Cheng Yuan Hotel
Cheng Yuan Hotel is located at a cozy corner of Beijing's CBD (Central Business District). Its quiet location is an interesting contrast to the busy world just one block away. Because of its nice location, you can visit many famous CBD buildings simply on foot. This also makes Chengyuan hotel a popular place to stay for foreign travelers.
To take a stroll around this area, you should take the road immediate on the left after you exit the hotel, and walk for 5 minutes to Jian Guo Men Wai street.
Beijing Radio Station
Turn left after you arrive at the south side of Jian Guo Men Wai Street. You will see the tall, brown-colored building which houses the Beijing Radio Station. The radio station started to broadcast at the dawn of the People¡¯s Republic of China in 1949. A wide electronic screen on the wall shows the latest news to passersby.
Scitech Plaza
Scitech Plaza
Next to the Beijing Radio Station and facing the CITIC Building, Scitech Plaza is one of the most modern, high-class shopping area in Beijing. The mall features the most famous and fashionable domestic and international brands. Most shop assistants here can speak moderately good English, so language is no problem.
Continue ahead and you will see one of the famous roast duck restaurants in Beijing.
The King Roast Duck Restaurant
The King Roast Duck Restaurant, with its century-old famous roast duck technique, caters to the culinary preferences of gastronomes today. Crispy and yet tender inside, nutritious and not greasy, their roast duck is the epitome of this traditional cuisine. The restaurant also serves Hunan cuisine, Sichuan cuisine and Cantonese cuisine, three very different styles of cooking. Many celebrities, including Franz Beckenbauer, Michael Jordan, and Evander Holyfield have all dined at this restaurant.
McDonald's Jianguomenwai Branch
Keep walking, then you will come by a McDonald¡¯s. Nowadays, McDonald¡¯s and KFC are spread all over the big cities in China. In places like Beijing, the saturation of McDonald¡¯s eateries match that of the US cities. Although the brand caters mostly to kids and young adults, McDonald¡¯s has began to pander to the older generation with healthier menu options.
Now move northward and cross the Jan Guo Men Wai Street, and the tall CITIC building to the right should be within sight.
The CITIC Building
This dark brown high-rise houses CITIC, or China International Trust and Investment Corporation. Its exterior is decorated with dark brown mosaics inlaid with bronze window frames, and dark brown double glazed windows. This color scheme makes the massive building stand out against the neighboring structures, and gained the nickname of ¡°Chocolate Building¡±.
Beijing Friendship Store
The Beijing Friendship Store
To the east of the CITIC Building lies the Beijing Friendship Store. Built in 1973, Beijing Friendship Store was the first major retail store developed for foreign travelers. Today, the store exudes a combination of modern and cultural atmosphere. Its four stories allow shoppers to purchase all kinds of traditional Chinese handicrafts. The shopping center offers a full range of services, including foreign currency exchange, custom tailoring, jewelry processing, and so forth. The shop assistants can speak English and make your browsing around a pleasant experience. Hours of operation: 9:30 am ~ 8:30 pm.
On the first floor outside the Beijing Friendship Store three restaurants serve hungry shoppers, including a Pizza Hut. Though the famous pizza chain tends to lean more towards takeout and delivery in the US, Pizza Hut is much more of a diner in China. Very popular with the younger generation, both Pizza Hut and Dominos have numerous locations throughout Beijing.
The Silk Street
The Silk Street
Continue walking to the east, in about 10 minutes you will see the Silk Street building (in Chinese: Xiu Shui), a famous international marketplace. A popular saying among foreign travelers says: ¡®Enjoy the Great Wall, enjoy the Peking Duck, and enjoy Silk Street¡¯. This international venue has been developed over 20 years ago, and its 1,500+ vendor stalls attract countless foreign visitors every day. Among other staples there: shoes, bags, clothing, handicrafts, and antiques. You can enjoy Peking Duck and traditional Chinese snacks on the 6th floor. Most of the salepeople have received some training in English, so you can bargain with them directly in English. Haggling here is not just recommended, it is absolutely necessary.
The Twin Towers
The Twin Towers Just opposite the Silk Street building, you can see the Twin Towers built by LG (Life¡¯s Good) Group. Comprised two 30-story office buildings and a 5-story shopping mall, the lofty cylindrical Twin Towers are covered with two beautiful blue glass curtain walls. Many international coporations have set up their offices in the buildings, while the mall has brought in famous clothing brands such as Oliver Grant and Gruppo Mori Castello.
Turn back to the Cheng Yuan Hotel
After you visit the Twin Towers, you should be on the south side of Jian Guo Men Wai street. And the hotel is just a few minutes away. Stick to this side of the street and walk westward, in less than 10 minute you can see the Beijing Radio Station building again. Use the road down south, and you will be back in the hotel in no time. |
