This hotel was designed by a well-known Russian architect and was built and opened in 1937. In 1978 it was classified as a protected building. It has accommodated Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and other party and state leaders, as well as celebrities from home and abroad. Nowadays the establishment comprises a total of 128 guest rooms and suites, and features facilities such as shopping malls, a beauty salon centre, a lobby bar, a range of restaurants, a business centre, conference facilities, including multi-functional rooms and a banquet hall, and Internet access. Guests arriving by car can leave their vehicles in the nearby car park.

This hotel is situated in the heart of Harbin's commercial and financial district. It lies in the Nangang District, only 1 km from the railway station and 30 km from the airport.