New Sunrise Kempinski Hotel Is a Real Eye Opener

I know we just got through with telling you to avoid Yanqi Lake in early November due to the APEC summit, but come November 17 you'll be wanting to check out one of the area's super-cool new hotels built with APEC in mind: the Sunrise Kempinski Hotel.

The 306-room venue designed by Shanghai Huadu Architect Design Co. appears like a rising sun overlooking Yanqi Lake. Depending on the angle, the disc shaped-hotel can resemble the sun, a ping-pong paddle, a fish, a snail or even the Death Star, had it crashed into Beijing. This Yahoo Travel article even goes so far as to call it the coolest hotel in the world.

Dotted with nine bars and restaurants (including outlets of their well-known Paulaner Brauhaus and Kempi Deli) amongst its luxury facilities, it should make the hour trek northward more appealing to the high-end traveler.

Though it will only be open to VIPs until after APEC, mere mortals like you and me can book now for an awesome opening deal, valid November 17 through February 28, with special opening rates starting at a none-too-outrageous RMB 1088 (plus 15 percent service, which makes it RMB 1251, to be exact) an evening. Booking includes breakfast and Wi-Fi.

About an hour's drive northward (given there isn't nasty traffic), the new hotel is is close to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, the Yuan Dynasty-era Hongluo Temple, and the Yanqi Lake Amusement Park.

Photos: Sunrise Kempinski Hotel