Park Avenue

I have been living at Park Avenue for just over a year now having decided to extend my contract. I work in China World Tower 2, and had considered central park given its closer proximity but the apartment I have at Park Avenue is of a much higher quality than any I have seen there.

Reasons why I like the apartment at Park Avenue - while not quite like living in an Apple store (that award must go to Sanlitun Soho) it is suitably white and free of annoying artwork or furniture left by the landlord. I also have a lovely view of Chaoyang Park from my balcony which on a good day allows me to see the hills off in the distance. Anyone moving to Beijing should not underrate the importance of a good view as there is very little to admire in the architecture or on the streets throughout most of Chaoyang district.

Regarding the property management - I have not had any serious issues with my apartment that needed fixing in the time I have been here. The staff are all friendly, but don't expect them to smile and ask you how your day was or tell you 'good job' all the time - this isn't America. Regarding their English ability - I'd say its fairly average as far as apartment complexes go in Beijing, meaning for simple things their English is fine but for more complicated tasks you need to know some Chinese. This shouldn't be a problem for most seasoned expats, but if you are fresh off the boat it could be frustrating at first.

Facilities: for those of us who realize that Chinese food in China is nothing like it is back home and are desperately seeking edible Western food there is a fantastic Wholefoods-esque store on site that stocks everything you will need. There is also dry cleaning.

Gym: This deserves a separate section of my review. The gym at Park Avenue basically represents everything wrong with China. In the year I have been here it has been open maybe 4 months, and in that time 3 different companies have operated it. The latest update is that it has just closed down again as they are moving all the equipment to the basement, reason being they are getting screwed on their rent deal upstairs. I've looked at investing in a few gym businesses myself in China and can tell you its a ticking time bomb, so if you do value the certainty of having a gym open year-round to work out in prepare for disappointment. Nevertheless, when it is open, it has every type of machine and a full set of free weights. There is also supposedly a great pool there but it is quickly gaining mythological status given the delays in fixing it.

Transport - if you have a car or motorbike or scooter or a driver it is no problem. If you think you are going to rely on taxis, think again. The few that bother showing up in the morning are quickly taken and then you have the option of taking a more expensive black (illegal) taxi or a depressing search for one along Chaoyang park south road. Nearest subway station isn't near at all, about 35 mins walk, and its a depressing walk of defeat all the way there.

Overall: 4 stars for me given that I have a motorbike (would be 5 if they sorted the gym)

I have now been living here for nearly a year and can sincerely recommend living here. There is the gym where you can train as much as you want. Shopping facilities are close at hand. City center is only a cab ride away. Anyone new to Beijing here is a grand place to live.

Park Avenue has been up to our expectations. Not everything is great, but it delivers if you are looking for a reliable, comfy, child-friendly compound not too far outside.

Quality of building is good for local standards. Service is ok. Amicability varies. But most of them are friendly and some of them speak some English. Nice inner compound with kids playground. April Gourmet is inside the compound (they just expanded!). That is a huge plus.

Downside: Taxis - very difficult to get during rush hour! Big, big downside if you need to go to the airport or an important meeting. Though there are busses that'll take you to the subway. And you can try to order a taxi or have a car yourserlf.

The gym closed down for a long time once we moved in. The swimming pool has never re-opened ever since. It's little expensive too, but still ok.

Would I go there again? Basically yes. Best option compared to others, IMHO. Immediately, if we would have a car.

I moved into Park Avenue in May last year and I am happy with the choice I made.

There is a small supermarket just downstairs which provides everything necessary especially to Westerners, a nice café, dry cleaner and so on. Chaoyang Park across the street is wonderful for walks and runs and seeing some green while actually being in the middle of a huge city.

The apartments are bright with good lay-out and the compound is well maintained. Whenever help was needed, it was delivered promptly and the team has been very friendly.

There are few down sides to consider:

One would be a lack of taxis in the mornings and during rush hour but I think that is a general problem in Beijing.
Second, the gym sadly is not well maintained and due to management issues frequently closed.
Third, the location of Park Avenue is just that tad bit far away so that you basically always have to take a taxi to go somewhere.

We have been living here for about 6 months and generally like it very much. There have been a few maintenance issues that were solved. The cable for the tv had a really bad signal and was easy to fix but the in house guys didnt have a clue so I had to hire some outside help. Also the large wall tiles in the shower just fell off the wall when my wife was taking a shower and luckily she didnt get hurt. The same thing happened in my neighbors place a few weeks later so there seems to be a problem. I like the complex and the little store and coffee shop is nice. The staff have been helpfull. The fitness studio has been closed for quite a long time and it was supposed to be part of the rental. In general we are happy with the apartment.

Park Avenue is a great place to live. The compound is very well maintained and personnel is always very attentive and supportive in heliping you to solve any issues you might have.

The garden inside is also a nice oasis of tranquillity when you come back home.

We have been staying in Park Avenue for over a year now. Park Avenue is an awesome place to live. It is very conveniently located opposite the Chaoyang Park. The complex itself has plenty of greenery and nice play area for the little ones. If you have pets, this is definitely the place to be.

Park Avenue has everthing within the complex. International grocery store, Drycleaners,Pre-school, kids playground,Bank, Gym and Fitness. I get HBO,Cinemax, Star Movies, CNN, BBC,AXN and 50 other channels.
The management organizes any maintenance issues, cleaning of my apartment and 24 hour secuity. They always call some one if they dont understand my poor chinese and someone is there to help. the only con would be taxis can be hard to find in the morning during the rush hour.

I was very happy during my six months living at Park Avenue and would gladly recommend it. The facilities are well built to near-Western standards, well managed, well maintained and appeared safe and secure. It seems like a popular place for families as there were always children playing in the common areas.

The Concierges were all friendly and helpful and appeared to genuinely enjoy their work. Some of the staff were not confident with English (others were fluent), however I never encountered a problem that couldn't be resolved quickly.

The administrative system for bill paying can be daunting at first (different bills need to be paid in different locations around the complex and some bills are in Chinese only) but the system can be learned very quickly once explained.

The mini supermarket ("April Gourmet"), cafe and gym in the complex were all excellent, however there were few other shops nearby (only a dry-cleaner, travel agent and bank).

The only major drawback to living in Park Avenue is its location - 25 minutes walk to the subway. Taxis can be hard to find if it's raining anf the buses are usually very crowded. If you're happy to walk, or have a car/driver this is obviously not an issue.

If I were to return to Beijing I would have no hesitation moving back to Park Avenue.

Wonderful A/C system. Even in the coldest day, we don't need to carry blanket around. water is heated too so it never feels chilly.
Nice gym and playground for kids. Good attitude from security guys and management.
Only thing is the back door where a lot of dirty trucks parking around. YUK!
Other than that, it is a great place to live.

Park Avenue is well-managed and has great apartments with stylish interiors and modern appliances (the wooden floors are a real bonus). Some apartments have wonderful views of Chaoyang Park. The gym facilities are also great with some interesting classes on offer