Opposite House
An architectural gem in one of the hippest neighborhoods in Beijing, Opposite House is a sleek and refined place to stay in Beijing.
Location: B+
If you’re looking for nightlife, shopping and modern, trendy restaurants and bars, San Li Tun is the place for you. The hotel is also slightly closer to the 789 Arts District, as well as the airport, so that adds points for the location here. The only downside, and maybe its a consequence of the sheer size of Beijing, is that the hotel is a bit removed from the major historical sites of Beijing, which is the biggest selling point of China’s capital city. Overall, the location is very solid, especially for a younger traveler given its proximity to San Li Tun and 789.
Rooms: A-
Expansive, modern, sleek rooms with fascinating views over the bustling San Li Tun mall, the rooms here are seriously awesome. In classic Japanese design, architect Kengo Kuma is able to incorporate all the necessities in a minimalistic fashion. Wooden tubs are dope. iPad, while occasionally frustrating, was a simple way to control the room, order room service, etc. The only reason I would give the rooms an A- here is that those sleek drawers and clean lines would occasionally malfunction as a result of wearing over time. But, I mean, it really is a tiny, tiny issue.
Dining: Unknown
I only ate at one of their restaurants, which has since been transformed into a new restaurant, so my opinion is null. But, it was a solid restaurant with a FANTASTIC latte and good, simple balance between Chinese and Western breakfasts. So I can assume that whatever is there now should be just as good! I will say, the room service burger was fantastic - but quite, quite expensive.
Amenities: A-
For a city hotel, The Opposite House provides some of the best amenities a hotel can provide. There are plenty of lounging options, to go along with a spa, a stunning pool, and a solid gym. Suffice to say, I was fully entertained when it rained during one afternoon of my stay.
Service: A
Top to bottom, everyone was on their game, from the front desk to the housekeeping to the people at the spa. No complaints here. It’s a Chinese hotel, so the staff is simply inherently less engaging, and more efficient. I hope that isn’t racist or anything. Just a cultural difference between staying at hotels in Asia in general with hotels in the west.
Scene
The people who stay at the Opposite House is a pretty dynamic mix. Chinese families and older British film makers sat beside me at breakfast one morning, while a group of middle age French artists sipped on drinks at the bar during my Sunday afternoon at the hotel. The clientele seemed to fit with the overall design of the hotel. The hotel is simple in design yet engaging in the artwork it houses, and that seems to correlate with the people who stay at the Opposite House.
Now, I would slightly lean for the Hotel Eclat if you are visiting Beijing, but Opposite House is a close second. If you want the amentities (namely, a pool) and a slightly more stereotypical city hotel (slightly because Opposite House is still pretty unique in terms of design), then go for the Opposite House. If you want a better location, go for the Hotel Eclat.