High Life

HIGH LIFE #12 Sep 2017 55 A fter the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, the hotel industry in Beijing underwent a prosperity development with the historical capital city now home to over 2,000 hotels, including more than 200 five-star properties. Location, living conditions and a high level of indoor air quality are some of the essentials for Beijing’s finest and in this, Hotel Fairmont Beijing is among the standouts. Situated in the center of Beijing’s Chaoyang CBD amid Fortune 500 companies, Hotel Fairmont Beijing is easy to access from Beijing Subway Line 1 and around 20 minutes by car from Oriental Plaza and iconic historic landmarks such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square. The hotel was the first entry point of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts into China and the first luxury hotel in Greater China under Accor Hotels to have installed the latest air purifying system. The five-star property was voted number one hotel in China by TripAdvisor in 2012 as well as being rated the best value hotel in Beijing. I arrived on a Friday afternoon and the staff couldn’t have been more hospitable – inviting me to enjoy a drink and a rest in the Fairmont Gold Lounge while my room was prepared. I even had my checkout time extended to 15:00 when reception learned I was flying out at night! Fairmont Gold Lounge is located on the 20th floor of Fairmont Gold, an exclusive lifestyle hotel experience offering private check-in, upgraded amenities, dedicated concierge services and access to the lounge which serves complimentary breakfast, English or Chinese style afternoon tea, creative desserts, evening canapés and late night cocktails. By the time I found myself sitting on the sofa enjoying a glass of fresh white wine from Corton- Charlemagne Grand Cru while overlooking the city, the fatigue of the journey had already been swept away. The lounge is spacious and quiet with light music playing in the background. Some guests sit on the sofas chatting, others work away on their laptops with a glass of wine in hand. Before being escorted to my room I was also given a tour of the hotel’s many other features including Lunar 8, an Asian fusion restaurant specializing in Beijing’s best wood- roasted Peking Duck; The Cut, Beijing’s uniquely refined contemporary steakhouse; the three-story Willow Stream Spa and yoga studios, a well-equipped gym and an indoor heated swimming pool. In addition to the promotion of environmental protection, the hotel also provides BMWmountain bikes for guests keen to explore the surrounding streets on two wheels.