If you are looking to stay in a siheyuan, the traditional Chinese dwelling that can only be found in Beijing, I recommend Beijing Rong Courtyard Boutique Hotel.
Most hotels only have the traditional decor on the outside, but the rooms are the standard hotel rooms. After lots of searching, I finally found Beijing Rong Courtyard Boutique Hotel. They have a Queen Room which comes with a queen-size wooden shelf bed commonly used in Ming and Qing dynasties. It’s a little more expensive than better-located hotels but I don’t mind spending a bit more for the experience.
Location
Beijing Rong Courtyard Boutique Hotel is located at the back of Jingshan Park. The nearest metro stations are Shichahai and Nanluogu Xiang on Line 8.
It may not be that near the city centre but it’s just a 10-minute walk to South Luogu Lane (南锣鼓巷), the new favorite shopping spot of young travelers. This traditional hutong turns into a night market when night falls, offering souvenirs and local Beijing snacks.
Jingshan Park is a beautiful park at the back of the Forbidden City where you can take photo of the entire Forbidden City at the top of the mountain.
Interior
A rack of colorful hanfu lines the right side of the entrance. You can rent the hanfu which comes with full make-up, costume and accessories for ¥299 (~S$55.20/US$41.65). If you want to hire a photographer to help you take photos, it costs ¥499 (~S$90.47/US$68.25). You can make booking with the owner who will help to coordinate time with the makeup artist.
The living room is so beautiful with wooden sofas and wooden lanterns hanging from the ceiling.
My Room
My room is located just behind the main living room. There is an electric lock on the room door which can only opened with an electric key card, ensuring the security of my possessions. The door opens to reveal a queen-size wooden canopy bed decorated with red embroidered bed runner and red cushions, adding a traditional Chinese feel.
There is a television screen in front of the bed where you can watch a variety of drama series and movies. Next to the bed, there is a small sofa to the and a wooden table next to the bathroom.
The mattress is a bit thin so it’s a little uncomfortable to sleep on but it’s fun imagining this is how the Chinese in the past used to sleep.
The toilet is a lot cleaner and more spacious than I expected. Standing next to a giant heater tank, the sink comes with a Victorian-looking tap. There’s a shower area with glass sliding doors. You can get disposable toothbrush and toothpaste set as well as disposable slippers from the check-in counter.
There are new towels and bottled water everyday, the bed is slightly tidied up but somehow the hair on the bathroom floor goes unnoticed.
Although there is air-conditioning in the room that provides cool air in summer and heating in winter, I prefer to ventilate by opening the window slightly. Even though this causes me to wake up from the cold at night and get woken by the noise outside very early in the morning, this is how authentic hutong life looks like.
Beijing Rong Courtyard Boutique Hotel
Address: No. 28 Mao’er Hutong, Dongcheng, China, Beijing 100009
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