Ah, the Shangri-La.
A mythical name that brings up vivid images of excitement, gradeur, beauty,
and good eatin.
Oh, the lack of
it at the Shangri-La Hotel in Beijing. Should of been called the Sangri-a Hotel.
Because like the wine and assorted fruit infused drink, it neither has the class
and sophistication of fine Cabernet, nor the refreshing sweetness of fruit ripe
from a blooming tree. Instead it's this watered down place that trys to be fancy
and claim to be a five star operation, but really is just a two star joint.
Save your cash and stay in something less...more... and you're probably get
more of what you pay for.
The rooms are
average. The bathroom small. The beds are hard. The sheets dry like they've
been bleached a thousand times. The A/C smoke filled and ineffective. The included
continental breakfast in the morning made me wish I was back eating that stuff
they called food on the airplane.
However, for all
my complaints. As I looked out my 5th story window to see a beautiful view of
a coal buring smokestack and rows of shanty towns with people struggling to
just make it by, I let myself be humbled a bit and was reminded of the sheer
excess and luxury I had taken for granted living in America.
Still, the hotel
sucks. There are thousands of other ones to choose from. So thats all I can
say. Just looking out.