Mandarin Oriental Qianmen Opens in Beijing’s Hutongs

Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing opened at the start of September 2024 in the hutong lanes south of Tiananmen Square. It is the group’s second hotel in the capital, after Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, and it is unlike any other large-brand hotel in the city: instead of a building, it consists of 42 courtyard houses scattered through a living neighbourhood.

The Qianmen district lies on Beijing’s Central Axis, the line of gates, palaces and temples that runs through the old city and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2024. Its hutongs, narrow lanes lined with single-storey courtyard homes, are among the few areas where the historic fabric of the city survives. The hotel’s houses are restored or rebuilt siheyuan, each entered from the lane through its own gate.

The houses range from one-bedroom units of 110 square metres to three-bedroom villas. Every one has a private courtyard with a garden and an outdoor dining area, a living room, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open the rooms to the courtyard, with butler service around the clock. The aim, in the group’s words, is to let guests experience a bygone era without giving up the comforts of modern technology.

The shared facilities are spread through the neighbourhood in the same way. They include a Cantonese restaurant, an Italian restaurant, Vicini, where breakfast is served, a cocktail bar, a lounge and a tea house, together with a spa and a fitness centre. The property is owned by Beijing Tianjie Group.

The idea of a hotel dispersed through old lanes had been tried by smaller operators in Beijing, but never at this level or on this scale, and the result was noticed quickly. Two years after opening, the hotel rose to seventh place in The World’s 50 Best Hotels.

For visitors to Beijing, it offers something the towers of the business district cannot: a stay inside the old city, a walk from the Forbidden City, behind a grey brick wall and a red door. Other courtyard stays in the capital include Aman Summer Palace, in the north-west.