I came to Beijing to avoid the hustle and bustle of crowded people in the core area, so after searching for a long time, I chose Beijing Poly Plaza Hotel. Get out of Dongsi Shitiao Station on Line 2 and walk for 3 minutes to the hotel entrance without crossing the street. Look up and see this old building with a 90s feel, next to the sign of Poly Theater. The wind is filled with the smoke and fire of old Beijing hutongs, and as soon as you arrive, you feel like you've made the right choice.
The girl at the reception desk who checked in gave me an authentic picture of Beijing. She told me a good place around: turn left and walk 5 minutes to the side lane of Nanluogu Lane. You can stroll to the old alley without crowding the main street. The old Beijing instant noodle restaurant, which has been open for nearly 30 years, is downstairs. Even the most delicious Roasted chestnuts in sugar-coated heated sand in the alley are clearly marked for me. As soon as I pushed open the door, I felt a sense of openness. As an old hotel that opened in 1990, the space of over 30 square meters did not have the cramped feeling of a new hotel in the same price range. The warm wooden furniture carried the warmth worn by time, and when I looked up, I could see the outline of the Workers' Stadium in the distance. The smoke and fire of old Beijing wafted in through the window, without any sense of alienation from the unfamiliar city.
The most surprising thing was the details hidden in the hotel. After taking a turn downstairs, I arrived at the Poly Theater and bought tickets for the concert that night. After the show ended, I didn't have to take a taxi and walked slowly back to the hotel. Even the evening breeze was wrapped in the lingering melody. The Beijing food in the restaurant is especially authentic. The sesame paste ingredients of the copper pot instant boiled meat are mellow. In the morning buffet breakfast, the fried coke rings, fermented sour milk made from ground mung bean wow gold, and steamed buns are all authentic flavors of old Beijing, so you don't have to go to the old brands to queue up.
The convenience of the surrounding area is even more abundant: the transfer station between Line 2 and Line 3 is just outside the door, and taking the subway to Tiananmen, Wangfujing, and Sanlitun can be done within 20 minutes, without getting stuck on the Second Ring Road during rush hour. You can walk 10 minutes to Dongzhimen Business District. After shopping, you can slowly walk back to the hotel with things. On the way, you can also buy a string of Tomatoes on sticks at the entrance of the alley. The hotel has its own super large parking lot, so friends who come by car don't have to find expensive parking spaces on the East Second Ring Road, even on holidays, they can easily park.
Of course, as a well-established hotel that has been in operation for many years, the decoration of some public areas has a retro feel from the 1990s, without the ubiquitous smart devices found in popular hotels. But these minor flaws cannot completely overshadow its steadfastness - it does not have deliberately stacked check-in points, but has fully integrated the composure and appropriateness of old Beijing into every detail.
Before leaving, I dragged my suitcase and walked towards the subway station. The old man at the entrance of the alley was taking a leisurely walk with a birdcage, and the aroma of nearby people cooking was wafting in the wind. Looking back at the sign of Beijing Poly Plaza Hotel, I suddenly realized that there is no need to squeeze into crowded internet famous hotels when coming to Beijing. Staying in this old building in Dongsi Shitiao for a few nights, strolling through alleys and theaters slowly, is the most comfortable way to understand old Beijing.Show more