With the 2008 Summer Olympics on the way, Beijing is adding new hotels, restaurants and bars to the cities skyline, keeping it authentic, yet freshening up for the world to see.

“Hosting the Games will help raise the living standard of the Chinese people and speed up China’s reform, which will also leave an important legacy to China.” —Beijing Mayor Liu Qi, also president of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Bid Committee.

According to the Lodging Econometrics, Beijing has 54 hotels (17,634 rooms) in development, of course only time will tell if they can deliver and since the whole world will be watching they have much at stake. With 36 hotels due to open before the year end 2008. In the luxury category openings include: Mandarin Oriental Hotel & Spa; Banyan Tree (an all-suite hotel); a joint JW Marriott-Ritz-Carlton development at China Central Place; Park Hyatt; Four Seasons; Millennium Beijing, a 2nd Westin and an 80-room Angsana Hotel Beijing.

Where to Stay
If you are looking for a smaller more authentic property Hotel Cote Cour SL is the newest boutique hotel experience which opened earlier this year and is getting fantastic reviews. 14 rooms from USD 150.

What to do?
The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and of course the largest palace of the world, Forbidden City are just few ancient wonders rich in culture to visit.