Back when the weather was warm, we wrote about one of the most creative hotel deals we’ve come across. The St. Regis Hotel had something called a Day-cation, where you could go to the hotel, hang out in one of the luxurious rooms all day, and enjoy the pool and hot springs, but not spend the night there. It essentially turned the hotel into your playground for the day. It was awesome!
Sadly, that deal’s no longer available, but the hotel’s hot springs are worth a reminder, especially during the cold winter months. The St. Regis is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Beijing, and even though it’s been around for 30+ years, it’s aging gracefully. When you walk down the halls you feel the history of the place proudly standing strong. During its construction, the St. Regis received a special permit to dig 1,500 meters below for their very own hot springs – making it the only hotel in the city that has this feature. Needless to say, the water at the St. Regis is magical. The hot springs are located inside both locker rooms. There are three pools with various temperatures. It’s amazing! Unlike most hot springs that are popular with the locals, these at the St. Regis are still hidden gems.
Pro tip: In Beijing, everyone who goes in the pool needs to wear a swimming cap. Babies are no exception.
The pools are also a treat for both parents and kids. There’s a big lap pool with natural lighting for confident swimmers, and a small kiddie pool for kids to splash around in. There are plenty of lounge chairs and towels available, and the pool had two lifeguards on duty. One of them even made the effort to move closer to me and my daughter after he found out that it was my first time taking her into a pool by myself – a gesture that I sincerely appreciated. Following our swim, I wrapped my little girl up in the kid-sized hotel bathrobe, and she proceeded to spend the good part of an hour entertaining herself by kicking water around in the sink – something I never let her do at home because, let’s be honest, one of the perks of staying in a hotel is NOT having to do the cleaning up afterward.
Pro Tip: Located next door to the hotel
is a great Cantonese restaurant that has been around for decades and
makes authentic local cuisine.
With the holidays around us, if you’re not heading out of the city to somewhere warm, a staycation in Beijing at a hotel that’s got its own personal hot spring is the next best thing.