Bell Tower Hotel Xian, Xi'An

The location of the Bell Tower Hotel couldn't be better and the Annular (circular) Passage underground means you don't have to cross busy streets to get all over the place. There's a huge modern shopping mall across the way which houses McDonald's and Starbucks on the bottom. Another exit takes you to the Muslim street and mosque and you can access the Bell Tower for a great view. However, I wouldn't really consider this a true 4 star hotel. My first room faced the Bell Tower and the a/c just couldn't keep up with the heat and humidity so I had to switch to an inside room. The room itself was large with a separate sitting room which was beautiful. If noise and a/c are an issue for you opt for the inside rooms. The breakfast was sumptuous with many Chinese dishes but a good balance to please the Western palate. Many tour groups stay here and I can understand why. There are more upscale hotels outside the City Wall but I'd go back here for sure.

We stayed here during a quick weekend trip to Xi'an with our two kids, ages 4 and 8. The experience overall was extremely smooth, the staff were friendly and accommodating. The price was right. The location right in the center of town was extremely convenient. It was a short walk to the bell tower, the drum tower, the Muslim Quarter, to Daxiangzi Temple Street (a street of tourist bars), to Academy Street and to the City Wall. In addition to providing a comfortable double room, the hotel supplied us with a driver during our stay, at a reasonable rate, and he was courteous, knowledgeable and helpful. We would stay here again when we return to Xi'an.