Travellers looking for the classic feel of ancient Imperial China should look elsewhere. Beijing’s new Opposite House Hotel is one of the most innovative, cutting-edge, exciting hotels to have opened in years. The Opposite House takes its name from Chinese tradition; an opposite house was the guest house built opposite of the traditional courtyard style home.
That is where traditional China ends at this hotel. From its breathtaking exterior of green and yellow glass panels to the dramatic mesh drapery hanging in the sky-high atrium lobby and its one-of-a-kind 22-metre stainless steel pool, the Opposite House is bold, appealing and absolutely stunning.
The hotel is located in Sanlitun Village, just six kilometres away from the Forbidden City, and at the heart of one of Beijing’s hottest entertainment districts. It is the first hotel from the Swire Group, and the feel is utterly unique. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma worked with a team of young Shanghai designers to give the hotel a trendy and elegant feel, and an innovative approach.
The Opposite House has 98 studio rooms, which are among the largest in Beijing, and a two-storey penthouse. High ceilings, blond American oak flooring and walls of windows give the rooms an airy, clean feel with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic. Open bathroom areas feature oak vanities and deep Japanese oak tubs. Costs range from CNY 1,500 ($245 USD) to CNY 5,000 CNY ($820 USD) for the studio rooms.
The Opposite House also offers luxurious small touches, such as complementary minibar, and use of the hotel’s Maserati, for a fee.
The hotel features two restaurants. Bei serves North Asian fare, which incorporates Korean, Japanese and North Chinese cuisine. Sureño features a Mediterranean-inspired menu with a wood-fired oven. Guest can also enjoy the two lounges at the Opposite House. The outdoor terrace of Mesh serves signature cocktails, and Beijing’s hottest DJs can be found spinning at Punk, the hotel’s subterranean nightclub.
As China emerges as a true global power, the Opposite House beautifully captures the new and Modern China, multi-cultural, ultra modern, and undeniably chic.