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

 

(ce.cn March 7, 2007)