and fresh juice. For dinner, reviewers point to the zhajiangmian noodles at ¥38 (roughly $5). Most front-desk staff speak English, will book your Forbidden City ticket, and hold luggage for free. There's no pool, spa or gym, but the Top Choice Award and 9.1-to-9.4 guest scores reflect how well the basics are run.
Location and getting there
Location is the second headline. Walk out the east door and it's 5 minutes to the Wangfujing shopping street; head north past the National Museum of China and about 10 more minutes brings you to the Forbidden City south gate. Reviewers suggest arriving around 7:30am for the 8:30 opening to dodge the queues — the ¥60 (about $8.40) adult ticket needs a WeChat reservation the night before in high season. Walk back through the vast Tiananmen Square and you feel the weight of Chinese history; Tiananmen East MRT is about 400 metres away.
Things to know before booking
This is a 3-star hotel, so amenities are basic — no pool, no spa, no fitness centre. Dongcheng is one of the city's busiest districts, and the streets around Wangfujing stay loud and crowded into the evening. Because the rooms are well-priced and the reviews are strong, the place books out fast in high season, so reserve ahead rather than hoping to walk in.
Our take
This suits couples who want a good-looking room at a 3-star price, families for whom the Forbidden City is the trip highlight, and aesthetics-minded travelers on a budget. At around $51 a night with a walkable Forbidden City location, it's the best deal in this pocket of Beijing — just don't come expecting resort facilities to match the resort look.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A genuine Top Choice Award winner that punches above its 3-star rating, with real-guest scores sitting between 9.1 and 9.4.
- The tropical look is the calling card: red-brown timber lattice and big potted bamboo outside, a stone-and-wood lobby with high ceilings and a small waterfall inside.
- Location does a lot of the work — 5 minutes on foot to the Wangfujing shopping street and about 15 minutes north, past the National Museum, to the Forbidden City south gate.
- Sits in Dongcheng roughly 400 metres from Tiananmen East MRT, so the subway and Tiananmen Square are both an easy walk away.
- All 133 rooms come with a 40-inch flat-screen TV, minibar and ceramic bathtub, plus lemongrass-scented toiletries and a rain shower with decent pressure; the on-site café serves Chinese and Western food.
- This is a 3-star property, so amenities stay basic — there is no pool, spa or fitness centre, and the room count means service can feel functional rather than personal.
- Dongcheng is one of Beijing's liveliest districts; the streets around Wangfujing get loud and crowded, especially in the evenings and on weekends.
- High demand plus low rates mean rooms book out fast in peak season, so you'll want to reserve well ahead rather than walk in.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Walk out the east door toward Wangfujing for dinner and shopping — it's only 5 minutes, so you don't need the subway for an evening out.
- Aim to reach the Forbidden City around 7:30am for the 8:30 opening to skip the longest lines; buy the ¥60 (about $8.40) adult ticket through WeChat the night before, as high season sells out.
- Ask the front desk to book your Forbidden City ticket — most staff speak English and will sort the WeChat reservation for you.