Monday afternoon we transfered from the Wangfujing Grand Hotel to the much more modest Haoyuan Guesthouse. The Wangfujing Grand Hotel was a great place to spend our first few days as it provided a comfortable space for us to acclimate. Jenny especially enjoyed the pool and sauna.
But it wasn’t practical for us to stay there for the entirety of our visit to Beijing. The Haoyuan guesthouse provides all the real necessities we’re in need of and I love staying at a classical Qing period courtyard house. Haoyuan was actually our second choice, but the Bamboo Garden was booked. If you’re ever in Beijing I’d recommend any of these three hotels.
Our room has two beds, a small closet, two Qing style chairs, a desk, TV and a bathroom. It’s small but warm. There are actually two courtyards and I imagine in the spring and summer they must look even more beautiful. There’s a small restaurant at the back of the hotel with a fairly simple menu that’s not too overpriced. The hotel itself is located on a side street in a hutong, but it’s a short walk to catch a taxi. Even Tiananmen and the Forbidden City are still in walking distance.
We’ll be at this hotel until the 18th when we’ll take off for Shanghai.
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