Aman Summer Palace

We booked a room with clear, basic specifications. Not only did this Aman fail to fulfill our booking, their proposed “solutions” were shockingly disrespectful and far below the standard of any reputable hotel, especially this Aman. There were also undertones of racial profiling that we found unacceptable. Their first “offer” was to either pay more for a room that met our needs or have one of us sleep on the literal sofa because they “don’t do rollaway beds.” We were stunned. Only after pressing for a better solution did a rollaway bed suddenly become available. And it gets worse. We chose this property for its spectacular location in the Summer Palace, expecting world-class service. Instead, this Aman delivered a masterclass in deception, contradiction, and disregard. We checked in at 7 p.m. and endured four exhausting hours of back and forth, only to end up in a room that was still uncomfortable and unacceptable. The longer we dealt with staff, the more contradictory and dismissive their responses became. Just a few examples: 1. The manager told us one of us should sleep on the sofa because it is “more comfortable than the actual bed,” claiming that is what they choose when they stay in the room. As if their personal preference should dictate what paying guests accept. We doubt they would ever say this to a European-presenting guest. We are both Asian American, fluent in English and Mandarin, and this comment felt targeted. 2. When we offered to pay the price difference for an upgrade, we were told there were no available guestrooms or family suites. Yet, their own website and multiple third-party booking sites showed them available for our entire stay. Instead, we were told we could spend thousands more on an additional suite we never asked for. Throughout the night, room availability and prices seemed to change at their convenience. 3. Even our Amex Platinum benefits offered no meaningful advantage here. The supposed perks were overshadowed by the staggering inconvenience. What is most disturbing is the sense of apathetic resignation from the staff, as though this behavior is standard practice. Even when shown clear proof of available rooms, they ignored it or spun new, contradictory excuses. It leaves us questioning whether this is a directive from higher management to prioritize squeezing guests for profitability. Another thing to add is that this hotel is not suitable for business travelers. The glass to the toilet is frosted so privacy even within the room is compromised. This is on top of the overall atmosphere being dark, cold, and unwelcoming. After spending thousands of dollars, I am sleeping on a rollaway bed. This Aman should be ashamed.

This is an exquisite hotel. Where else can you stay in a century-old traditional courtyard dating back to Dowager Empress Cixi's reign? Our suite was luxurious and beautifully appointed; we were literally a few steps away from the secret door to the Summer Palace, a Unesco heritage site. Shoutout to the following staff who went out of their way to make our stay memorable: 1) Wendy, Fiona and Bellboy who patiently answered all my email queries 2) Justin, Tracy and Jojo of Reception who assisted us with check-in and booking taxis (which can be quite tricky if you are using the local apps) 3) Grace of the Chinese Restaurant for her attentive service during my son's birthday dinner celebration. The table decor and special food (his complimentary longevity noodles, slice of birthday cake and traditional dessert) were terrific. The Beijing duck is highly recommended and one of the best in Beijing. 4) Answer Wang of The Grill Restaurant whose level of service at breakfast and dinner was nothing short of exemplary. His food and drink recommendations were excellent; he even gave us a different type of tea for rainy weather! We will be back!

Was eager to stay here as hotel has special access to the Summer Palace and hotel design is exquisite. Stayed in courtyard 1 which is pretty near the breakfast place. Enjoyed breakfast thoroughly as the dim sum was so yummy and tea too. There was also a breakfast selection which we could help ourselves to. Not a big variety but good enough. Food tends to be really expensive here and all the meals were eaten at the hotel as restaurants nearby were mostly crowded. Ate at the Chinese restaurant twice. Peking duck was fantastic. But we made a mistake of ordering the tea as it cost almost SGD100 for 3! Also ate dinner once at Reflection Pavilion and kids didn't really enjoy the pasta. Beautiful structures all around for photography and had fun going around the courtyard taking photos. Went for a massage which was so so. Got the staff to open the special gate to access Summer Palace and entering from the quiet hotel environment to a crowded touristy site felt strange. Minibar soft drinks were complimentary and kids thoroughly enjoyed. Sweet snacks plus nuts, almond were also complimentary. There were 5 control panels for aircon in our room so had to go around turning on and off. Same for the light switches. Good experience staying at Aman Summer Palace.

Beautiful property in the daylight and at night. Very convenient back door access the summer palace, especially for jet lagged travelers needing to go somewhere at 630am. Other reviews mentioned the rooms being dated, our courtyard suite was in solid condition.

Aman Summer Palace is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing afternoon tea! Highly recommend for the beautiful scenery and customer service. The tea room is nestled behind a traditional Beijing hotel, perfect for immersing yourself in the Chinese culture. Definitely make a reservation for the tea room, you won’t regret it!