Hotel Eclat
This is my favorite hotel in any city around the world, hands down. If I told you there was a hotel in Beijing with perfect air quality, private outdoor terraces, one of the world's largest Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol art collections, along with some of the best service in the world, would you believe me?
Location: A-
A ten minute walk from line 6, across the street from "The Place" shopping mall and the Temple of the Sun, and right above the coolest mall of all time (I'll get there in a second), the location of the Hotel Eclat is one of the best in the Beijing without a doubt. Most of these nice hotels are beyond the 2nd ring road, but this is within, which means it really is close to all the best action in the city. It was also close to the incredible SOHO architecture, which was a big plus for someone like me. The more I stayed in Beijing and understood which areas were better than others, the more I realized how impressive the location of the Eclat was.
Bordering the entrance to the hotel is one of Beijing's most modern and hip neighborhoods (along with one of its safest)
Rooms: A+
This is where Hotel Eclat is set apart from the rest. These rooms are some of the most unique in the city. Each floor has a theme, each suite with a different décor. We stayed in a deluxe room with a terrace, which is essentially the same as a normal room with the addition of a beautiful and large "terrace". The reason I use quotes there is because this terrace is actually inside, as the hotel is on the top five floors of a building within a building of the ParkView Green Complex. Trust me though, you do not want to be outside in Beijing, so an indoor terrace is substantially better. And these terraces are truly fantastic. Comfortable seating areas with real foliage, surrounded by incredibly unique art makes this an ideal spot to hang out. Being that there was also no view because of the way the hotel and building is laid out, I felt like I was completely removed from the city and in my own, small little world. The room itself has everything you'd expect from a hotel like this, combining the environment of a boutique hotel with the understanding of a chain brand. The bathroom is beautiful, with a perfectly pressured rain shower and a tub to go along with a Japanese style toilet, complete with bidet. There is frosted glass separating the shower from the bedroom, which can be defrosted with the push of a button. Let's just say we had some fun playing around with this nifty feature. The room also comes with a massive speaker which is great, even though the sound is limited (I guess they don't want me throwing a rave during my stay). There is a solid amount of storage space, although in my opinion (and this is applicable to almost all hotels in the world) there could be more. The beds are beautifully comfortable, with a rather unique set of pillows. Rather than the light, fluffy pillows you normally see, these were heavier, more temper-pedic type pillows which threw me off at first, but definitely was not a problem during my 10-hour beauty sleep. All rooms also have a massage chair to make up for the lack of a spa at the hotel, and these massage chairs were seriously beautiful. All in all, this room was incredible, and my favorite non-suite city room I have ever had the honor of staying in.
Hanging out in the morning-outside but without all the negative side effects!
Shao Zhang was kind enough to host us during our short stay here and she offered a tour of a couple of the more lavish and luxurious options the hotel has to offer. Hotel Eclat has been host to guests such as Matt Damon, Lady Gaga, and countless Chinese celebrities, so it definitely does not miss the mark when it comes to living it up in Beijing. We were first showed around the loft suite, which is simply designed without any walls (besides the bathroom). A beautiful, four-poster kind sized bed commanded my attention upon entry, but as I walked around the room I continued to notice little touches all around that shows how much attention to detail and care there is at this hotel. This room beautifully combines vintage style with modern amenities and makes you feel right at home. It’s the perfect room for couples looking to relax and unwind in a city like Beijing.
Terrace of the cool and hip Loft Suite at the Hotel Eclat
A dining table fit to host the next United Nations meeting
I also got to tour the Presidential Suite, located at the end of a hallway of statues of leaders and a wall signed by all the famous people who have stayed in this room. There is no door to enter, but rather a massive sliding wall. The first thing I saw was this crazy colorful chair, and behind it a hallway through the room and to the terrace. Walking down the hallway on the right, you see the dining room. It has a round table that can fit and feed 25 people. Yup, 25. Oh, and there's a little mini-koi pond in the middle as well. Because why not? Continuing down the hall, to the left is the massive bedroom, again with a massage chair, and a huge bathroom. It's a presidential suite fit for a king. And that's not even going outside. The terrace has a large private pool, a feature that many rooms at the Eclat boast, an expansive seating area, glass foosball table, and even a kitchen.
The Presidential Pool of the Hotel Eclat (next time!)
Dining: B
Entrance to the hotel's lovely and intimate restaurant
A taste of salmon and cheese to start, compliments of the Chef
Hotel Eclat is located on the first floor, then on the 16th-21st of the building. On the first floor, you will find a bar and restaurant. The bar fits the vibe of this weird-in-a-good way vibe, with great drinks and a luxurious ambiance. A dark red décor with incredible artwork all around, combined with a nice menu of drinks (although with a bit too long of a waiting time to receive them), this is a fantastic bar that stays true with the language of the resort. The restaurant is located above the bar, and serves up Mediterranean cuisine with an Asian twist thanks to the Chef's ability to freely dictate the menu. We were started off with a white asparagus soup, which was fantastic after our small samplers, compliments of the chef. I ordered the steak for my main course, which was cooked perfectly and paired with a rather interesting (not in a bad way) potato side dish. For dinner, I had the chocolate mousse which was absolutely fantastic. All in all, it was a great meal, and a great break from Chinese food, while still understanding the culinary environment of Beijing (although I wish it could have done more to connect with the Chinese cuisine, but frankly, it was so good I was not complaining).
White Asparagus Soup, which was perfectly balanced and wonderfully simple
My cut of meat with a side of potato ( or so we thought? It has a very unique flavor to say the least, but I gradually warmed up to it and finished the potatoes happily!)
Up on the 16th floor, you'll find a restaurant and lounge area sort of integrated within the hotel because it is not in its own area but rather placed within the hallways. Even still, because the hotel is only 100 rooms, it does not feel like you are exposed, and you can find little nooks down at the end if you need extra privacy. I used this restaurant twice, once for afternoon tea and once for the breakfast buffet. The afternoon tea was a perfect way to relax after exploring the city and just before my meal, and we were served some of the best fruits I've had (seriously, I don't know why, but they were literally addicting and we had several plates). There is also a beautiful, gorgeous, stupendous and fantastic selection of candy! I had marshmallows way too many times in my two days here, and I loved it. Other than the fruit and candy, the selection of tea was fantastic, but I chose to have a latte, which was exactly what I needed after having very little sleep the nights before. The next morning had a fantastic breakfast, and although the selection at the buffet was somewhat lacking, the menu met my expectations, and the eggs benedict did not disappoint.
My spot for breakfast-perfect for solo travelers, and with a pretty unique view to go along with fantastic food!
Amenities: B+
This is a boutique hotel, so you will not find a spa or a pool or expansive meeting rooms. Everything is meant to feel personal and tailored to the individual. Meeting rooms are literally in the hallways, and instead of spas, there are massage chairs in the room. If you want to take a dip, you'll have to pay the extra few bucks and select a room with a private pool, something that is very unique for any city hotel, especially Beijing. There is a gym that is actually an impressive size in comparison to the hotel, but given that I am lazy, I only photographed it and can't really comment on how it was using it.
Integrating the gym within the layout of the main floor was somewhat odd, and the carpeting flooring seemed out of place, but regardless the gym had everything you would need, along with a view down over the stunning architectural complex!
The best part about this hotel is the mall it is located within. This is the best mall I have ever been to, hands down. Unique artwork, spectacular architecture and great selection of both brand name and local shops made me want to stay here for hours and spend thousands. The layout can get somewhat confusing at times, but getting lost was a joy in all honesty, so I was fine with it. But if you love to shop, admire art/architecture, or like to see the newest trends and hippest demographic in Beijing, you will seriously love the ParkView Green Mall, located in the same, massive triangular building as the Eclat.
An art museum of boutique hotel? Eclat blurs the lines
Eclat's beauty is in the details, and the details are plentiful
This is one of a very select group of hotels where you find yourself in constant awe of the design, as each floor is unique.
Eclat epitomizes a boutique luxury hotel-it's the most unique place I personally have every stayed!
Service: A
The service here is akin to that of a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton, without a doubt. Any issues we had with the room (figuring out the coffee machine in the morning proved too difficult for me), we would call and have someone at our room within 5 minutes. Everyone is willing to help, and they speak solid English for the most part, something that is key in selecting hotels in China. Not much else to add here on the service, except that they also wear some killer suits that made me jealous.
I was so into these suits that I had to ask our waiter for a photo. Staff spoke English well enough and were always willing to help in whatever way, even posing for American travel bloggers! Impressive!
All in all, this is without a doubt, no questions asked, not an argument to be had, the coolest, best, most outstanding hotel in the city of Beijing, and one of my favorites in any city around the world. Absolutely do not hesitate to book your stay here and don't even worry about considering other hotels because the Hotel Eclat is the place to be. To learn more and book your stay, check out their website at:
Because normal roofs are boring