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Beijing Meets South Beach

The Fortune Land International Hotel Breaks New Ground

By Joel Chusid

The lobby stuns you. The two-story glass enclosed atrium-like space is lined with a row of identical comfortable chairs along one wall, while three large, bright red modular “things” are placed to one side, one with a video screen and another as a desk for a concierge and yellow-suited bellmen. At the rear of the lobby is the somewhat conventional registration desk. The entrance itself is something out of South Beach, with red neon bars forming a canopy at night that taxi drivers look at in awe.

According to the countdown clock in Tiananmen Square, the 2008 Summer Olympics are just a little less than 600 days away, and the Fortune Land International Hotel is one of a new breed of boutique hotels sprouting up in Beijing, where mammoth hotels seem to dominate the cityscape. Quietly opened in October 2006 and with just 168 rooms, the art-themed hotel offers thirty different variations of accommodations in three categories: standard, superior, and deluxe.

While all have a high level of comfort, some of the rooms have some unusual amenities like a huge movie screen that lets one watch projected movies in bed or a wooden bathtub and washstand, a tea alcove, a round bed, and striking furniture. For the first few months, rates are very low for the quality offered, starting at just $70 per night in low season for a good sized room, ranging up to $190 in peak for the larger suites. As long as you can adjust your expectations a little to deal with Chinese tastes, you can save your money to spend on the great buys at nearby Silk Street or to dine in Beijing’s gourmet restaurants. After all, this is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. “When in Rome…”

To be fair, the hotel is still in a soft opening phase, and a number of changes are planned to adapt more to international tastes, according to General Manager Stephen Zhao. The restaurant and café are sub-contracted out, and a new restaurant is under construction. The large swimming pool and adjacent exercise room are being repaired. Some additional artwork is planned, although hand painted walls are found in both the halls and rooms.

In terms of location, the Fortune Land is in the Chaoyang central business district, about 20 minutes from the Forbidden City, near museums, and a few blocks from the subway although taxis are very reasonable to get around.

The rooms are all well furnished and unique. Every one has a flat screen panel TV either wall-mounted or on a table and telephones in the bathrooms. Beds come in a variety of sizes, and some are close to the floor, futon-style, but very comfortable. Colorful and interesting chairs, divans, and tables are featured in the rooms. Some have separate sitting areas, and all have minibar and coffee and tea makers; some have wet bars.

For business travelers, every room has a desk (no need to balance that laptop on the bed) and excellent, free DSL, which is becoming quite common in Chinese hotels. There are plans to put flat screen monitors in the two upper category rooms for internet access.

The bathrooms, well, they are the really interesting features of the rooms, with zebra-patterned tiles or other bright colors. The wash basins, showers and bathtubs are all ultra modern, and it took me a couple of days to master the controls. The shampoo and bath gel container is futuristic and striking. For some people, especially solo travelers or uninhibited couples, one feature might be a welcome change, but for friends sharing a room or modest people, be warned. The majority, but not all rooms have either no bathroom doors or clear (not frosted) doors. In some cases, the bathtub and, in at least one case, the commode, are almost a part of the bedroom itself, and in others they are partially shielded.  It’s definitely worth checking the room to see if you’re comfortable with the arrangement if you’re traveling with someone else. Some rooms do have solid bathroom doors, but they are few.

One drawback, at least temporarily, is the café that serves meals, including the buffet breakfast, which is included in the rate. Described as a Western-style restaurant, it serves primarily Chinese food but offers cutlery in addition to chopsticks, light American pop music in the background, and a few Western style dishes. For breakfast, I actually learned to like bok choy and eggs, although there are pastries and toast available as well as a variety of salads and some unfamiliar things. There is no juice offered, although I was able to get freshly-squeezed pear juice at an extra charge. In the restaurant, you must also pay cash; no room charges are permitted. On the second level, there is a bar and also a massage concession, common in Chinese hotels.

In the evening, the buffet features barbecued meats and a buffet that includes pizza and spaghetti. But in my opinion, except in an emergency, the restaurant is worth skipping and there are plenty of other options available in the city, especially the famous Peking Duck. Mr. Zhao assures that the restaurant under construction should offer a better variety for Western guests when it opens in January. Work was underway when I was there in early December.

The staff is enthusiastic and tries hard. Bellmen bow when they deliver something to your room. But there is a definite lack of English skills which can lead to frustration. Usually there is someone nearby who can translate and most have enough vocabulary to understand what you are trying to say. TV stations are only in Chinese, although again, this is set to change with a new cable TV contract being implemented. (CNN was available, but without sound.)

Fortune Land will have its grand opening early in 2007, but you can take advantage of the promotional rates through March, if my few cautions don’t bother you. I was quite comfortable, and was able to adjust my perspective to accept some of the unusual features that the hotel offers. The pictures tell the story, and if you prefer to avoid the cookie-cutter, tour group and convention hotels, Fortune Land can be a welcome change.

The Fortune Land International Hotel is located at 38 Baiziwan Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022. Phone 86-10-8771-8866. It is a new member of Boutique Hotels, so stateside bookings can be made through them, 1-800-577-9449; their website is www.boutiquehotelsandresorts.com. Tell Mr. Zhao that I sent you!

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