The transaction involved a Chinese courtyard residence of 20 guestrooms as well as a dining room, parlour and wine cellar. It was the twilight years of the Qing Dynasty and the Boxer Rebellion, when two enterprising Frenchmen opened a small restaurant with rooms in the Legation Quarter.ġ901: the hotel was relocated to larger premises, named the “Peking Hotel”. Yet its origins are humble and the evolution from small hostel to legendary hotel happened gradually, in the early years of the 20th century. “Autobus and porters in uniforms meet all trains.”Ģ006: the hotel reopens after a phase of renovation as Raffles Beijing Hotel.Įstablished in 1900s, the Beijing Hotel witnessed many of the city’s significant social and political events, its commanding French-infused colonnade façade has long stood as an icon of Beijing’s historical heritage, its fortunes closely intertwined with the city’s history. The same brochure describes it as located opposite the Italian Legation and three minutes from the train station. The hotel had “its own orchestra, which renders a program of classical music during dinner.” A brochure from the 30s also tells of its “spacious roof garden commanding lovely views of the Forbidden City, the Legation quarter and 50 miles surrounding.” The hotel was well known for its excellent “French cooking” and “wines of the best known districts of France.” The offices of Thomas Cook were located in the lobby. The French-funded Grand Hôtel de Pékin had 200 rooms with bath and a tea hall “with dancing every night.” Outbreak of Boxer Rebellion.ġ917: new building replaces the first hotel. “Autobus and porters in uniforms meet all trains.” Needless to say it was a favourite of travelling Westerners.ġ900: Original building opened. It was located opposite the Italian Legation and three minutes from the train station. The French-funded Grand Hôtel de Pékin had 200 rooms with bath and a tea hall “with dancing every night.” The hotel had “its own orchestra, which rendered a program of classical music during dinner.”Ī brochure from the 30s also tells of its “spacious roof garden commanding lovely views of the Forbidden City, the Legation quarter and 50 miles surrounding.” The hotel was well known for its excellent “French cooking” and “wines of the best known districts of France.” The offices of Thomas Cook were located in the lobby. They either fell in despair, became government hotels or made place for new buildings of a totally different function.īut this Grand Hotel (read its story of the various blocks and buildings under 'History') was always considered one of the finest hotels in the Orient. The 20th century held other important events in store for China than preserving traditional hotels. Once we get them to switch on all the lights in the rooms we will publish a better one). It is nice to compare the two pictures of then and now (sorry for that rather sad image of the new hotel. The Grand Hôtel de Pékin in 1920, after it had been rebuilt in 1917. The city was ‘a city of gardens, with few crowded neighbourhoods visible, the characteristic features of the scene were upturned roofs of temples, palaces and mansions, gay with blue green and yellow glazed tiles, glittering among the groves of trees with which the city abounds.’ (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1890). It was built at times when Beijing was Peking (or Pékin), and an imperial city, ruled - with interruptions - by the Emperor of China for more or less 900 years. The Grand Hotel Beijing has a splendid history, indeed.
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