Swimming in Beijing means swimming indoors. January averages a few degrees below freezing, so every hotel pool worth booking is heated and under a roof, open all winter. Pack a swim cap. Here’s where I’d book, depending on whether you want laps, a skyline or a pool the kids will love.
Quick answer: Book Grand Hyatt Beijing. Its pool is laid out like a tropical resort, with waterfalls and plants, so an evening swim feels a long way from the traffic on Chang’an Avenue.
At a glance, per night from
Table of Contents
Beijing Hotels with a Pool
Infinity Pool on the 78th Floor
1. China World Summit Wing, Beijing, A Shangri-La Hotel
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 18-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Guomao CBD
Guest Reviews: Spacious rooms with fantastic city views.
Best Room: Premier Suite
Good to Know: The Atmosphere bar sits on the 80th floor, two above the pool.
From USD $690 – $745 per night
Underground Pool With a Virtual Sky
2. Grand Hyatt Beijing
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 10-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Wangfujing
Guest Reviews: A fun, top-notch pool, and a great breakfast spread.
Best Room: Grand Suite, 1 King Bed
Good to Know: An underground passage leads straight into the Oriental Plaza mall.
From USD $385 – $430 per night
35-Metre Indoor Pool and Kids’ Pool
3. Kerry Hotel, Beijing by Shangri-La
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 20-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Guomao CBD
Guest Reviews: A very good selection of food, plus excellent rooms.
Best Room: Executive Suite King Room inclusive Mini Bar
Good to Know: Adventure Zone, a large indoor kids’ playground, is in the Kerry Centre.
From USD $360 – $430 per night
Glass-Domed Pool on the 6th Floor
4. Rosewood Beijing
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 19-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Chaoyang CBD
Guest Reviews: Exceptional service, with super helpful staff.
Best Room: Grand Studio
From USD $630 per night
Naturally Lit 20-Metre Lap Pool
5. Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 25-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Liangmaqiao
Guest Reviews: Beautiful rooms and an amazing breakfast buffet.
Best Room: Ambassador King Suite with City View
From USD $485 per night
18-Metre Indoor Pool
6. The Peninsula Beijing
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 9-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Wangfujing
Guest Reviews: Yummy breakfast and a fabulous, central location.
Best Room: Deluxe King Suite
From USD $430 – $500 per night
Serviced Apartments With Kitchens
7. The Imperial Mansion, Beijing – Marriott Executive Apartments
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 7-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Wangfujing
Guest Reviews: The apartments are spacious and comfortable, in an excellent location.
Best Room: One-Bedroom Apartment – King Bed
From USD $240 – $380 per night
Saltwater Indoor Pool
8. Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 30-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Wangjing
Best Room: King Suite
Good to Know: Futong station on Line 14 is a short walk away.
From USD $320 – $395 per night
9. Conrad Beijing by Hilton
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 21-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Chaoyang
Guest Reviews: Amazing, kind staff, and the attractions are easy to reach from here.
Best Room: Junior King Suite – Executive Lounge Access
From USD $475 – $590 per night
10. NUO Hotel Beijing
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: 28-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Jiangtai
Guest Reviews: A hearty, excellent breakfast, then a great pool.
Best Room: Nuo Studio
From USD $210 – $215 per night
Why Every Pool Worth Booking Is Indoors
Beijing winters are dry and freezing, and the summers are hot and sticky. A heated indoor pool works in both.
- January Swims: Nights in January drop to around minus 8 to minus 9, and the cold stretch runs from late November to late February. An indoor pool is the one place you’ll want to be in a swimsuit then.
- Summer Afternoons: July averages in the mid-20s Celsius, and the air is humid. After a hot day at the Great Wall or the Summer Palace, a swim beats the gym.
On a winter trip, choose the pool first and the view second.
Getting to the Forbidden City by Metro
Line 1 is the metro line that matters, because it runs under Chang’an Avenue past Tiananmen.
- Line 1 Under Chang’an Avenue: Line 1 runs east to west under Chang’an Avenue, with stops on both sides of Tiananmen Square. Get off at Tiananmen East, by Tiananmen Gate, for the walk north to the Meridian Gate. Leave time for the security checks on that walk, which queue hard in holiday weeks.
- Changing at Guomao: Guomao station links Line 1 and Line 10 under the China World Trade Center. From there it’s a straight ride west to Wangfujing and Tiananmen East.
- From Wangfujing Station: Wangfujing station sits on Lines 1 and 8, at the south end of the shopping street. It’s the stop before Tiananmen East on Line 1, so hotels around Wangfujing are a single stop away.
I’d ride Line 1 to Tiananmen East in the morning and save the taxi for the trip back to the pool.
Ready to book? Per night from
FAQs
1. Do you need a swim cap in Beijing hotel pools?
Pack one to be safe. Swim caps are a common pool rule in China, and travellers have been told to wear one at hotel pools in Beijing and Shanghai. Attendants keep caps on hand, and some charge hotel prices for them. A silicone cap weighs nothing in a suitcase and saves an argument at the poolside.
2. Can children use hotel pools in Beijing?
Yes, though each hotel sets its own rules. The Peninsula Beijing says children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult while swimming. Most of the other official pool pages say nothing about age, so ask at check-in before the kids head down. Pack a swim cap for each child as well as for yourself.
3. How do you get from Beijing Capital Airport to Guomao?
Take the Airport Express from Terminal 2 or 3 to Sanyuanqiao, then change to Line 10 south to Guomao. The same express runs on to Beixinqiao on Line 5 if you’re heading to Wangfujing instead. It stops overnight, so a late arrival means the taxi rank, which takes 40 to 70 minutes to the centre.
4. How do you get from Daxing Airport to central Beijing?
Ride the Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao and change to Line 10, which loops round to Guomao on the east side. For Wangfujing, change again at Guomao to Line 1 heading west. Daxing sits far to the south, so the train is the steadier bet when the roads are busy.
5. When are Beijing hotels cheapest?
Winter weeknights, outside the Chinese New Year holiday. January and February come out cheapest on price comparison averages, though some luxury hotels charge as much in winter as in summer. National Day week in early October fills hotels in the central districts, so book well ahead or pick other dates. A heated indoor pool makes a January trip far easier to enjoy.
6. Is the Forbidden City open every day?
No, the Palace Museum closes on Mondays, except on national holidays. Tickets are sold online only, booked in your own name against your passport, and the Meridian Gate is the one ticketed way in. You leave at the north end through Shenwumen, so plan your ride back to the hotel from there.
7. Do you need to book to visit Tiananmen Square?
Entry is free, but you reserve a slot in your own name with your passport, from one to seven days ahead. Bring that passport on the day, because the booking is tied to it. Pair the visit with the Forbidden City, which sits behind Tiananmen Gate on the north side of the square, and give yourself the whole morning for both.
