Boutique Hotels in China

Beijing's boutique hotels: Specialist opinion

Beijing’s hutongs, as everyone knows, are disappearing. I imagine if you visited China twenty years ago most of the inner city would have been tangled alleyways bordered by brick built houses, but in the run up to the Olympics China has taken its chance to regenerate the centre of the city. In the process much has been lost, but as with all such ruptures with the past there has been a reaction.

Preservation societies are sprouting in the suburbs and Beijing’s hotel scene is joining in. There are many courtyard hotels, but the Cote Cour is in a different category. It’s the supreme example of conservation going hand-in-hand with luxury. The rooms are stylish but not flashy, with muted colours and lighting, but the location is unbeatable. It can be slightly tricky getting the car up to the door to drop your bags off, but it’s worth the effort – the surrounding streets are full of life and give you a real taste of old Beijing.