“Nice hotel in nice neighborhood”

Staying in a traditional "hutong" neighborhood in a traditional "sihe" courtyard house was great (but with a/c). (Hutongs are narrow alleyways in Beijing.) The staff was nice and very helpful, and arranged a trip to the Great Wall for us. The location was great; a long walk to the Forbidden City, but a short walk to a main street, and the staff can get a cab to the door for you if you want. Much more of a local feel than in a big intl hotel.

“I loved this hotel”

The Beijing Sihe Hotel was wonderful - I stayed there twice during my trip, in both a deluxe and a standard room. Both were gorgeous: Light and airy, well serviced, with great bathrooms, HBO on the tv, cheap mini bar, air conditioning (which is to-die-for if you go in summer like I did), and lantern-lit courtyards outside. The restaurant at the hotel is really good, and they will bring food to your room. The hotel staff are excellent - they will help you with anything you need including taxis, tours, cheap bicycle hire, airport transfers, directions and so on. The hutong in which the hotel is situated is also lovely, and while cab drivers are reluctant to go down it (it is quite cramped) I found it easy to walk to Dongsi Nandajie and hail a taxi. In fact, you can comfortably walk from Dengcao Hutong to Wangfujing St, as well as Tiananmen and the Forbidden City (though in summer you would want to start early and get a taxi back). In all, this was a fantastic place to stay in Beijing - I will definitely be going back.

“Well worth a visit!!!”

We visited at the start of December. Cold outside but our room had an effective heater. The staff are exceptional, helpful and friendly. The western breakfast is a true description, unlike others we experienced! Location very central, handy for subway, eating out and shopping. (we would recommend the "Tai wan" resaurant, and the bakery opposite!!)

“The Real Thing”

As independent tourists without the native language it is often difficult to find a really significant cultural experience these days. It seems to be Starbucks wherever you go. Well, this hotel was the real thing. This hotel was a very special experience that enhanced our holiday and our whole experience of China. I don't hestitate to recommend it to those wanting something outside the 'generic' hotel experience.

“Unique Traditional Courtyard Hotel”

What a wonderful place. In the midst of the roaring, churning, incredible giant that is Beijing, a hutong is home to this gem. After arriving in Beijing at 9:30 PM, their car was waiting for us (great pickup and airport delivery service). As we meandered up the narrow, crowded hutong alley we wondered what we had gotten into. But there, through the front gate,was a colorful, traditional Chinese courtyard with glowing red lamps and a simply amazing room. Of the four large rooms on the main courtyard we had somehow gotten the largest (as for room 18). Double high ceiling, traditional lamps, giant living room with all traditional furniture, hand carved wooden screen separating rooms, tall 4 poster bed with stepup. Ultra modern large bath. In the morning, a terrific breakfast either Chinese or western, or both. Hotel restaurant deliciously open all day. Great, helpful staff. Free bicycles to explore (we did, every day). Wow. A very special high point of our stay.

“Great place to live like the locals”

If you want to feel like you are living where the locals are, and not like a Westernized tourist, stay here. This place makes you feel like you live here. The staff is nice and friendly, and gives you everything you need for a great vacation. However, if you want to stay somewhere less authenticate and feel just like you are in US, I wouldn't stay here. You are smack in the middle of a neighborhood where the people actually live. No other hotel is around you. Walk out the front door, and locals are playing cards and doing their laundry. For me, this was exactly what I wanted.

“Great Hutong Hotel”

This is a great hotel in the Beijing hutongs, but not far away from the main shopping areas and Forbidden City. The staff are wonderfully friendly and helpful and speak very good english. This coutyard hotel gives a great impression of what the old city would have been like and the daily life of the hutong can be seen right on the door step. We stayed twice in one trip and would certainly stay again.

“Expereince China for real, rather than a bland Western style hotel”

Yes, the hutongs are the back street of Beijing but thats exactly where the locals live, and if you want to experience the real Beijing this is the place. I'd advice you getting the hotel to collect you from the airport (its dead chaep, I think we paid £7 for a car) as you'll struggle to find it as it is tucked away. As you walk off the street/alleyway into the hotel you enter a haven of calm. It is a courtyard and made us feel we really were in China. The staff are lovely, the breakfast was great, the rooms large and confortable. We spent all our time at the hotel sitting in the courtyard. If you want all the luxury, reassurance and services of a Western chain hotel then this is not for you. If you want to see how people live, look at the street vendors, see Beijing proper then this is the place for you.

“Loved Our Family Trip in Beijing's Hutongs”

The SiHe Hotel is an oasis of tranquility in the middle of an authentic hutong neighborhood. If you are interested in experiencing this part of Beijing you should not miss this opportunity. We stayed for a week with our two boys that are 7 and 6 years old. The boys loved it! Rooms are very nice with western bathrooms and comfortable beds. The staff is EXTREMELY accommodating. We rented the hotel car one day to visit the Simatai section of the Great Wall. The price was reasonable and service was excellent. Breakfasts are not what you would get in a 4 or 5 star western hotel, but they are more than adequate. The hotel staff actually went out an bought oatmeal for us just so that we might feel more at home. Overall the rooms are very nice, the location is ideal, and the staff is fabulous. We will stay there on our next trip.

“Very comfortable and affordable”

Not only was this hotel something different from the mainstream brand name hotels in terms of decor, it was also affordable and comfortable. The location is a quick taxi ride away from Wanfujing shopping area and the staff were very friendly and helpful, especially when organising our Great Wall/Ming Tombs trip the day before!