Francois, the tourist guide for Beijing:

For those who wants to extend their stay in Beijing, I recommand that you try to get to "Guo Mao" area, and the hotel Trader is affordable (120$ most of the time) ... http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/beijing/traders
If you want to experience super hotel life (http://www.shangri-la.com/en/propert...ing/chinaworld ), there is the other shangri-la (the famous Guo Mao) (pronounce "shangra lila Guo Mao" for the taxi).
The Kerry center is ok too. If you stay around the nest stadium, you are too far from the nice places, it is dead around it.
The point to visit: Summer Garden ... The forbidden city ... Between the Forb city and GuoMao (3 Km/2Miles), on the same avenue, there is few cool commercial streets ... You guys should go and check this area.
On this avenue, you want to look at the massive building of the ministers (agriculture and few others)
Those buildings make the New york buildings look like toys. (Not as tall , but so much bigger)

Few travel tips ... Only drink bottled water that you opened yourself, plan some immodium pills, and brush your teeths with Bottle water too! Even in 5 Stars hotels.

to finish, there is a famous familly restaurant , affordable that your have to try: It is between the Jiadu Building and the Nuoan building, next to the Kerry center (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...B8%AD%E5%BF%83)
get into the Nuoan bluilding street in between the 2 buidling, and you ll see a Old fashion restaurant entrance under an old Stair ... get in, they will take you to the 2nd or 3rd floor, and bring you a menu made out of wood. This is not the place to have the famous Beijing duck, you can, but their best dish is the Chicken Boat ... a spicy fried chicken that you have to try if you like spicy food. Their menu is very large, and it is all very affordable. no need of corporate credit card there!
I am sure that you guys will find some local OC guys to show you around, but who ever I toke there always were happy!

Enjoy Beijing, This is an awesome city!