A hutong B&B hidden beside Shichahai makes city travel so easy

Number of days：3 days
Time: September
With whom: and friends
Tour kinds: Food, Photography, Humanities, Free Travel, Cycling
The author went to these places: Beijing Shichahai Drum Tower

This year, a sudden force majeure event upended our once-robust lifestyles. For those who love fun and travel, the changes were especially significant.

When the situation improved, we began to consider how to relive our passions wherever we could, and staying in a hotel in our own city became the preferred option for many. Just a few months ago, B&Bs in the Beijing suburbs were already hard to come by. This weekend, my friend and I embarked on our fourth B&B trip of the year in downtown Beijing. Staying close to home brought a sense of freshness to our lives. We found our B&B, "Yin Hai," on Tujia.com. I browse it on my free time, and it boasts a collection of B&Bs in Beijing's hutongs. Each has its own unique location and style: some are hidden away on the street, others are nestled deep within the hutongs, and some are even nestled among restaurants. Last year, I went to Yin Hai’s restaurant twice. It’s a popular online restaurant with its own traffic and is run by a Michelin-starred chef. This year, I wanted to try its homestay. Yinhai B&B isn't your typical hotel, concentrated in a single courtyard or building. Instead, it's spread across the Shichahai area, nestled within numerous courtyards. It's located in Xisi, Xinjiekou, and Shichahai, hence the name Yinhai, meaning hidden within the Shichahai neighborhood. Our wooden living room is nestled in a hutong off Banqiao Toutiao in Xinjiekou, surrounded by houses inhabited by Beijing natives, lending it a rich, lived-in atmosphere. The abundance of restaurants and shops makes shopping and daily life convenient. The courtyard, known as the Limu Living Room, is divided into three guest rooms: two standard king-size bedrooms and the Yanxiu duplex suite we stayed in. As we entered in the afternoon, the light and shadows of the trees in the courtyard reflected on the wall. The swaying shadows of the trees and the flickering light and shadows on the wall created an incredibly beautiful corner and moment.

[Guest Rooms]

The guest rooms are spacious and bright, measuring 60 square meters, each with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The master bedroom is located right at the entrance, offering a comfortable king-size bed, an electric mosquito coil, an air purifier, and a TV. This creates a unique space for the Yinhai B&B. The second bedroom is on the second floor of the loft, with a single tatami window. The stairs are too steep for adults, but children will love it. Downstairs is a small living room, where a bean bag, books, and antique makeup boxes await exploration, creating a tranquil escape. The bathrooms are large, and there are two of them, so the two bedrooms each have their own independent toilet and bathroom, maintaining their privacy. The room should be more colorful, and the wall decorations should pay attention to details to enhance the design and avoid being crude. Breakfast is not included with the room; you'll need to purchase it or prepare it in the kitchen. The kitchen is located in the west wing of the courtyard, and is fully equipped with utensils and a stove. Four bottles of Beibingyang, a Beijing-style beverage, were also provided. The B&B also offers barbecue services, making it a pleasant experience to enjoy a barbecue in the courtyard.

Sleeping until I wake up naturally in the morning, setting up a table and chairs in the yard with friends, eating big pancakes and drinking Arctic Ocean, looking up to see the blue sky and persimmon trees. This kind of down-to-earth life used to be my daily routine, but now it has become a dream that can only be realized occasionally.

Yinhai has a total of 20 courtyards in the Shichahai area of Beijing, 50 homestays, two Chinese private restaurants, and three cafes. I haven’t been to the cafe yet, so I’ll continue to try its other wonderful places to live next time.

Yinhai Cultural Space B&B (Beijing Xinjiekou Branch)

Tujia app, Tujia.com

Address: No. 6 Banqiao Toutiao, Xicheng District, Beijing (west of the north gate of Jishuitan Hospital)

Nearby recommendations:

Fu Rong Ji

My favorite is the chicken feet in scallop sauce; they're incredibly tender and flavorful, and a whole basket isn't enough. But I still leave room for other dishes, as they also come with the clay pot rice—they're steamed with chicken feet and pork ribs.

Other dishes include Fu Rong Ji mixed wontons, steamed broccoli with fermented bean curd, curry sesame balls, and shrimp spring rolls, which even have a mustardy flavor. The barbecued pork noodle soup and Chencun beef brisket rice noodle rolls are must-try, for a rich and rich flavor.

Fu Rong Ji's soda is delicious, served in large ice cubes and lightly sweet.

All prices are calculated based on portion size: small is 18, large is 26, top is 36, super is 48, and fine is 58.

Fu Rong Ji

Average price: 105

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11-21 o'clock

Address: No. 63 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Private room BAOJIAN

The private room is a speakeasy bar hidden in the center of the hotel and two restaurants. It is like the central beam supporting the entire building, and the elevator room between different dimensions. You need to push open two doors and go through other areas to "dig" into this independent space. The process of searching is a kind of exploration fun. The private room aims to present people with interesting and fun cocktails, a comfortable and modern environment, and an evening with endless possibilities. Turkish bartenders create a diverse menu using unique base spirits and whiskies sourced from around the world. We especially recommend the "Persimmon Tree Next Door," a signature sour blended for the private dining room. This cocktail combines coffee sugar brought back from owner Joel's trip to Mexico with whiskey infused with wood spices, creating a sour that tastes like a persimmon.

BAOJIAN

Average price: 140

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 17:00-24:00

The Bake Shop

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00

Address: No. 63 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Toast at The Orchid

Since English entered people's lives, the word "one" has become a contradictory habit. I remember asking my teacher in first grade, "They're all the best, there's only one, so why is there another one?" No one has ever been able to answer. But I do know that Toast, hailed as one of Beijing's most trendy hutong terrace restaurants, is incomparable and unreplicable to those so-called rooftop terraces. Since the beauty here won't leave, you absolutely must sit on the garden terrace and order a brunch designed by Joel to take away. Toast also offers afternoon tea and formal dinners.

There are good wines for those who love drinking, beautiful scenery for those who love taking photos, delicious meals for those who love eating, and B&Bs for those who want to stay in every one of them...

It is a real regret that you have not been here.