CX Reply

Hmm, they didn't ignore me after all. I got a reply from CX saying that they will extend my "renewal" period to Dec 31, 2010. That means if I fly CX to China on my November trip, I will have enough miles to get back to Silver status. Oh well... too bad I already booked my flight on Air Canada. I checked fares for LAX-HKG-PEK on CX and it's $450 more AND I won't have lounge access. I had wanted them to extend my Silver status (marginal cost to CX = $0) but if I'm going to slum it in the normal waiting areas, I may as well save enough to pay for my hotel room for the week.

The last hotel I stayed in Beijing was a bit too small and ghetto for me. My friend managed to find me another place near the south train station for ~$40 per night that looks more upscale. It's supposed to be 4 stars but the ratings in China seem a bit inflated. Chinese 4 star hotels << US 4 star hotels.

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I found their website and it says they're a 3 star hotel. :( The site seems to be written in Engrish and the online reservation system quotes prices from 2007.

Beijing Foreign national Garden Hotel is situated nearby the south two ring circuit mizar bridge, east depends on the Beijing south station, west is near Prospect Garden, separates the river with the carefree pavilion park to face one another, is apart from Tiananmen 6 kilometer, the transportation is convenient, the environment is graceful, the assembly lodgings, the dining, the entertainment are a body touch on foreign affairs the star class fixed point hotel. The hotel has started doing business since November 7, 1982, passes through repairs the transformation many times. Presently has standard guest room 200, in the comfortable room is equipped with the central air conditioning, the refrigerator, the telephone, the network wide band and the independent bathroom 24 hours hot water, conference room 5, may hold 70 human of school desk type conference. The dining room by the Shandong cuisine primarily, asks the Shandong cuisine famous kitchen ingredients, the taste orthodox school tunnel, the Sichuan Cantonese cuisine, the Beijing roast duck also to be able especially to meet the more consumer's need. The hall may hold 300 people also to dine, has KTV package of 10, but the self-entertainment from happy, good dines the environment, the high quality service can let you feel urgently kindly. In the hotel each kind of facility is complete, is equipped with the singsong house, the chess sign room, the cosmetology styles hair the center, the business center, the shopping center and handles services and so on international postal service and purchasing commercial aviation airplane ticket, train ticket, traveling ticket. In the courtyard is equipped with the large-scale parking lot, berth hundred, may satisfy you to travel the board and lodging and the entertainment need.