Beijing International Hotel
Beijing International Hotel Located on Jianguomennei Avenue in the CBD (Central Business District) of Beijing, Beijing International Hotel is a modern 5-star hotel. The area surrounding the Beijing International Hotel offers travelers a good view of Beijing’s modernized look, as well as some of the remnants of the Chinese capital’s past. This walk takes you around the Beijing International Hotel to give you a feel for Beijing today.
This mix of old and new, tradition and modernity, is perceptible even at the hotel. At the front of the main building, a white high-rise, stands a huge ornamental bronze Jue, an ancient Chinese drinking goblet, serving as the symbol of the Beijing International Hotel.
When you exit the main entrance of the hotel and turn left, you will be walking eastward on the north side of Jianguomennei Avenue.
Chang An Grand Theatre
Bright China Chang An Mansion, a magnificent modern office building situated next to the Beijing International Hotel, will be the first structure to catch your eye. It houses the famous Chang An Grand Theatre, which presents Beijing Opera shows in most evenings. Some of the performances are played to foreign tourists with English captions, so that non-Chinese speakers can follow the stories told on stage.
Traditional Chinese Crafts
A couple of minutes away, you will find two shops on your left side. Even if you don’t care to shop here, do not hesitate to step inside: you will see some great traditional Chinese arts and crafts. One of the stores is named Archaeological Gift Store. It specializes in archaic bronze items used in ancient China.
The other shop is Dehua Porcelain Outlet featuring a variety of ornate ceramic sculptures.
A Street Garden near Jianguomen
Exit the stores, and continue walking to reach a street garden on your left side. This is most certainly a rare sight in the middle of Beijing’s CBD, the capital’s most prominent business district. The welcoming benches are a good place to relax peacefully, surrounded by grass, shrubs, and trees. In the daytime, senior citizens like to stroll and sit here.
The East 2nd Ring
Continuing east will bring you to the intersection of Jianguomennei Avenue and the East 2nd Ring. In ancient times, this place was the eastern edge of Inner Beijing City, where the old city gate “Jianguomen” is located.
Many of modern Beijing’s streets near the 2nd ring road are named after the old city gates. Jiangguomennei, for instance, means ‘the street inside Jianguo Gate’. After crossing over, the street name will change to Jianguomenwai Avenue, or ‘the street outside Jianguo Gate’. You can reach the other side of street by crossing the huge Jianguomen Bridge.
The CITIC Building
Moving eastward, you will soon come across a dark brown high-rise: the CITIC (China International Trust and Investment Corporation) Building. 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 Walk forward for another minute, and 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.
Turning Back
After visiting Silk Street, let’s return to the Beijing International Hotel. Use the underpass to reach the southern side of Jianguomenwai Avenue.
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.
Beijing Radio Station
Past the Twin towers, 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 centres in Beijing. The mall features the most famous and fashionable domestic and international brands. For the most part, language is no problem for foreign shoppers, as most shop assistants here can speak in a moderately good English.
Forge ahead and you will see one of the famous roast duck restaurants in Beijing.
The King Roast Duck Restaurant
The King Roast Duck Restaurant, built on the century-old roast duck technique, caters to the culinary preferences of gastronomes today. Crispy and yet tender inside, nutritious and not greasy, their roast duck represents the pinnacle 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 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.
Beijing Ancient Observatory
Walk back across the Jianguomen Bridge, and you will come across an ancient castle made of grey bricks. This is the Beijing Ancient Observatory on top of which you can admire ancient Chinese astronomy devices. This is a must-see if you are interested in history and science. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday during daytime, and the entrance fee is a RMB 10.
Built in A.D. 1442, the Beijing Ancient Observatory is one of the oldest in the world. This observatory is well known for its long history, its elegant building design, and its status as a cultural exchange venue between the East and the West. All the instruments have been repaired some years ago, and are now preserved as national relics.
Office Buildings Galore
From here on until you reach the Beijing International Hotel, you will mainly find office buildings. After all, this is a business district. This is a good opportunity to look at modern Chinese architecture. Check the General Customs Administration of China, for instance. The bilateral symetrical design of China Customs Building symbolizes justice and fairness.
Next, admire the COFCO Plaza, built by China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuff Import and Export Corporation.
Then, facing the Beijing International Hotel, the Henderson Center is a modern high-rise divided between high-class offices and expensive condos. The Henderson Shopping Centre occupies the first three stories of the Henderson Centre. The upscale shopping center provides an agreeable environment and quality service to its patrons.
Back to the Beijing International Hotel
When ready, simply use the underpass to return to the Beijing International Hotel. There, have a rest, and enjoy your stay in this 5-star hotel.
If you still want to see more around the hotel, take a stroll on Chaoyangmen Nanxiaojie, the street opening to the west of the Beijing International Hotel. This area features some residential buildings, so you can get a better feel for Beijing residents’ lives. You will also find a number of traditional Chinese restaurants there, serving various dishes like dumplings, noodles, hot pot, and roast duck.
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