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Secret garden: Hotel Cote Cour Beijing

By Wang Mengru: 0 Comments Print E-mail China.org.cn, November 16, 2009

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A “hutong” (alley) and “siheyuan” (courtyard) are the traditional architectural styles of Beijing. Yanyue Hutong used to be where royal musicians, dancers and actors from the Ming Dynasty would rehearse. The performers lived in the adjacent hutong to the north, Dengcao Hutong. The west end of Yanyue Hutong connects with Dongsi South Street, a street for royal honor guards and high ranking officials in the old dynasty days.

Today, if you go to the middle of Yanyue Hutong, there is a hidden courtyard called Hotel Cote Cour Beijing. With red gates and a seemingly magical garden, it is centrally located in a historically-protected hutong area of “old Beijing.” Two huge Chinese jujubes are the symbol of this hotel. They stand for auspiciousness. The bigger jujube is more than 200 years old, which gives green shade to the entire yard. At harvest time, jujubes are a great treat for the guests.

[Wang Mengru/China.org.cn]

A boutique hotel, Hotel Cote Cour Beijing has 14 rooms. The lounge and courtyard capture the spirit of East meets West, fusing contemporary amenities with traditional Chinese designs. The hotel serves as your “home away from home” and will provide you with privacy in a city of 18 million people. As a guest, you are the hotel’s super VIP. Prices range from 1295 yuan to 2668 yuan per night, although depending on the season, there will be a corresponding number of discounts. It isconvenient for guests to walk from the courtyard to the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), Wangfujing shopping street and some other famous attractions. The hotel is located near the Beijing Railway Station and a subway stop, so the rest of the city is right at your fingertips.

[Wang Mengru/China.org.cn]

The lounge offers a place to relax and mingle with friends and fellow guests. A continental breakfast, beverages and late-afternoon Happy Hours will be awaiting your visit. The décor features contemporary Chinese art and special exhibits. One can order a meal specially prepared by the hotel chef. Breakfast food is Chinese; lunch and dinner are Western.

Guests can freely use the laptop sitting in the lounge, and there are many travel books, art books and English magazines to peruse in the library.

[Wang Mengru/China.org.cn]

Exiting the lounge, a stairway will take you to the rooftop, where you can enjoy drinks while basking in the sunlight. The second floor balcony also provides a unique atmosphere, and you just might catch Maggie Cheung there, filming for a fashion magazine.

[Wang Mengru/China.org.cn]

As Beijing develops and its landscape changes, the traditional siheyuan courtyards are becoming few and far between. Hotel Cote Cour is a great place to savor this old Beijing lifestyle.

One guest’s upbeat note about the hotel:

Everything about Hotel Cote Cour is excellent! The staff is very friendly and helpful. This was our first visit to Beijing and all of you made it unforgettable. We will definitely come back and recommend this place to our friends. Thank you very much and hope to see you soon! (Tulu & Tolga PA, USA, Sept 11, 2009)

Hotel Cote Cour Beijing

No. 70, Yanyue Hutong, Dongcheng District

Tel.: 010-65239598/65237981

Fax: 010-64022768