China's first luxury airport hotel opens

(Hilton)

Hilton has opened the first five-star airport hotel in China, at Beijing International Airport.

The luxury hotel, which is close to the airport's newest terminal three building, will cater to the rapidly increasing number of wealthy travelers in China.

It contains 322 rooms and seven restaurants and bars, along with two full-size ballrooms and a 25-meter indoor swimming pool.

The hotel is home to the longest bar in Beijing, according to Hilton, stretching for 50 meters in an L-shape, alongside several other Chinese restaurants and a cigar lounge.

According to recent statistics from air analyst OAG, Beijing is now second only to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport in the US in terms of air traffic, having overtaken London's Heathrow in July.

Its business has been boosted by a sharp growth in traffic to Asia, which grew by nine percent in July, and within the region, a trend which OAG's Peter von Moltke said "can be expected to continue."

However, the new hotel will face competition from the luxury hotels that surround other Asian hubs such as Seoul's Incheon and Hong Kong International Airport.

In its selection of the best stop-over hotels, booking site Hotels.com selected the Regal Airport Hotel by Hong Kong International and the Crowne Plaza at Changi Airport among others.

The best Asian stop-over airport hotels
Selected by Hotels.com Australia

Beijing Capital International Airport: Sino Swiss Hotel Beijing
Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia: Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur Airport
Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong: Regal Airport Hotel
Singapore Changi Airport, SIngapore: Crowne Plaza Changi Airport
Tokyo Narita International AIrport, Japan: ANA Crowne Plaza Narita
Seoul Incheon International Airport, South Korea: Hotel Incheon Airport
Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Caravelle Hotel

http://www.hilton.com
http://www.hotels.com