Money and safety in Beijing

Hello,

My hotel is Howard Johnson Paragon in BJ. Is the area around there safe to walk around day and night?

I already have prearranged airport pickup, should I use the ATM in BJ airport to get RMB or wait until I get to my hotel?

Is ATM easy to find in BJ? Which Bank ATM should I look for to be more reliable?

In general, will USA credit cards and debit cards work throughout China? I am visiting BJ, Xian, Dunhuang, chengdu, Guilin, Hangzhou and Shanghai in November.

Thanks