Best foot forward in temple area

If you want to be nearer to Beijing's ancient architectural icons, you could not do better than staying at the New World Beijing Hotel, the first five-star hotel in Chongwenmen.

Opened in November 2013, the 309-room hotel is within walking distance from Temple of Heaven, and a few kilometers away from the Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square and the Wangfujing shopping areas. Since the 1990s, Chongwenmen has been one of Beijing's fastest growing commercial areas.

"Our hotel is very well located. It's good for leisure guests because it's close to the must-see scenic spots. It's also good for those who are doing business in different areas due to convenient transport," says Andrew Whitaker, general manager of the hotel. He is an Asia veteran of many years and was general manager in New World Dalian Hotel before coming to Beijing.