Beijing 161 Hulu Courtyard Hotel

Beijing 161 Hulu Courtyard Hotel

Nine rooms arranged around a courtyard a few minutes' walk from the Forbidden City: that is the whole proposition at Beijing 161 Hulu Courtyard Hotel, and it is enough. Guests who book here are usually walking to Jingshan Park or the Hall of Supreme Harmony before breakfast, not waiting for a shuttle bus to get them somewhere interesting. The hotel's size is its real asset: most hotels this close to the old city center run to hundreds of rooms, but this one tops out at nine, which means the concierge knows who you are by the second morning and the tour desk can actually tailor an afternoon rather than hand you a leaflet. Rooms come with a full kitchen, a fireplace, a balcony or terrace, and air conditioning, more the furnishings of a long-stay apartment than a standard double, useful if cooked-to-order breakfast, charged separately at CNY 35, is not how the morning should start. There is a library and a picnic-style outdoor dining area for guests who would rather read or eat outside than sit in a lobby, and bikes for rent if the Forbidden City's grounds start to feel like enough walking for one day. An airport shuttle runs for a one-way fee, arranged in advance through the front desk. This suits someone who wants a base, not a production, a traveller content with nine rooms and a short walk to the sights, not one expecting a pool, a spa floor, or anonymity. It will not suit anyone chasing scale, a gym, or an evening view from a rooftop bar. What stays with you is the quiet, steps from the Forbidden City. A nine-room courtyard hotel a short walk from the Forbidden City, with full kitchens, fireplaces, and a library instead of a lobby scene. Good for travellers who want a quiet base near the old city center, not those wanting scale or a gym.