The Peninsula Beijing

Traditional Chinese pagoda gates mark the entrance to The Peninsula Beijing, located in Beijing, China. This luxury hotel stands within the Forbidden City cultural district and is positioned adjacent to the Wangfujing shopping district.

The hotel's marble-clad lobby is bathed in subtle natural light that illuminates a central fountain. Hotel dining options include Jing which is connected to the lobby by a glass-enclosed circular staircase.

Three open kitchens serve European and Asian fare. A glass cellar holds 1,400 bottles of fine wines. Huang Ting displays 200-year-old stone posts recovered from a former Suzhou nobleman's courtyard. This dining venue features Cantonese fare and dim sum specialties.

The Lobby bar hosts afternoon teas, presents live music, and serves a selection of cocktails.

A 427-square-meter fitness center contains treadmills, a stair machine and elliptical bicycles, all outfitted with LCD televisions. Three personal trainers offer workout guidance, while Pilates and yoga instructors are on call. Aromatherapy, sports massage, reflexology and Chinese acupressure are offered in two massage rooms. A naturally lit indoor pool is surrounded by glass windows. The Clarins Beauty Institut is located on the lower lobby level and offers a range of beauty treatments. A DVD library houses a collection of more than 200 movies for use with in-room DVD players.

This 17-story property offers 525 guestrooms equipped with high-tech enhancements such as silent fax machines, Peninsula-developed electronic bedside lighting panels, and complimentary wired and wireless Internet access. Plasma televisions offer DVD players and cable channels. Beds are topped with premium linens and foam, straw, bean and holistic-designed pillows. Marble bathrooms contain weight scales, bathrobes and second phone lines.

The Peninsula Hotel houses a three-story shopping arcade that showcases 50 designer boutiques such as Chanel, Versace, Christian Dior and Gucci. The arcade also offers a bank and a medical clinic.