Shangri-La Songbei, Harbin

Floor-to-ceiling windows frame either the Songhua River or the Harbin skyline from all 344 rooms at this large, comfortable Shangri-La hotel in Songbei, a short drive from the Ice and Snow World fairgrounds. It's a logical base if you've come for the winter festival and its carved ice palaces. Shang Kitchen handles Peking duck, though you'll need to order well ahead; it takes the better part of an hour to arrive.