The W has landed, folks! Check out part one of our W Hotel Beijing review, the capital’s hottest new lifestyle / design hotel.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]o here we are, sipping Sauv Blanc, munching jellybeans (served in champagne flutes) and thumbing through Chinese GQ. ‘Cos at W Chang’an, that’s how one rolls. From the outside, Beijing’s hottest new hotel is just another shiny box of glass and steel, but the sassy™ lifestyle vibe grabs you even on the forecourt, courtesy of piped music that stands out by not being ‘Molihua’ on sax by Kenny G. (It’s US indie band Wild Belle, according to Shazam).
Inside, it’s all about the W Lounge, a seriously sexy lobby bar. Hotels in China often tack on a bar as an afterthought, or eschew them altogether outside of the first tier cities. At W the intentions are clear. This wow space can transform into partaaay mode at the flick of a switch. Giant lighting rigs hang above the bar, and a gold glitter ball descends as night falls. The glam decor – mismatched leather armchairs, Batman-style spotlights, chrome everywhere and a giant pink W in the middle of the floor – is like a classier take on a Chinese KTV. Every hour or so models catwalk between tables.
On-trend cocktails are the libation of choice here, and you can snack on sassy™ plates like wagyu micro burgers (98 RMB), locally-inspired Beijing steamed buns, sharing dishes like nachos, and even something involving fried scorpions (a wry nod to Wangfujing Snack Street?) which the waitress politely suggested we might not like. Marks lost for the menus on Samsung tablets – all that screen swiping feels a bit 2010. But W Lounge a must-try for pre or post party drinks, we reckon.
For more substantial eats, The Kitchen Table in the basement is a stunning take on the buffet restaurant. It’s really good-looking – props to the lighting designers. Outside, a clever sunken garden should be a hotspot for the Beijing brunch set come next spring; the German Exec Chef, previously from W Hong Kong, told us he has big plans involving iced-water filled paddling pools for patrons. It’s precisely this kind of blue sky thinking that puts W ahead of the lifestyle pack. Maybe wait and see on that one.
Upstairs, YEN is the obligatory Chinese restaurant, with Cantonese-inspired set dinner menus designed for sharing (minimum six people) and a couple of tasty biz-lunch options. A much smaller space, but we applaud the attention to detail in the design and table settings. Check out those plates.
So far so good, but now to the not so good. The location. However close W Hotel Beijing might seem to Tiananmen Square on a map, the simple fact is there’s nothing much of note in the immediate area. You can’t stroll to Bespoke-recommended bars, shops and restaurants like you can at The Opposite House, for example, and that’s a shame. But just hire a car to get about in style (we’d expect nothing less from someone staying at the W), and you’ll be just fine.
Keep an eye on the blog for part 2 of our W Hotel Beijing review where we give you the gossip on guest rooms, the health suite and other facilities. Don’t forget – we are totally impartial and so is our Hotel Recommendation Service; guaranteed to match you with your perfect accommodation.
About the author: Tom O’Malley is Propaganda Secretary at Bespoke Beijing. A lifestyle journalist, guidebook author, glutton and bon vivant, Tom is a tireless crusader for fine food, hospitality and tourist experiences in China’s capital.