This time, I didn't squeeze into the second ring road for a short stay in Beijing, but instead ended up staying at the LeafIN Hotel Beijing Minzuyuan located at Building 3, No. 2 Minzu Yuan Road, Chaoyang District. Its predecessor was Holiday Express, which opened in 2008 and underwent renovation in 2015. It has 335 rooms and the front desk is hidden deep in the alley. It's easy to be confused when you first arrive - remember to locate it as "Chinatown in the Chinese Ethnic Park". Walking more than 300 meters from Exit D2 of the Beitucheng subway is more reliable than blindly navigating around.
Pushing open the door and entering the lobby, there is a caf é in the middle, with sunlight leaking from the ceiling. Ethnic decorative paintings and a huge map of China complement the stability of an "old-fashioned foreign-related" culture. At check-in, the front desk proactively instructed the elevator card swiping, breakfast time (06:30-10:00), and terrace flow, ensuring efficiency.
I am living in a 7-story landscape king size bed, with an official area of 46 square meters, facing the direction of the Chinese Ethnic Park. Opening the curtain reveals a lush green roof, and in the distance, one can catch a glimpse of a bird's nest - this is the most talked about memory point for the residents of this house. The room layout leans towards old-fashioned business: the carpet does have a vintage feel, the furniture is not new, but there is no obvious dust accumulation at the corners, the bed creases are clear and the fluffiness is sufficient, and there are two heights of pillows to choose from; The air conditioner is awesome. After closing the window, it can basically withstand the outside sound, and people can sleep quietly all night. The bathroom is dry and wet separated, with hot water readily available and stable water pressure. The spare parts are standard, and the writing interface, various sockets, and indoor Wi Fi are all stable, which is sufficient for temporary office or brushing trips. Ctrip's comprehensive 4.5, hygiene 4.6, and service 4.6 are consistent with the overall experience. A few residents mentioned that "the facilities are outdated and some details can be further refined", which is a common problem in old buildings. They have a strong desire for a "brand new feeling" and need to lower their expectations.
What I really want to remember are several "living details": first, the buffet breakfast included in the room rate, sesame paste Shaobing (Baked cake in griddle), hand grasped cake, dumpling Wonton, freshly cooked noodle stall plus cold cut fruits in Chinese and Western style. The category is considered generous in the same class, and the guests frequently commented that "breakfast is great"; Secondly, there is a free self-service laundry room where you can stay for a few days without feeling embarrassed, and food delivery is delivered directly to the door by robots; The third is that the terrace of the first floor restaurant faces the small lake of the Ethnic Garden. Sitting for a while in the evening, you can see waterfowl, and you can also visit the "Ethnic Night" performing arts town along the way. The fitness room, 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, and delayed check-out (available around 14:00 with concert tickets) have also fulfilled the implicit needs of celebrity/family guests.
Of course, there are also minor flaws: the elevator and door card swipe may not work properly, some low rise or inner window rooms have poor ventilation, and there may be slight noise during the night performances in the Ethnic Park. It is recommended to note the landscape of the high-rise buildings.
On the morning of leaving, I finished my last cup at the empty coffee shop and turned out of the alley to get to Beitucheng Station. Looking back, LeafIN Hotel Beijing Minzuyuan is not a 'design hotel', and it is a fact that the hardware has a sense of age. However, it has firmly grasped several core items such as spatial scale, hygiene foundation, breakfast, and flow line. In the Asia Olympics area, with a price range of more than 400 yuan, there are not many hotels that can simultaneously achieve 'walking to the double subway, opening the window to see the garden/bird's nest, breakfast, and laundry'. If the next time I come to Beijing is still on the Olympic Sports Central Axis route, I am likely to return to this old building in this alley.Show more