Unfortunately the HAOYUAN didn't live up to it's hype.

* I was looking forward to a scenic hutong setting - in fact it is located in a non descript side road, opposite a building site.

* At reception, when requesting the use of a WC (our room wasn't ready and we had just come from Xian on the overnight train) I was shown to a dirty hole in the floor toilet - not a good start !

*|Our room and bathroom were fine but when you are paying 150 pounds sterling a night - so it should be !! The problem was IT WAS COLD we had to sleep in our clothes and, despite asking each day, a radiator wasn't supplied until the third day

*The breakfast room was little more than a dingy caff with a VERY limited breakfast which included orange SQUASH. we only ate breakfast on the first day.

If the rooms were all 70/80 pounds a night I would say it wasan acceptable guest house but when they are charging 150 pounds a night expectations are raised and they were certainly not met

A disappointed customer

The hotel is nice but as per all accomodation in Beijing it is expensive for what you get compared to elsewhere in China.

TravelChinaGuide - Thanks for your note, I'm happy to reply.

1. Hao Yuan Courtyard, Beijing

The HaoYuan is an excellent accommodation in Beijing. It is exceptional because it is an authentic piece of Beijing history in a friendly hutong, unlike the sterile high rise multinational impersonal manipulative hotels within the same area. Location is good for access to all central sites and activities. Metro stop is a short 2 blocks away.

Neighborhood is quiet. Wireless internet worked well in my room, and there is a computer terminal available for guests. Staff is friendly and inviting, English speaking, always helpful and willing to assist with any reservations. Rooms are comfortable and clean, bathrooms new, usual minibar and accessories. Taxis do not know the route well, but the online map seems to get them there eventually. Lobby is well stocked with local information as well as books and souvenirs. Breakfast is very good, plenty of food, several Chinese dishes and some western items.

2. TCG Booking Center service: Everything worked fine, all as I'd hoped for. Thank you.

Visited Haoyuan late april and stayed for four nights. I had a standard room in the outer yard fully furnished in traditional Chinese style complete with very comfortable beds with silk beddings. Modcons consisted of a TV - only national channels and a modern bathroom which was very nice.

The outer yard lent it's magic with some 40 red lanterns lit up in the evening and presented a serene place to collect your thoughts and feelings after a long day out on the city. Although right near the city centre I felt removed from the hustle and bustle once I entered the gateway into the yard.

The location is great, about 5 minutes from Wangfujing and within walking distance to the forbidden palace and Tianmen square.

The resturant serves well-priced dishes of the local cousine and was well worth a visit.

All in all a very nice hotel, well-spoken english staff and a tremendous atmosphere really highlighting my stay.

Wonderful little hotel - we had a room in the back courtyard and it was truly lovely. Close to the subway - so we had no problems getting around. The included breakfast was delicious and the staff was very courteous and helpful. The only reason I give a 4 instead of a 5 is that we were a bit chilly - an extra blanket solved the problem, but even though the room was heated, not an ideal spot in winter, I'd say.

This hotel deserves a whole lot of credit, as it was one of the main reasons why our trip to Beijing in September 2007 was so pleasant and successful.

We must say that this is the most charming and unique hotels we have ever stayed in. The hotel itself is a bit worn on the outside, but the very nicely decorated and super clean rooms and the lovely courtyard wasere even better than we expected.

We really enjoyed returning to the hotel after a day in the very busy city of Beijing with all its noisy traffic and crowds of people everywhere. As soon as we entered the courtyard, noises from the city were gone and you simply wouldn’t believe that you were in the middle of one of the world’s biggest cities.

The hotel was quiet and had a very relaxed atmosphere. Some nights we enjoyed our dinner in the courtyard under the big old trees and really felt that we got a great sense of how live must have been like in Beijing before all the cars, tourists and big hotels changed the city completely.

The staff was very polite and would do anything to make you feel comfortable and at home. They always had one person on duty who spoke English and who could help us by writing down names of sights and streets in Chinese which we could give to the cab drivers when we went out sightseeing.

The location was also really great as it was right next to a big shopping area where you could easily catch a cab or even walk to some of the famous sights. The area felt very safe even at night and having heard so much about Beijing being a very dirty city we were pleasantly surprised as not only this area but all of Beijing really was very clean.

Do book your stay at this hotel if you want to add authentic Chinese charm to you stay in the evolving city of Beijing.

This is a wonderful "courtyard" hotel, operated by Chinese locals. Of our 5 hotel stays during our 3-week visit to China, this was hands down our favorite. Charming, very clean and with lots of local character.

The hotel is located near the downtown shopping and tourist area, about a 15 minute walk from the main shopping street, close to the Peninsula and Novotel hotels. It is on the edge of a "working" hutong. A bicycle repairman is just down the street and it's next door to the neighborhood school.

Rooms are decorated in traditional chinese furniture and clustered around 2 courtyards. The second, inside courtyard is the most charming, with fish "bowls" scattered about and bird cages hung in the trees.

While the staff is not perfect in English, they are hard-working and go the extra mile to help guests with all questions. The manager arranges tours to the Great Wall. Several guests gave them high marks.

In addition to the charm of the hotel, a great plus for staying there is the other guests it attracts. Because it is small, relatively affordable and a bit different, it attracts guests who are also interesting. During our stay, we shared beers every afternoon in the courtyard with delightful new friends from Australia, New Zealand, California, Colorado and Germany. Quite a cross section of experiences and adventures.

We went on to stay in several of the top 5 star hotels in Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. None of them was half as much fun or as interesting as the Haoyuan Hotel.

My friends were staying at the Travelers Hotel in Beijing, but I was unable to find a reasonably priced alternative until I came across this Hotel. While the rooms were fine - (I wouldn't recommend this place in the winter - it was pretty drafty), there was no restaurant. This hotel is not close to anything - it was a long cab ride to every thing. And, worst of all, taxi drivers couldn't find the place - even with the address card. I carried a cell phone and had taxi drivers get driving instructions from the hotel front desk. The location of this Hotel is in a hutong, but one that is in need of some gentrification - you will not feel comfortable walking alone at night here. The front desk got me Beijing opera tickets and that was great. They also got me a "tour" of the Great Wall, which turned out to be me and a driver who spoke no English. The hotel itself isn't bad, but the inconveniences of getting there and eating making this not a first choice.

we were staying in this hotel for 6 nights in a suite and were very pleased with our accommodation. it has a cozy athmosphere and we liked very much the location because you could walk to some of the attractions or take a taxi.

it would have been nice if the internet would have been included but still, the rates were very inexpensive.

the breakfast had a nice variety and the staff was courteous.

one incident: we tried to go to Tianjan and wanted to go by train. We tried at the front desk to find out about the train times and they told us every 15 minutes is a train. please make sure when you get the information that they call the train station. It turned out that we took an afternoon train and then they told us the last train is at 4pm so we had to hire a taxi to bring us back to Beijing.

So, conciergewise they are not good but everything else made up for it.

We had 2 rooms at the Haoyuan, #12 and #14 which are connected by a small living room. Our room #14 was appointed with traditional furniture. Everything was nice and fairly clean. But the lighting in our room was poor, making it more susceptible to mosquitos. But we used our mosquito net in our bed and didn't find the mosquito zapping machine until our last day. Beds and linens were comfortable and cozy; though everything seemed to be a little "used" or old. our bathroom was also prone to mosquitos and didn't have the best water pressure. it also had a weird smell; don't know if it was the mildew or something else. it may sound bad from what I've written so far, but overall it was a comfortable 3 nights.

we enjoyed the little complimentary breakfast every morning; and yes it was repetitive but we thought everything was tasty. we did try the novotel buffet mentioned earlier, which was fantastic, but Haoyuan did just fine as a free meal.

The front desk people were also good at writing down names of places in chinese to show taxi drivers. Their english wasn't really great, but it seemed like no one in china spoke very good english. the hotel was on a quiet street, and was very relaxing at night since no street noise could be heard (at least in the front courtyard). there was also wireless internet access which was surprising. I believe they also had computers for you to use but it cost money. So if you have a laptop with wireless, feel free to bring it with you and get free internet. The hotel also let us leave a lot of baggage with them for 3 days while we went to xi'an. when we returned, we were hoping to get a room for a couple hours to shower before our flight out of china, but they were fully booked. but they let us sit in the front desk area and repack all our luggages.

overall, a good, quiet time. definitely not your typical western hotel, but a interesting experience nonetheless. don't go here if you're looking to be pampered; but do go if you'd like a nice place to stay and get away from the hustle of beijing.

We just returned from a 5 day stay at the Haoyuan and I have to agree with travelers who loved the ambiance (which is why we chose the hotel) It was very charming and we loved staying in a hutong. The decor was lovely and had the feel of old China. The water situation was fine, keeping in mind it was very hot outside and we didn't need very hot water. The master bed in #12 was very comfortable, however our son stayed in the twin bed in the room and said it was a bit hard.

The staff was English literate and very helpful. There was a booking mix up and they had us checking out a day before we were supposed to. The manager arranged another hotel (we opted for a regular highrise since it was our last night) and they transported our luggage.

OK, there was a bit of mold in the shower but given the heat and high humidity it was to be expected. Certainly not enough to cause any distress and almost expected in an older hotel (think Florida in the summer)The room itself was very clean.

The area is very convenient to walk to sights and tours can be arranged by the staff. Don't miss the hutong by bicycle tour, it was fascinating.

For as many people that live in Beijing, I felt it was a very safe place for tourists and we were out way past dark.

They do close the main gate at 11 but there is a buzzer and someone will let you in with your room key in hand.

Breakfast is repetative but good.

This was a great way to get the feel of China, I would stay again.

If you decide to eat other than Chinese Food (or want a break) do not miss the buffet at the Square restaurant at the Novotel Hotel (within walking distance)

M Johns

Tucson, Az.

I stayed at the Haoyuan in mid-May 2006. This was a nice small hotel, set in a hutong, and with traditional furnishings. You can view which room you want on their web site (mine was #27) and go from basic to fairly pricey. My room ran in mid 80s and was furnished in traditional style. The location is east of Wangfujing and Tiannamen. I like to walk and was surprised at the numer of places I could get just walking. Price included breakfast which was good, but repetitive. I was able to arrange transportation and day tours at reasonable rates and the staff had reasonable to good communication skills. I felt safe which was important given this was my first trip to China. Number of eating establishments nearby as well as a Bank of China. A point that some people complain about in Chinese hotels, hard beds, was not a problem. My bed was firm, but not uncomfortable. I would consider staying here again, but if prices creep up it gets dangeroulsy close to what you can get for better facilities at the Crown Plaza.

The idea of stopping at a hutong seemed different and, yes, it was. We had decided on another hutong venue but when I spotted bear paw and shark fin on their menu I decided to give them a big miss. The hotel is reasonably well located in respect of the main attractions, within easy walking distance of Wangfugian Street and even the Forbidden City and the Square. Shops are close by for water, beer and heaps of maternity gear for some reason. The Bank of China is around the corner along with a couple of supermarkets and that last link with home - McDonalds.

Check in was completed quickly and then to the room. We had a small suite and the emphasis was on small. A tiny entrance housing a wardrobe, small table, 2 hard chairs and a small cupboard with mini bar. The bathroom was adequate with a shower in bath. The bedroom contained 2 single beds, a side table with safe, a bench with a thin, hard cover and a table for the TV (remote and over 50 channels but only one English which played the same garbage over and over and over again). Heating was steam and very cosy, but also stuffy. Lights were so dim it was impossible to read inside except under the fluorescent in the bathroom. Beds were exceptionally hard, being just a thin mattress over a solid wooden base. Hot water was terrible - virtually none in the morning as it seemed to be turned off at night. We often had to run the tap for several minutes to get some warmth and, mostly, only just.

The breakfast was well presented and the dining area was always clean and tidy. Only one girl spoke English but all were very helpful. However, the food was plain and unappetising. For us, the same every day with no variety - muesli, yoghurt, fried eggs (pre-cooked), toast and something vaguely tasting like coffee. We decided to dine in a couple of nights due to the cold but the small dining room was booked out for the Spring Festival celebrations. The girls were great and room service was provided as an option and much appreciated.

Unfortunately it was winter with no flowers or leaves and the yards looked bare. In the warmer months I have no doubt that the outlook would be much improved. The rooms were serviced regularly but, with bare boards and the constant cold winds, the floors quickly got gritty and grotty.

The front desk tried at times to help and at other times seemed not to care. It was difficult to find out anything about Beijing apart from a few major attractions and it seemed that they strayed little from their place of work. Cards were available with directions to the hotel, however many taxi drivers either couldn't or wouldn't admit to knowing where to go. On the back of the cards reception would write the Chinese and English names of the places we wanted to visit and were very helpful in this regard. Taxis, incidentally, are extremely cheap but don't get caught by crooks - demand the driver use the meter. We found Beijing Taxi Service to have the best and most honest drivers.

Many guests stayed for only one or two days, whereas we stayed for just over a week and I think that was a mistake. I would not recommend the Hotel for a long stay as it has too many defects. For a day or so you tend not to notice or to overlook these problems. Maintenance was sadly lacking - mould in the bathroom, doors not closing without slamming, wire doors creaking and catching, window shutters loose and rattling in the wind, and the list goes on.