Regent Beijing

Beijing is placing big bets on the future, with a wealth of high-profile building projects — Herzog & de Meuron’s Olympic Stadium and the Rem Koolhaas-designed CCTV tower, a new mammoth airport terminal by Norman Foster, and many more. And in advance of the expected surge in travel demand, some big hotel projects have opened as well, including this one, the 500-room Regent Beijing.

It’s essentially just a state-of-the-art big business hotel, and it’s remarkable less as a shockingly original hotel creation than simply as an illustration of just how far the state of the art has advanced. Space is plentiful, as is natural light from the full-length windows, and the glass-topped desk and Eames-style side chair probably beat whatever you’ve got in your office. What’s most decidedly a sign of the times, however, is the bathroom — once the Achilles heel of even luxury hotel rooms, today’s version, inevitably separated from the bedroom by a glass wall, features a massive soaking tub, separate shower, fogless mirror and brand-name bath products.

As for the location, it’s got one foot in the old world, and one in the new; many rooms overlook the Forbidden City, the old imperial palace, and a short walk the other way lands you in the Wangfujing commercial district, home to some of the capital’s best shopping.

Travel advisory: Passport and visa requirements differ from country to country. Please check with your local authority before booking.