Travel: Beijing Bound
Luxury hotels are redrawing Beijing's skyline as the city prepares to welcome the world to the 2008 Olympic Games. By the start of the opening ceremony Aug. 8, China's capital will have an estimated 130,000 hotel rooms. While top-tier chains like Raffles, the Peninsula and the St. Regis have been busy renovating their Beijing branches, plenty of other brands—including the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott and InterContinental—have moved in. Just in time for the Games, the elegant Park Hyatt Beijing (beijing.park.hyatt.com) and the minimalist, avant-garde Opposite House (theopposite house.com) are due to open in July.
Conveniently located next to the Forbidden City, the 55-room Emperor Hotel may feature a classical Chinese brick façade and roof, but the interior is decidedly contemporary, with sleek, fluid room furnishings ($773 for the suite; theemperor.com.cn).
The 14-room Hotel Côté Cour, housed in a former courtyard mansion, channels imperial China with stunning antiques, yet keeps an updated look by featuring a selection of contemporary Chinese art on its walls ($292 per night; www.hotel cotecoursl.com). Sadly, the 241-room Mandarin Oriental won't be finished in time for the Olympics. But when the angular marvel beside Rem Koolhass's CCTV tower opens later this year, it will no doubt make Olympics spectators want to come back (mandarin oriental.com/beijing).
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: cedric @ 07/03/2008 12:45:51 AM
Comment: China welcome kinds of friends to take part in the Game.
you've read something before you got the idea of punishment for the earthquake, then do you realize what made you think China is so evil.
I'm quite suprise how can i one think it's a punishment for over ten thousands death.
God bless you.
Posted By: cultusdeus @ 06/29/2008 6:25:22 AM
Comment: I read elsewhere that Beijing's hotels will be desperate for visitors to come to their pathetic government's games. Hitler would be immensely proud of these games with so much "security" that he then used to start invading countries left and right. And it's not surprising that that country will have a lack of visitors who are all automatically suspect and must carry passports with them at all times and will probably have their hotels bugged and then they themselves followed and watched 24/7 by yet more "security". Why should anyone go to the latest and most modern and up-to-date version of the old Soviet Gulag Archipeligo? I say their earthquake was divine punishment for their over-weening racist, national pride. And if you want to know why California is burning to the ground go ask 4 arrogant judges on the California Supreme Court and the Governor for his pro-f*g bills he signed into law.