Beijing Hotel - History and Backgrounds

Facilities at the Beijing Hotel

Unique features: The Zi Jin Hall, which is ordaned in the Luxurious Style of the ancient Imperial Palace with its Grand View Terrace, that can accomodate some 60 to 80 persons for an ootdoor party with views of the magnificent Forbidden City Palace Museum.

More Information, coming Soon !

Welcome to China Report's Digital Introduction to Beijing Hotel at the corner of East Chang An Avenue and Wanfujing Dajie' in Beijing. The Beijing Hotel was established in the year 1900 AD and is an Hotel with History and Grandeur.

The latest grandiose event to be held at the Beijing Hotel was the May 2005 AD Forbes 500 Global Forum which was hosted by the Beijing Hotel and adjacent Grand Hotel Beijing.

Coming Soon are the spectacular Beijing 2008 Olympic Games during which, no doubt, the Beijing Hotel will see important international guests, host press and other events, and possibly see a lot more happening. 2008 is promising to be a Big Year for the Hotel which stands at the center of things near TiananMen Square, the New National Theatre Dome and ofcourse shopping Mekka Wanfujing Street.

Directions to the Beijing Hotel

The Beijing Hotel is easily located at the corner of Wanfujing Dajie' Beijings' Number One Shopping Street and East Chang An Avenue, the widest boulevard

Introduction to the Beijing Hotel

The Beijing Hotel is Beijing's Oldest and most Famous International Hotel. Since its opening it has been the prefered host of the International Press, Foreign Diplomats, Presidents, Stars, the ultra-rich and more.

Once known as the Grand Hotel de Pekin, the Hotel later became the Beijing Hotel, the leading International Hotel in Beijing untill this very day.

The Beijing Hotel has witnessed

much of Beijing's rich History

and as part of the International Scene played its own not unsubstantial part in it.

History of the Beijing Hotel

The Beijing Hotel is Beijing's Oldest and most Famous Hotel.

The foundations for the First Beijing Hotel, the Grand Hotel de Pekin were layed in 1900 AD. However it was not untill 1915 AD that the Hotel first opened on this location. At the Time it was housed in a Red Brick building. However since opening in 1915, no less than 6 renovations have changed every aspect of the Hotel.

Right from the Start Business at the Beijing Hotel was booming. It instantly became the number 1 address for visiting Tourists and Travelers to Beijing, at the Time mainly well to do Europeans and Americans, among which many diplomats, bankers and businessmen.

Simply find the Forbidden City aka Palace Museum or TiananMen Square on the Map. Go to Tian An Men Gate, then head East from Tian An Men Gate along East Chang An Avenue to find the intersection with Wanfujing Street.

Apart from above mentioned Wanfujing Street, nearby the Beijing Hotel lie other historic and famous Parts of Beijing. To the East stands Tian An Men

Gate and lies the worlds largest square TiananMen Square, the Square of Heavenly peace. To The North-West lie the extensive grounds of the Palace Museum and extensions. North and around the corner extends Wanfujing Shopping Street with its Historic Cathedral two blocks up from the Hotel. To the South accross Chang An Avenue lies the Foreign Legation Quarter, the former location of the International Embassies during the Colonial Days and untill 1949 AD.

Famous Guests at the Beijing Hotel

The Hotel has seen numerous influential and international Guests. These are truely too many to mention and difficult to trace. We have however made an attempt to create a small listing with dates where possible.

1936 AD James Bertram, Foreign Correspondent.

1937 AD James Bertram, Foreign Correspondent.

1971 AD E. Great Dimmond, Md.

Each Year The Beijing Hotel proudly welcomes the Contestants for the Miss World Elections, who descend on Beijing for Press Coverage, shopping at Wanfujing and the traditional posing at The Great Wall of China at Badaling.

It was the beginning of a brandnew and fast growing industry in China, Tourism and Travel. Business was that good, that only 2 years later a seven-story French-styled building was added to the original Red Brick Hotel.This Seven storied building

still exists today as the B Building or "Middle Building" of the Hotel. This new wing of 1917 AD consisted of 105 suites furnished with central heating, telephone and toilet facilities. There were richly decorated dining halls and large kitchens, a hair saloon and a ballroom with a sprung floor.

The opening of the new Wing of the Grand Hotel du Pekin was attended by well over 800 distinguished guests filling the lobby and dining halls to maximum. It was Grandiose Event in the smaller Beijing of the Time. Everyone of importance was there.

The new wing was very luxurious and included the most modern elevators available at the Time

(from Otis) smootly ferried the hotel guests to 7Th Floor bar and open-air terrace for dancing. The Dances at the Beijing Hotel became a main and weekly social event, quickly becoming the favorite outing for the local Elite. Foreign guests described The Beijing Hotel as the number one luxury hotel in the Far East or the Orient as it was popularly known at the Time.

In 1954 AD a Third Renovation and extension brought a Third Wing to the Hotel.

After 1949 AD, when Beijing once more the Capital City of China, tourism and business in Beijing were still slow, but the Beijing Hotel was selected by the Government of the Peoples Republic and the City of Beijing to be the prefered guest home of Foreign Dignitaries, Statesmen, Kings, Diplomats and the Like.

Awards of the Beijing Hotel

In February 2003 the Beijing Hotel has been honored with the "Five Star Diamond Award" from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences for its excellent service and facilities.