Immigration was slow again, we spent about an hour queueing at the transit visa desk and when the paperwork was completed we then went to the main immigration queue where they then analysied the documentation before allowing us in. then roughly two hours after arrival it was across to the Cordis, where we were allocated room 6011, which faces out over runway 36L/R with runway 01 being behind you and out of view.
Much of the detail below will already be known but I will repeat if for completeness. The prevailing landing runways are 36L/R and 01 past the hotel with departures away from the hotel and they were in this configuration for the entire duration of our visit. There is no ground coverage and departures start tracking at about 2000ft after departure. With the opening of Daxang airport almost all of the China Southern and China Eastern flights have left Capital making runway 36L the quietest of the three runways for arrivals and departures, some departures will be missed as, has already been mentioned they don’t appear until about 2000ft into the climb. It is the preferred landing runway for most of the T2 operators there are some departures from this runway as well.
Runway 36R is the preferred departure runway for most of the T2 and T3 operators, the threshold can be seen from the Cordis rooms with a little bit of effort. The runway also handles some arrivals.
Runway 01 is primarily a landing runway for T3 but there are some departures and some T2 arrivals using the runway as well. The departures from this runway cannot be seen from the Cordis but the arrivals can be seen from the lift lobby where there are large windows. Any departures will remain unseen.
Rooms facing Lake (West) are 6007, 6009, 6011, 6013, 6015, 6017, 6019, 6021, 6025, 6029, 6033, 6039, 6041, 6043, 6045, 6047, 6049. To keep your steps down to a minimum, rooms 6015, 6017, 6021, 6033, 6039 are near East windows, 6019 directly opposite.
On floor 5, 5001 is right by a end corridor window that faces North and gives a good overall view looking North. Not as good as the Presidential Suite, but will be a lot cheaper. 5003 and 5005 are close too……rest of floor goes 5007, 5009, 5009, 5011, 5015, 5017, 5019, 5021, 5023, 5025, 5031, 5035, 5037, 5039 for looking West and Lake views. Rooms 5015, 5017, 5021, 5033, 5039 are near East windows, 5019 directly opposite.
There are remote operated shutters on the outside of the hotel that are closed before, during and after Governmental flights, these block all views
At about 11PM runway 01 seems to close for operations and all arrivals move to the 36’s and continue to about 1AM when it gets quiet.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HBQGQ9pPaHYEw8UYA
