Wherever I travel, my idea is to avoid sterile, luxurious hotels that look the same in every country. In order to get to know any region and its people, its best to stay at the place that preserved the traditional spirit of the old times. Thats why I decided to stay at one of those hutong hotels while Im visiting Beijing. Can you give me some info about them? Thanks.
I couldnt agree more, indeed! Why staying at some of the worlds famous hotels when their rooms and interiors cant tell you anything about the way of life in the country youre visiting. But thats the problem of globalization which is turning this world into an artificial place without a soul. Hutong is a word referring to a narrow alley and its the characteristic of Beijing. Nowadays, certain hutongs have been placed under the protection of the state in order to be preserved as part of cultural heritage of Beijing. I know about only one hutong hotel, and its Beijing Lusongyuan Hotel. It has two stars, but youll be able to sense the atmosphere of the ancient Beijing.