PUBLISHED May 14th, 2019 06:00 am | UPDATED May 12th, 2023 05:13 am
Beijing is quite the underrated tourist destination, especially when it has so much to offer – tasty street food, some of the best craft beer in Asia, and for the culture vulture, the art of Peking opera. And if you want to be close to all the action, the CBD, also known as Chaoyang district, is the place to stay. Our most recent trip to China brought us to the Park Hyatt Beijing, where the recently completed revamp actually saw the installation of a centralised PM2.5 air purification system in the property – this care for air quality counts for a lot when air pollution is a problem (mostly in the winter months).
Taking up the top floors of the Beijing Yintai Centre, the light-filled hotel lobby on Level 63 is a welcoming space for weary travellers (especially if one had gotten a less-than-polite taxi driver). The minimalist décor lets the views of Chang’an Avenue speak for itself, though you should take a moment to admire Chinese sculptor Bo Hu’s Yi Jiangnan sitting quietly in the centre of the space.
After a speedy check-in, we walked into our King Corner Room several floors below. At 50 square metres (538 square feet), the capacious room is well laid out, with large windows offering the same panoramic views of Beijing. The lovely art-led interior design with neutral hues and use of different natural materials – including stone, different types of wood, and what looks like rattan – comes courtesy of Singapore-based studio, LTW Designworks.
My favourite part of the space is the spa-like bathroom area with an expansive deep-soaking tub – with bath salts already on the ledge – and the separate shower stocked with Le Labo bath products. The luxury perfume brand from NYC created the bergamot centred line just for Park Hyatt Beijing. We couldn’t really watch TV from the flat-screen 55-inch smart television that mounted in front of the bed from the tub, but the ledge is wide enough for a laptop (just remember to get VPN!).
The 400-thread count linens and down duvet, as well as a medium firm king bed meant good sleeps for us, but what’s even more enjoyable is that guests are not plunged into darkness immediately with a touch of the master switch. This makes up for the control panel being not as close to the bedside as it should be. There are also USB ports by the bedside so your electronic are never in the danger of running out of juice at night.
This home away from home experience is further enhanced by the number of amenities available – like curling irons, make up remover, steamers, and even yoga mats. All you need to do is give the housekeeping staff a buzz.
China Grill looks fancy for a hotel’s breakfast restaurant, but that’s the way the Park Hyatt brand rolls. Come dinnertime, they trade in premium meat, fish and seafood – they are the only establishment in Beijing to feature the Mayura Station full blood Wagyu fed with chocolate. Breakfast is done semi-buffet style; the international selection is covered by a small selection of cold cuts and cheese, a bread bar, and eggs, while the Asian spread comprises of noodle soup, congee, rice and cooked dishes like braised pork. The a la minute mains feature classic brunch dishes like Eggs Benedict.
On the 59th floor, guests will find more amenities like the gymnasium outfitted with Life Fitness equipment and optional personal training services, a relaxation deck and a 25-metre indoor lap pool. Looking for something more relaxing? There’s a relaxation deck, a giant whirlpool, pool showers amidst bamboo forests-like structures, as well as steam rooms and saunas.
Park Hyatt Beijingis located at 2 Jianguomen Outer St, Jian Wai Da Jie, Chaoyang Qu, Beijing 100022, p. +86 10 8567 1234. 北京柏悦酒店,中国北京市朝阳区建国门外大街2号
Top image: King Tower View guest room