JDV Beijing Rebrands as Mid-Century Modern Playground

Drew Pittock, Contributing Editor | Jul 23, 2020 4:30 pm | Add a comment | 331 reads | Sponsored

Like most things in Beijing, Zhaolong Hotel – newly minted as the BEI Zhaolong Hotel, a Joie de Vivre hotel – has a long and storied history that recently began a new chapter, all in the name of cosmopolitan modernity. Originally built in 1985, Zhaolong Hotel was actually the capital’s first hotel to welcome foreigners en masse and its name was even inscribed by then-president Deng Xiaoping during the opening ceremony, kicking off the country’s burgeoning tourism industry. Aside from a minimal renovation in 2002, the hotel largely remained unchanged until last year when hospitality titan, Hyatt, managed the hotel property under its Joie de Vivre banner, and set about rebranding and refurbishing the 202-room complex with an eye towards sustainability and green business practices. The result is a beautifully light and airy mid-century modern playground, replete with a restaurant and bar, terrace, gym, co-working spaces, art gallery, and evening light show.

The redesign was completed late last year, however, as with most things that were set for an early-2020 debut, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic prevented BEI Zhaolong Hotel, a Joie de Vivre hotel from the grand unveiling its staff had worked so hard to prepare for. Nevertheless, they’ve since opened their doors – as well as their expansive second-floor terrace – just in time for summer.

Located east of Taikoo Li on Gongti Road in Sanlitun – and just around the corner from Tuanjiehu subway station (Line 10) – the hotel is built upon Joie de Vivre’s brand promise to “inspire the spirit of playful travel through neighborhood connections,” meaning that whether you’re a vacationer, a staycationer, or simply a member of the community, they have plenty of amenities to enjoy. Perhaps most important to us locals, however, is their impressive lineup of happy hour deals at decidedly non-Sanlitun prices.

Front and center is the daily Beer Carnival, which features two hours of free-flow beer for RMB 98, between 6-9pm. Hoping for something a little less hoppy? Then you can opt for the two-hour free-flow wine option on Fridays and Saturdays for RMB 168, also between 6-9pm. If you choose to swing by during work, as opposed to a boozy after-work session, then you can take advantage of the RMB 65 lunch set menu with a choice of a BEI Commune salad, Caesar salad, or fruit salad and spaghetti bolognese, pork belly dong po rou, or club sandwich with free-flow coffee and tea until 5pm.

Dinner at the hotel’s flagship restaurant, BEI Commune, is an equally mouthwatering affair, with head chef Nickson Li at the helm. Chef Li is adept at concocting a more relaxed, street food-style menu, a fact that’s on display in BEI Commune’s evening offerings.

The menu leans into traditional Chinese dishes and Western cuisine, with a range of choices such as the wok-fried assorted mushrooms and chili (RMB 78), wok-fried chicken wings with dry chili (RMB 78), cheeseburger with French fries (RMB 78), or roasted “shoemaker” style chicken (RMB 98). To be perfectly honest, I am not a fan of mushrooms, however, I was convinced to give the deep-fried assorted mushrooms and chili a try, and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with my choice. They were crispy and juicy, with a slight spice from the chili oil that paired beautifully with my Jing-A Flying Fist IPA.

To be sure, if you’re ever looking for a staycation, you could hardly do much better than BEI Zhaolong Hotel, a Joie de Vivre hotel, but in the meantime, you’d be well-suited to stop by for a couple hours and enjoy the relaxing ambiance.