Expat Reviews

My partner & I moved into Sanlitun Soho approximately 2 months ago.
It is early days, but here are our thoughts so far for others thinking of moving in here:

APARTMENT:
We absolutely love our apartment & we are very picky designer types!
The layout of the apartment is excellent, with loads of storage & the design & furnishings are great. We looked at about 10 different apartments in the complex & the units with full height windows seem much more spacious & light than those with half height windows.
It is quite minimalist & white [especially by other Chinese apartment standards], but is still warm through the use of timber flooring & furnishings. The build quality of the unit is ok & as it is still very new, generally wear & tear is pretty minimal.

LOCATION
The location is great - though it is a little far from our work. There are many great restaurants, bar's, shops & supermarkets in the area.
The line 1 to line 10 transfer on the subway is disastrous. Instead we walk or taxi it down the road to Dongsi Shitiao & take line 2 to line 1 - this way you can keep your limbs/sanity.
Taxi's are usually ok to catch, though best to avoid the very busy main intersection of Sanlitun Village for pick up's & drop off's, it can take 10 mins to just turn the corner.

CONCIERGE & BUILDING MANAGEMENT
The ladies & gents at reception are very friendly, & their English is fair for standard things, which is way better than our Chinese!
We have had a few minor issues with the actual apartment - most have been sorted out promptly by building management, though our second bathroom smells of cigarette smoke, especially so in the mornings, & we were told by building maintenance they couldn't smell it! I suspect this one is in the too hard basket, & related to a possible fault in the installation of a mechanical ventilation damper, so now we just shut the door to keep it contained.

ADDITIONAL FACILITIES
We really wish there was a gym in the complex - the nearest one we know of being the Pacific Century Club, which is a 5-10 min walk away - so there goes the incentive in winter.
There is no playing area or other facilities for kids I know of - so this complex would probably not suit families very well. I think you can bike park in the basement - this is yet to be investigated.
There is a 24 hour chemist in the complex & a dry cleaners.

As a final note, we were having all sorts of dramas with other real estate agents when I spoke to an agent at Li Hong. Even though we were too far down the track [almost at a signed contract with another realtor/landlord], the very kind agent from Li Hong helped us with some general advice regarding contracts, even though there wasn't anything in it for them, & we were so appreciative.
As a result I would suggest anyone seeking an estate agent, to give Li Hong a call. If we were to move, I would definitely contact them.

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.

We have checked about 8 compounds around Gateway Plaza, the most interesting were Gemini Groove and SOHO, however Gemini has lower prices. We have stayed there for 1 year.

Pros:
+ very good location, good infrastructure (8min to subway, 1min to supermarket, 5min to fruit market, 1min to 24h shop, 15min to hospital, 8min to 3rd ring road).
+ good health club(gym, swimming pool, table tennis, children room)
+ good security (guard, keys etc)
+ new building (in 2011 there still were never rented new apartments)

Cons:
- bad sound isolation in the apartments, however the most of the building was empty (2011), therefore wasn't any problems with that;
- the most of the staff doesn't speak any English, you have to spend some extra energy to solve the problems.

We lived in Beijing Riviera for 1.5 years and had a great time there. I have 4 kids and they always enjoyed it there. It is a very safe place, just maybe cars sometimes go a bit fast inside the compound.

For us, after knowing many of the other compounds where we had friends, we concluded that Beijing Riviera is the best of all.

The only issue may be that the utility costs are significantly higher than the other places.

It has a golf range across the street, two supermarkets very near as well as other stores, a gas station just around the corner and it is very close to the express way, so it is easy and fast to get in and out of there.

The admin office is very efficient and the club house is very good. The gym is fine and the showers are a bit simple, but ok.

The cafeteria is good, a bit slow sometimes but the food is good. The restaurant has a great tepanyaki and the other part of the restaurant has chinese food which is ok.

One of the best things there is that the streets are very wide, other compounds are very narrow and makes it dangerous and complicated for parking.

As per the neighbors we made many friends and had a good time. Everyone was very respectful and we never had a problem with a single neighbor.

The villas are nice, but the management company leaves a lot to be desired...
The level of spoken English is minimal. We were lucky to have an excellent landlord who spoke English.
When you leave, you will have to leave a deposit for the next utilities bill...be prepared to kiss that money goodbye!

The management company will not transfer it to your account...Being still in Beijing I came back to get it, but I was told it took 3 signatures and the managers were not there to sign...I was then promised a transfer in my bank account but it never materialize. I guess it went into someone's pocket!

We have been living in Central Park for about 2,5 years. This is really great compound for the families with the kids. Nice space outside for playing, also many small convenient shops and restaurants around. Management is doing good job also.

From downsides the slow internet can be mentioned, sometimes also TV broadcasting breaks down.
I also think that this compound is a bit overrated compared to the other similar and even newer ones.

I recommend this compound because of the good position.

We like this place very much!
It's easy to live, children are safe,all the facilities are around(school, shops, restaurants,parks,subway,indoor and outdoor playgrounds)and there is a great mix of culture as many foreigners live here.
To resume it's like a little village in a big city.

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.

Parkview is ideally located and well maintained, with very friendly and responsive staff. If you are in tower 3 on the park side, the proximity of Suzie Wong is not always an advantage however. It depends at what time you intend to go to bed...

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.

Very convenient location. Many major firms are close by, China World is close and of course you are in the heart of the CBD. Some great grocery stores and shops are on the grounds and you will not need to speak Chinese in order to live well.

Air conditioning is very weak. If you cook in the kitchen you will find a 3 bedroom apartment will hit 85 easily in June. Internet is DSL and SLOOOOW at times. 16kb downloads, this page took over 4 minutes to load.

I’ve been in Beijing for over 5 years and I have to say that Soho Residences is one of the better run developments in Central Beijing. The management has English speakers, who are always willing to help with any issues that have arisen and have always been professional and friendly. There’s just a feeling of class and position that other developments just don’t have, they’ve really been helpful. The gym, while a little small, is still equipped well and the pool is fabulous for the kids in the afternoon. I’ve found it so convenient for shopping, as local supermarkets; the Lufthansa Centre and the Westin Hotel are just a stone’s throw away. Line 10 is really close and when we want to go out to eat, we can either walk 2 minutes for the Westin’s Sunday brunch or Bar Street is within walking distance. Positioned next door to the embassy district, it’s a relaxing little oasis in the middle of this busy city. My only gripe is the car park is a little restrictive. Apart from that heartily recommended.

Great complex for expats
1) city center
2) compound has: coffee shops, bakery, shops
so life made easy
3) good/quality neighbors from all over the world
4) you can manage without knowing Chinese

from my impression: one of the best compounds for expats in Beijing.

Lihong agency are also responsive and reliable.

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.

Central Park is really excellent. The convenience of the shops/banks/restaurants are outstanding as is the easy access to Line 10. The area has a nice buzz in the summer time as families come out to play and people sit outside for meals or a beer. The management company is fine. The only real bummer is that the Internet access can be super slow. We really enjoy living here.

Dragon Bay is a nice area with a reasonable community vibe. Like other places, the villas vary considerably in decor, so choose wisely. The management is pretty responsive with repairs, etc. and the workers seem to know what they're doing. There are some moisture problems in the basements, but nothing like the flooding at Yosemite. It's convenient having restaurants and a spa at the edge of the neighborhood, but the closing of April Gourmet (the only place to buy milk, eggs, etc. nearby) is a real loss.

We lived in Dynasty Garden for 2 years now and find this location to be the BEST. The pros and cons as follows:
PROS - Excellent location just off the airport expressway, literally 1 min off, unlike most of the other villas which may take another 15-20 mins after exiting the expressway. - Lovely houses in an unpretentious style, roomy and very reasonably priced, especially the detached villas which have small patios at the back.
CONS - The outdoor pool is great in summer but other facilities are lacking in quality. However, that is not an issue for us as we gym in the city and do other outdoor activities.
Do yourself a favour and check out Dynasty Garden. In my wife and kid's opinions, this is the most homely and liveable location in all of Shunyi!

Seasons Park offers the best of location in terms of an apartment in Beijing, you can get just about anywhere less than a 15 minute drive-- the only exception is the airport, which is only 25 minutes away. Major destinations include: the CBD is only 15 minutes away, Lido 15 minutes, Sanlitun 3 minutes, Houhai 10 minutes, etc. Seasons Park has some unique features, firstly, it feels isolated with its beautiful grounds, lovely flower trees and attractive clubhouse; however, it's right in the middle of a neighborhood. There are 2 elevators for only 3 apartments per floor. Actually, I liked this place so much, I've never been able to think about moving to another apartment in over 5 years. I lucked out with a well decorated unit, and I think this could be one of the draw backs of Seasons Park, some of the units might have rather garish decoration. But, the 90, 120 and 155 sqm layouts are all more efficient in terms of design than most places in Beijing. A 155 sqm Seasons Park apt feels larger than the equivalent at Central Park. The only other compounds that compete with Seasons Park are Park Apartments, Central Park and Park Avenue-- and in this case Seasons Park wins for location and has a nicer park than any of those. However, Park Apartments and Park Avenue have nicer kitchens. Overall, I would still choose Seasons Park again. It's like the undiscovered jewel-- oh, and it has international management by Jones Lang LaSalle. Another nice feature is the floor to ceiling windows in all the main rooms-- no balconies though.

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.

Amazing design, but terrible management. The facilities are still not done 2 years after the complex opened. I was told May, then July, then Sept, now Jan-10. I am sure it won't happen. The parks aren't done and are not being worked on. The school is empty and not being worked on. All retail is empty as is the hotel. It is about 40% occupied so feels deserted. My tower is empty. I have no neighbors. The work that is being done gets torn up a week later and redone so no progress is made. The street in front of the compound has a junk sale every morning blocking traffic.

Great place, especially if you have small kids. Get modern comforts and relaxed outdoor facilites ideal and safe for kids to run around. Small and cosy compund, situated in a hutong with nice cafes, small shops with all you need (incl. cheese and wine) close by. Beautiful, old Guasizhen street and Confucius temple right next door.

Downside: A bit pricy and lacks facilites such as gym which you find in other expat compounds.

Overall wonderful experience.
Facilities very well designed and in excellent condition: appartment floor plan very effective, a lot of light. All facilities well maintained and in very good condition.
Excellent and friendly service.
Great location and great green views over the embassies quarter.
Very convenient grocery store for last minute purchases, bar and coffee shop for drinks and snacks outside or inside.
Wonderful and secure environment for my young children. Great playroom inside and fun playground outside. Swimming completely adapted for children, with lukewarm water and safe section for the children to play for hours.
BBQ facilities/equipment all over the garden.
Friendly and efficient management.

A couple of con's : beware the construction site accross the street for the units facing north-west : it can get noisy. And it is on the expensive side.

Wonderful. I've only been here 6 weeks but so far so good. Great central location, I can walk to many bars and restaurants, shops etc. The management office so far has been very helpful. The apartment is spacious and has above average bathroom and kitchen fittings (i furnished the place myself otherwise). I also like the small but tasteful garden area. Nothing negative to report.

My wife and I have been living at Central Park for 2 months now and we are happily settled into our new place. If you are new to Beijing like us and need a safe and nice place to live within the CBD, we really don't think it will get much better in terms of the great facilities like onsite gym with pool and spa, green spaces, local shops(lion mart, lohao, the place etc) and good onsite management.

The apartments are generally well built with good fixtures and fittings with well equiped bathrooms and kitchens. The only minor gripe is that most kitchens do not have a dish washer fitted. We also found that a fully furnished apartment in Beijing often does not include alot of the things that many expats relocating would expect. Generally speaking we found apartments in Beijing will not be equipped with crockery, tableware and cooking utensils. These items can be very expensive to purchase so it may be worth shipping over these items if you are shipping stuff over.

We have read some negative reviews about Central Park but we personally have not had any issues so far. We find the onsite management staff and maintenance staff to be excellent. The grounds and buildings are well maintained. In short we would recommend Central Park to anyone looking to live in the CBD area.

I was really hoping to love this place- AMAZING location amongst shops, restaurants, ATM, subway. But the apartment is just so worn looking on the outside and when you look out it's just looking at the other units and their clothes hanging out to dry outside. Inside the layout and such were nice, but nothing special. Front door and finishings were blah.

I was hoping to like this place but didn't. I mean the building is rather nice as is the entrance, lobby, so on... but across the street and all around was just rubble and dirty and places under development, or just not being fixed up any time in the future. Nearby you can walk to a grocery store, restaurants, and so on... but to get there you have to walk along some rather un attractive places. As for the unit it was great with lovely kitchen, good size, but the view was lousy because it's hidden between buildings plus there was what looked like mega construction going on outside.

From the outside this place looks really worn. Entrance is basically a generic flat grassy garden with play area for children. Finishings were ok at best. I liked the idea of the duplex level, and inside was VERY spacious and well laid out... just didn't like the grounds and exterior so ended up going with another place. But I imagine this is perfect for families because all the units are spacious and the middle garden for children.

This is a part of a service apartment complex. The service apartment is MUCH nicer, but that goes without saying. To get to the gym you have to go to the service apartment building- the gym is rather spartan. It's clean and visually appealing unlike most gyms, but there just is not a whole lot of equipment.

The apartment fixures are gorgeous- in the hallway, entrance, and especially the bathrooms and kitchens. The only thing is that the kitchen layout is SO WEIRD; I'm told ALL of the kitchens are like this in this tower. It is horrible. If it weren't for the kitchen I would have picked this place without a doubt.

Beautiful grounds- across the street is The Place, then lots of lovely little shops on the first level of the complex... restaurants, cafes, hair cutting, banks and ATMs, smoothie shops, an organic supermarket. Then across the street you have 7-11 and plenty of other convenient shops. True there are still places empty- but for the most part you can see they are under construction, and I feel they are pretty filled as it is!

The gym is fantastic, open 7am-10pm.

What I love most of all is the garden/grounds/park in the middle. Most places it's just blah with flat land of grass and children's play area, but this is such a nice place to stroll with grassy pathed areas, sculptures, hills. Just VERY well laid out.

Fixtures are nice- lobby, hallway, and bedrooms.

Lovely complex, modern facilities and very near all important amenities. Helpful and warm security personnel. Problem with business center [editor: property management office] as English speaking staff is not always there and very difficult to talk to for important repair needs.

Compared to all other compounds in the area, we decided finally for Capital Paradise, for a couple of reasons. From a family point of view this compound offers a vivid environment, good connections to all international schools as well as a wealth of activities children may join.
The quality of houses varies a lot, because most buildings are +10 years old and their state mostly depends on the willingness of the landlord to invest in maintainance and improvements. So, take a careful look at the location.
Over all, LiHong did a really good job to help us finding an appropriate location and after 4 months I can state that, beside of all this little minor things, which appear to happen during relocation, I am totally satisfied.

Good location, convenient with a stretch of restaurants and Jenny Lou's opposite. Clean building, good management with a quick response time who would fix almost anything. Building is a little old about (10+ years), but the good service from management made up for it, and quite a fair bit of owners are renovating their apartments before putting them out to rent. Basic clubhouse facilities, gym, indoor swimming pool, tennis court, table-tennis room and outdoor playground.

We are extremely happy with every aspect of Beijing Golf, the quality, the general maintenance and friendly staff make it our first choice recommendation. The apartments are close to shops, restaurants and many are with-in walking distance.
Heating/Air-con all work fine making living in Beijing throughly enjoyable.

We moved into a penthouse in Central Park about a year and half. The location is great. It looks good and expat friendly. However, I wouldn't say it has been a smooth ride as we fought constantly with its management office Savills.

I will least a few problems are as follow:

Turnover of reception staff is high and most of them do not speak English!

The reception had lost our keys several times. So do not leave anything at the reception area.

[editor: Deleted name of Savill's employee] who is the Assistant General Manager can barely speak any English. Most of the residents are expats which I find this really funny. In addition, [editor: Savill's employee] ignored my complaint letter altogether. Perhaps it's due to his limited English or lack of professionalism. Either way, none of my problems were addressed properly.

Quality of construction is shameful. Ceilings and wall cracks were showing in the first couple months. Had to get it re-plaster in the first month. Now, after a year and half, cracks are everywhere.

The management office had sent the maintenance into our property without our consent or prior notification. Let's not even mention it took them 15 times to fix the toilet that caused sewer smell in the whole apartment.

The night supervisor came to knock on my door at 10pm demanding me for a dog permit. I think it's a bit rude to just barge him without calling first and especially after 8pm.

We paid 4 times the electricity bill at the management office. Two were not registered with the elec. co. which mean one of the staff member decided to [editor: allegation unsubstantiated].

Management decided to switch from cable to digital TV. Miscalculation of TV boxes which meant that we were without TV for more than two months. How can they miscalculate the amount of TV boxes for each unit?

These are a few examples of what we had to deal with on a daily basis. Unless you have the patient in the world then I would really think twice about living here as the rent is expensive and the service appalling.

We regret we didn't move out soon enough.

Pros
* Buildings are clean (but the green areas outside are not)
* Good maintenance
* Good neighbors/community
* Having few kindergartens which are very close
* Close to ChinaWorld, The Place etc
* Family/children oriented
* Good quality of material in apartments

Cons
* Too expensive (new comers that we know got similar value for almost half the price in other compounds)
* Windows are not being cleaned
* Bad attitude of management for dogs – in terms of stupid letters that are being sent to dog owners, and lack of enforcement of dog stuff cleaning by owners (as the local residents living around Central Park are using Central Park premises as well with their dogs, but they don’t bother to clean after their dogs)
* Trainers at the gym are way too expensive
* Lack of stores at central park. We thought that many of the vacant places will be filled with stores. Most stores are closed
* New cable TV sets are less comfortable as its not connected to all TV ports at home and there isn’t a TV programs guide in English (previously while all ports were connected there were printed papers for HBO, Hallmark, AXN etc
* Lack of central air-filtering/cleaning system
* One lock for the entrance door is not enough. There should be a lock for when we are inside the house.
* Lack of water temperature control system, causing unstable water temperature at showers
* Heating was activated too late (only at the formal state date), 2-3 weeks after all other compounds started heating. It really annoyed us.

Summary
Central Park is a good place for foreigners, but we doubt the value for money.

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.

Beijing Riviera is an extremely well equipped international community in a strategic location, adjacent to Sunnyi/Pinnacle Plaza with immediate access to major highways to airport & downtown. The Riviera Villas are located within a safe & secure gated/guarded facility with adequate amenities and now boasts a state of the art health club. Unfortunately, the location and amenities are provided at significant cost and are accompanied by several deficiencies which I'd suggest make Riviera a poor value. Many of the villas, especially the 3 story Type A & Type B, have an abundance of balconies which exaggerate the square footage as the space is practically uselesswith Beijing's poor air quality and temperature extremes. Beyond size for the money, the Riviera is notorious for calculating energy usage and utility charges on arbitrary basis; combine that with un-insulated exterier walls and single pane windows, monthly utility bills in the winter are often over $1000 (yes U.S. Dollars) even while occupants remain frigid. Tack on the occasional lost receipts and requests for repayments (keep your receipts!!), it gets really expensive to live here. Additionally, a number of the residences (including mine) came with recurring black mold from rising ground water, which service personnel typically remedied with a quick coating of paint or other superficial solution. My recommendation from interaction with numerous long timers in Beijing would be QuanFa across the street, where houses are much bigger and higher quality at a comparable price, with real heat and authentic billing practices. Still the same great location, not to mention use of the Riviera club!!

We enjoyed Legend Garden primarily because of location and general environment of community. Our children attended Dulwich, and were able to walk to school. Paths throughout neighborhood, with nice ponds and proximity to sports center.
Recommend negotiating uttilities, and outdoor pool membership to Dynasty (across street) up front. My main criticism was on construction quality, but that issue is not unique. Mg't typically responded quickly and effectively to issues.

A very convenient location to almost everywhere in Beijing and the airport (20-25 min). It is quiet and close to many parks. A very good fitness center is nearby. Two major international Hospitals, SOS Clinic and Union Family, are not far away. There are many trees and nice gardens in Upper East Site. The management is not bad in general but the capability of the service workers are not very good (Sometimes, I need to teach them how to fix minor problems). There are not many choices of restaurants in walking distance. If you prefer to stay in a quiet and convenient location of the city (rather than the suburban area like Shunyi) with good surrounding gardens and are patient to wait a while before fixing apartment problems, it is a good choice. I have stayed there for more than two years now. I like it for most time.

We highly recommend Rits Garden for anyone who has interest in residing there. The property is well maintained. The management is extremely helpful and responsive. Maintenace is readily available for any problems you may have. Although, we have not had many problems with the property. Grounds are very safe. Having the intercom system with-in the home is extremely convenient for letting guests or deliveries enter as well as for calling a taxi. Location to stores is improving with the opening of Harmony Walk near by and the closeness of Rivervale Center. It is extremely close to Dulwich College and the Airport Expressway. House is extremely well built with plenty of room. We have lived here for 1 year and plan on not moving from here until our term is over in China.

This has proved to be the perfect home for us during our stay in Beijing. First, the location is great - you are centrally placed for getting around and you feel like you live in China as the minute you hit the street, there are small shops and lots of restaurants as well as local people. However, there are the more 'western' style shops in the mall under the property for emergency provisions. Very well located for subway and bus transportation - and taxis of course. Also short walk to Dongzhimen for the airport express train. The flats are light, airy and modern with all the appliances you need. Bear in mind that the smaller (two bed) flats have the worst outlooks (north and east) and that you may get a three-bed flat for the same price on a lower floor with much better views and light. Even though close to the second ring road, the flat is very quiet. The property is superbly managed. Everything seems to work very smoothly. Minutes after a fault in the flat is reported, an engineer is on hand to fix it. Once weekly cleaning is included in the rent. The staff at the front desk and the doormen are all polite, efficient and friendly. Their English is good enough to deal with all matters. The pool and gym (also included in the rent) are a further bonus and are not too busy.

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

Excellent location, the compound is nice and clean. As surroundings are being renovated - a new park is in progress and the Dongzhimen long distance bus terminal is being redeveloped, the imitate neighborhood is not that exiting.

There are actually still a few problems with the water flow in and out of the sink in the guest bathroom, the water flow in the second sink in the master bathroom, and the third toilet (the sink).

In general, I think that the problems were from the simple fact that the apartment was brand new and that the construction company had done a sloppy job. Should I do it all over (in China), then I would probably take an apartment where someone else had done the hard work of repairing construction flaws.

However, I do like the fact that the apartment is very bright, spacious, and the outside shutters are super efficient.

Apartments are nice and the management is relatively responsive.

We have lived in Oriental Plaza Tower Apartments for 7 months. The apartments are serviced twice weekly. We have lived in both towers, and moved to Centennial Heights because Millenium Heights didn't have any open kitchens. It is a perfect facility for business people, the club is just amazing. The staff are very helpful and all speak English. I was sick one night, and the staff escorted me to the hospital which I thought was a really nice touch. After, they sent me a huge fruit basket as a get well gift. I guess the only downside is there are not many families living here, it is more of a business oriented place. They do cater for kids however, the children's room is lovely, but is often empty. There is a supermarket in the basement but it is hugely overpriced. You have to travel quite a distance to get to any of the reasonably priced supermarkets. So, in a nutshell - this place is perfect for the business traveller, single person, but not so great for families.

Excellent location, especially for French families, with immediate access to the French Cultural Center and to a superb gym, while being near the metro and the French school (the school shuttle stops near the residence).

Appartments are very functional, although not always furnished with taste. The higher floors are recommended if facing inwards the residence.

Management is surely not the best, nor the worst: average +.

Play area for kids is not very friendly: either indoor in the basement or in the elevated garden which is not designed for kids' play. The swimming pool makes up for it.

Within 1.5 years, the condition of that compound went down from Good to Bad. Poor management, no organization, no english speaking staff, dirty etc... Could be much better if they would use the money for repair and maintenance instead of wasting it for some stupid promotion things. Management is completely amateur-level or putting the money in their own pocket. Monthly Rent was okay before but now 50% would be also more than OK. Location is nice and quite. Hope it is getting better.

House we rented was nice. Merlin did not do a very good job at maintaining the facilities. Workers were very nice and helpful.

Beijing Riviera is a well managed complex with a lot of facilities.

Located at the outsite the 5th ring you can enjoy some country site still being near the city.

Not the worst place to live in Beijing - apartment was comfortable and quiet. No complaints.

Very good at living condition like buying foods,restaurants, transportation, taxi availability..., however many things are expensive at that area... I strongly recommend this apartment if budget and work location is acceptable. In addition, French bread shop inside China Central Place is very very delicous!

We have lived in Yosemite C section for almost 3 years. Only 3 months in one house and the rest, since June 2006 in a C5 semi detatched and we have enjoyed it very much. Having a good landlord is the most important. We have such today. We moved into C section whilst many houses were still under construction. Today the section seems pretty filled up. We chose Yosemite because of the building stile, which, depending on the interior, can be very light and open. Quality of the houses again depend on the owner, so watch out that the necessary repairs have been done before you move in. The fundamental construction is not the best and there has been some issues with flooding of basements in the rainy season, but big canals have now been digged in all street. This will undoubedly help. The basements can also get humid in the summer and a dehumidifier (and a strong one) is essential. Management office is after a slow start getting better. Still quite some language issues for us with no major Chinese skills. But when we ask for assistance, the Management Office is quick to show up, although solving the issue may take longer. The Clubhouse is good and active to make arrangements. Very good Gym and both indoor and outdoor pool - nice. Many families with children live here as just opposite to ISB. A Jenny Luo shop just outside the gate. Otherwise short distance to day to day stores and restaurants. Security at the gate is reasonable ok, but the young security guards in the streets do not really interfere in late evening noice and construction during weekends. Fortunately less and less construction. All in all we have been very happy living here. The surroundings are good and all is easily accessible, but watch out for the individual property construction standards and repairs.

East Lake Villa is a very good complex. We have lived in a villa for around 2 years. Our opinion...

Strengths: very very good location, good services, lot of families and kids, Playground, swimming pool etc, Jenny Lou & French Bakery in the complex. All of this make East-Lake-Villa a very convenient and nice place to live.

Weaknesses: relatively high price and dark. Yes - for same budget, you will probably find out appartments/villa's with more light and space.

For the one speaking French, there is at East-Lake a large French-speaking community.

Good luck!

We lived in Beijing Riviera (phase 3) for 3 years, 1 year in a "D" type and 2 in a "A" type. We found it a very good place to live and quite convient to both downtown (airport express extrance is just outside the complex), and Pinnacle Plaza. Despite being an older complex the houses are in good condition, and Maple Place (the landlord) was professional and easy to deal with. There is excellent access to schools and plenty of places for pets including 2 dog parks.

We have lived in Lane Bridge since August 2008. We chose it because it is the closest compound to the city.At first we has some problems with our house, the biggest problems being the smell of the drains, but it has been resolved.
The community is very friendly, with organized walks and a community website.
There is a smart modern Clubhouse with an indoor heated pool and an uptodate exercise room, with good quality equipment. Most of the staff speak English. We can buy electrcity whenever we like, however gas can only be purchased on a Wednesday, so you have to watch the meter.
There is a Jenny Lou Supermarket, Subway, Dominos and Annies within walking distance. We don't have a Shuttle Bus, but you can use the bus from nearby Riviera. The bus goes to the Lido.
The houses are designed like town houses, with 4 floors. Ours feels spacious enough for us with our Teenagers!
Overall I am happy in our Compound, and would recommend it to families with children going to WAB or to schools in the city.

Park Apartments was a fantastic complex in an ideal location next to Chaoyang Park and within walking distance to Sanlitun.

I lived in my apartment for alittle over 2 years. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. Facilities were magnificent and well maintained.

The quality of construction (I had a wall replastered 3 times) was not the best but the management was quick to repair if needed.

The complex had many different nationalities living in the building. While the kids living in the apartments ran around the lobby much (and could be noisy), with only 2 apartments on every floor, it was quiet.

I would highly recommend this complex to large or small families.

We lived at Yosemite C section for a little over 18 months. From 2007 through 2008.

The quality of construction is quite good, it is a little hit and miss though, each unit has its own standard, the place we had was OK.

We had many problems with HVAC in our place, which I think is quite common through-out Beijing/China. The systems are very complex and difficult to get balanced, once working properly they can be very finicky. This was definitely one of the most frustrating parts.

The club house is very nice looking, with great amenities, but the management company is a little clueless. They keep making random changes without any clear direction. I think that thinks will likely get better as they get more feedback and settle in, but it has taken a long time to see any progress.

The spa is amazing, although was closed for renovations when we left in summer of 2008, I assume it is opened again. The prices were a little high for Beijing standards, but the service and facilities were great.

We really enjoyed living in Yosemite and after extensive searching in Beijing think that it is definitely one of the A housing complexes.

We have lived at River Garden for four years and highly rate this thriving, family friendly compound in Shunyi.

It's well established with a friendly and experienced management office, few communication difficulties, any problems reported are efficiently dealt with and followed up with a customer service call. A good point to note is that if you run out of gas or electricity, you can buy at any time as they are open 24 hours. Security staff at the gate and around the compound.

The Clubhouse has been extended somewhat recently with the addition of an ice rink to go along with its many other facilities – gym, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness studio, outdoor tennis courts, squash court, on-site ‘Jenny Lou’ supermarket, restaurants, hairdresser, spa, nail salon, ATM, ‘Chaterhouse’ bookshop, ‘Sequoia’ coffee shop plus a Chinese pharmacy. A shuttle bus service is offered to Lido and downtown with some shopping trips and excursions. The Clubhouse and pool area are looking a little dated in comparison with some newer compounds, but are functional and clean.

We are happy with our house, the quality and finishings here vary and are dependent on your individual landlord. We opted for gas fired centrally heated radiators in addition to the standard ‘hot air’ heating system. Be aware if you choose a house type with a high lounge ceiling, it can be difficult to heat. All houses have fireplaces in the main lounge, a real plus point for the cold Beijing winter! Many houses have been modified to give extra living space in the form of a sun lounge but this does reduce the garden size.

Within easy walking distance are Pinnacle Plaza and EuroPlaza shopping areas with many services including Beijing United clinic, dentists, supermarkets, shops and restaurants.

Beijing Golf is a small, intimate residential complex. All of the units face the Chaoyang Golf Course, and it's very quiet, which is a rarity in this bustling city. We love to look out our windows and see open space. When the windows are open on one of those few blue sky days, its nice to hear birds chirping instead of traffic. There is a nice path surrounding the complex and the management company spends lots of time landscaping every spring to make it a beautiful outdoor environment.

The management company is Chinese, but they have been responsive to all of our needs, and although their English is not perfect, they do try. Our security staff are exceptional and will send luggage, groceries or anything else up to your apartment door if you need help. The entire complex is kept in great condition, and is very clean.

A smaller complex has its pros and cons. You rarely need to wait for an elevator, and it never feels crowded. In fact, sometimes you won't even see a neighbor all day. This means if you have kids, there aren't as many kids running and playing around - it's more like 10 than 50 in other complexes. Also since its a small complex, the gym is small, but is furnished with all of the highest-quality equipment, and it is rarely busy.

The apartments themselves are nice. The decor is more of a European than an American style, with lots of stone/marble work. Large living and dining area, with an open kitchen with sliding doors in some units. A few things to look out for: Each apartment may be different since they are all individual landlords, so you may need to look around at different units. The decor could be over the top in certain units. Closet and storage space can be limited too.