When you think about the world’s ultra-premium hotel chains, Hong Kong can claim a decent slice of the cake (Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental, Langham etc.). Mainland China, on the other hand, lacks any brands with comparable global recognition. But that’s something the NUO Hotel Group is hoping to change this year with their flagship opening, NUO Hotel Beijing. And guess who got an exclusive peek? [Us, duh!]
Next to the recently opened Crowne Plaza in Lido (and Element Fresh), NUO Beijing’s 439 rooms and suites are wrapped in a purpose-built block doing a chubby impression of New York’s iconic Flatiron Building, with office tower attached. It’s a handy location for the local biz district and 798 Art District, but a bit far from the central sights (though there’ll be a subway station next door later this year).
The hotel draws its design inspiration from a sort of contemporary reboot of a Ming Dynasty aesthetic. What this equates to in the very lovely guest rooms (we toured a mocked-up showroom on the 12th floor) is elegantly muted colours, furnishings that are stylish without being showy, and sliding screen doors separating the Zen-like marble bathrooms. Even the lowest tier rooms come with a bathtub with a view, walk-in wardrobes, Nespresso machines, medical-grade air filters (be gone, pesky PM2.5!), and a neat cubby hole where you can exchange laundry and other bits without anyone having to enter your crib (nod to the Peninsula). Oh, and a limited edition wall mural print by their art consultant Zeng Fanzhi.
Yep, Zeng Fanzhi, considered by many to be China’s greatest living artist. He’s also created four bespoke pieces for the hotel including a 5-ton silver and bronze sculpture of a mountain in the lobby and a stunning mural behind the check-in desk, both of which the PR begged us not to reveal yet (you’ll just have to go see it for yourself when it opens later in the year).
But you really should because a large slice of the lobby has been given over to Chinese art, with a gallery space for rotating exhibitions from other big ticket artists. And that’s the thing about NUO Hotel Beijing. Launched by Beijing Tourism Group with the aim of creating a world-class hotel brand, they really aren’t messing around. In the words of Jurassic Park’s creator John Hammond, they’ve “spared no expense”.
In N’Joy, the all-day dining restaurant, practically every global cuisine on show will be stewarded by a native chef (around 13 different nationalities are represented within the kitchen staff), and in summer, O’bar will boast one of the largest outdoor sun terraces in the city, offering a boozy weekend brunch, according to Swiss GM Adrian Rudin, that will operate at the very respectable hours of early afternoon to early evening (party time!).
Throw in several more restaurants and a tea house, a spa, pool and fitness studio, plus a lifestyle concierge and butler service, and a rather impressive package is taking shape. The little details, too, are compelling. Silk-embroidered vanity kits for female guests (a bit like a First Class airline wash bag); house-made snacks in the mini bars (and beers from local craft brewers Slow Boat); custom Pu-er bathroom amenities by Shanghai’s Ba Yan Ka La; food sourced from their own organic farms. And NUO will even have its own fleet of retro Hong Qi Chinese state limousines to ferry its VIP guests about.
Slated to open in early summer, we’re excited to try out the hotel properly (read: eat, drink and be merry). Beijing has had some stunning new big brand hotel openings in recent months (Rosewood, Waldorf Astoria), and the venerable old Peninsula is currently undergoing a full refit. Here’s hoping NUO Hotel Beijing can take its place among those elites.
Want to book a hotel room in addition to your other tour services in Beijing? Just get in touch at [email protected] and we’ll do it all for you!