This time when I came to Beijing to visit the National Exhibition Center and check in the hutongs of the old city area, I specifically chose to stay at Guo Ji Yi Yuan Hotel Beijing. Originally, I only thought it would be convenient to go anywhere in the core area, but unexpectedly staying for three consecutive days became the most surprising achievement of my trip to Beijing.
Walking a few hundred meters from Wangfujing subway station to the hotel, you don't have to take any detours with a suitcase filled with cultural and creative works from the Forbidden City and souvenirs. As soon as you enter, you are enveloped in the artistic atmosphere of the room. The art paintings and retro sculptures in the lobby exude the unique elegance of an old hotel. The Beijing local lady at the front desk greeted me with a smile. I heard that it was my first time to visit the scenic spots in old Beijing. She not only helped me finish my check in quickly, but also specially arranged a high floor landscape room for me. She handed me a handwritten map of small people browsing and eating. Even the copper pot instant noodle shop hidden in the alley for decades and the old Beijing Zhajiangmian shop without queuing were clearly marked, saving me a lot of time waiting in line at the entrance of online stores.
The moment I pushed open the door, I felt like I had made the right choice. The space was spacious and transparent, and the warm toned wooden decoration concealed many artistic details. The large desk by the window was just right to spread out my Beijing travel guide. The desktop had multiple fast charging ports reserved, and my phone, camera, and power bank could all be powered at the same time, without having to look for power strips everywhere. The most surprising thing is that the french window are facing the street view of Wangfujing. When the curtains are opened in the evening, the sunset turns the old buildings on the street into warm gold, and even the air is filled with the unique pyrotechnic atmosphere of old Beijing. The mattress is just right in terms of softness and hardness. As someone like me who walks tens of thousands of steps in a day and gets sore feet, I can sleep soundly with a pillow.
The most enjoyable thing about living here is its location. It takes only three minutes to walk downstairs to Wangfujing Pedestrian Street, and ten minutes to walk to Tiananmen Square. You don't have to rush from a hotel in the outskirts to watch the flag raising ceremony at three or four in the morning, and you can leisurely pass by just in time for security check entry. If you want to visit the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park, you can take the subway for one or two stops directly without wasting time stuck on the road during peak hours. Wandering late at night to return to the hotel, I walked along the wutong Road on the street for more than ten minutes. I watched the night scene of old Beijing on the street with the evening wind, and my tiredness even after a day's stroll was relieved.
The most striking thing is the old-fashioned warmth hidden in the details of the old hotel. The 24-hour lobby bar offers free warm barley tea at any time, and after visiting the attractions, you can come back sweating profusely and feel instantly comfortable after drinking a cup. Once while strolling around Hu, I accidentally left a notebook containing the Palace Museum commemorative medal on a bench in Nanluogu Lane. With a try it out attitude, I called the front desk, and the staff not only helped me contact the surrounding patrol personnel, but also specially reserved a late check-out time for me, so that I didn't have to rush back to pack my luggage. The aunt who cleaned the room saw the list of Beijing games I had on the table, and took the initiative to chat with me about which Lvdagur (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour) was the most authentic, and recommended me the old alley snack bar that locals often go to.
The three-day itinerary didn't rush to any popular check-in spots, just leisurely wandering in the alleys of old Beijing, watching the national flag slowly rise in Tiananmen Square, and standing by the window in the evening watching the lights of Wangfujing gradually light up. This old brand hotel located in the core area did not rely on prime location for premium, but incorporated the artistic sense of old Beijing and excellent service into every detail. Next time I visit the old city area of Beijing again, I will definitely book Guo Ji Yi Yuan Hotel Beijingas soon as possible.Show more