Touring around Beijing, you'll see lots of modern hotels. Have
you thought of staying in Siheyuans? Hiding in Hutongs, the
Siheyuan hotels have red walls, old chairs and embroidered pillows,
all those reminding you that here is Beijing, a modern city with
long history as well.
It is normal for a Siheyuan (courtyard) has four rooms
positioned along the north-south, east-west axes. The room
positioned to the north and facing the south is considered the main
house and would traditionally have accommodated the head of the
family. The rooms adjoining the main house are called "side houses"
and were the quarters of the younger generations or less important
members of the family.
Those Siheyuan hotels listing below make experience old Beijing
life style.
Haoyuan Hotel
Having a big front yard and quiet back yard, Haoyuan is a
typical Siheyuan. In the front yard there is stone chair under a
giant tree. Sitting there in the sun, you'll feel warm though it's
still winter.
There are single rooms, double rooms and suits in Haoyuan. Every
room has wooden chairs and the wooden windows are decorated with
paper-cut. In the afternoon, sunshine will penetrate into the room
through the window.
Haoyuan has started receiving foreign guests ever since the
early 1990s and part of the hotel's annual turnover has been
contributed to charity organizations.
The dining department at Haoyuan serves both Chinese and Western
breakfasts and also provides courtyard barbeque.
Location: No.53, Shijia hutong, Dongcheng District
Tel: 010-65125557
Price: Chinese luxury suite (RMB1,960 per night)
Chinese feature room (RMB680 per night)
Standard room (RMB550 per night)
Lusongyuan Hotel
As the mansion of a prestigious general in Qing dynasty, the
yard is rather complicated. Thanks to the guidance of an old man
dressed in ancient Chinese suit, you won't get lost.
The room is usually dimly lit, with dark colored desks and
chairs, white china cups, red embroidery silk blanket, red lanterns
and red curtains, which deliver a vivid representation of old
Beijing atmosphere.
The hotel's restaurant offers Beijing homemade dishes, which
makes you feel at home.
After meal, have a cup of tea in a teahouse next to the
restaurant. Take off your shoes, crouch on the couches and enjoy a
sunny afternoon. Don't think of too much about the properties, you
will find many others do the same. Sometimes, the hostess will sit
over there, doing some embroidery. How relaxed!
This is the place you may stay for long time, and indeed you'll
find there are some people do live there for weeks. Lusongyuan is
also a member of the Youth Hotel Association China.
Location: No.22, Banchang hutong, Kuanjie, Dongcheng
District
Tel: 010-64040436
The Bamboo Garden Hotel
Compared with other houses in the same Hutong, the bright red
door of the Bamboo Garden Hotel is very noticeable.
Like its name, Bamboo Garden, there are lots of bamboos inside
the Siheyuan. Especially when you go to the back yard, you'll be
astonished by the green world.
Location: No.24, Xiaoshiqiao hutong, Jiugulou Dajie (old drum
and tower avenue), Xicheng District
Tel: 010-64032229
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(ce.cn March 7, 2007)