A glut of newupscale hotels opened before the Olympics, and business has gone from bad to worse.
The owners of a new ultra-luxury hotel maintain an air of confidence in the face of adversity. The 234-room Pangu Plaza (Pangu 7-star hotel), which opened in December, charges as much as $17,750 a night for a suite. The sushi bar, where the cheapest lunch special is $265, cooks its rice in mineral water flown in from Japan. The walls in the hotel are covered with silk, the floors with marble -- Italian of course.
"The Chinese new rich have plenty of money. We have Bentleys pulling up with no number plates. So you can tell that they're brand-new," room manager Dennis Seng said, scoffing at the suggestion of inauspicious timing for opening a luxury hotel.
"The other day, a Russian couple ran up a $4,000 tab at an intimate lunch for two in the Japanese restaurant," he said.
His confidence, however, is belied by the cavernous, empty lobby where the only sound is the tapping of the high heels of the crisply attired staff. No paying customers were evident during a weekday afternoon visit, although Seng said that occupancy has reached "up to 30%."
If that is the case, the Pangu is faring far better than dozens of other newly opened hotels here.
It might simply be a glut of luxury.
"Everything that the developers are building is 'luxury' or 'imperial,' luxury apartments, luxury shopping mall, luxury hotels, but this is not what the Chinese people need or can afford," said Hu Xingdou, an economics professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology.
Pangu overlooks 2008 Summer Olympic landmarks like the "Bird's Nest" and the "Water Cube," and the new Regent Hotel boasts a panoramic view of the Forbidden City. The Park Hyatt opened in December on the upper floors of a new skyscraper.
It touts itself as the highest hotel in Beijing, with 360-degree views from a 66th-floor restaurant.
Adjacent to the Summer Palace is the new Aman hotel, part of which occupies original imperial guesthouses. The cheapest room is $480 in the off-season.
"You had so many new hotels opening in the Olympic lead-up and even afterwards. [Even] if it was business as usual and we didn't have a financial crisis, this would have been a tough year," said Damien Little, a director of the hotel consulting firm Horwath Asia Pacific.
His firm counted 126 hotel openings in Beijing last year, adding 29,000 rooms. Hotels that missed their deadlines for completion are still opening.
Even the Olympics were disappointing. Despite advance word that all rooms would be sold out during the games, hotels were only 67% occupied during August, the Olympic month, according to STR Global, a hotel research firm.
China's tourism business was also badly hurt by the government's decision to sharply limit the number of foreign visitors during the Olympics, making it difficult for many people to get visas.
"The visas were a debacle. It was a real slap in the face to the hotels," said Ian Billard, a business advisory services manager at the U.S.-China Business Council. "You're now talking about 10 to 30% occupancy in hotels that were counting on 70 to 80%."
Perhaps the only relief for Beijing's beleaguered hotel industry is the fact that the most feared competitor, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, will not open any time soon. The hotel, in the China Central Television compound co-designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, was gutted in a spectacular fire this month.
One of Beijing’s most elegant and upscale restaurants, the Courtyard’s wonderfully romantic setting on the Forbidden City moat and jaw-dropping views would probably be enough to recommend it, but the fusion food and extensive wine list complete the perfect dining experience. After your meal, head to the gallery - the views are yet better.
Cuision: Western Fusion Address: 95 Donghuamen Dajie. Dongcheng District (East gate of Forbidden City), Beijing Phone: 010-6526-8883
Carved out of a hutong near the Lama Temple, this boho-chic bistro distinguishes itself with a selection of well-made homestyle European staples like pizzas, quiche, baked potatoes, moussaka and salads. Patrons relax with glasses of wine off their carefully-prepared wine list and enjoy a renowned brunch in the sunny inner courtyard on the weekends.
Cuisine: European Address: 31 Wudaoying Hutong, Yonghegong, south of Yonghegong Bridge, Beijing Phone: 010-6402-7961
Located in a picturesque courtyard house in a quiet hutong near the Drum Tower, this family-owned Yunnan restaurant is one of Beijing's most romantic places to eat. Old jazz tunes play in a traditional Chinese courtyard decorated with coal furnaces and Art Deco furniture. There’s no menu here, the chef serves up a set meal in courses - so it’s perfect for couples who want to try a range of southwestern Chinese dishes.
You wouldn't expect that Beijing's hottest gourmand would be at the center of a Sofitel Hotel. Lenotre, by the owners of Paris 3-star Michelin Le Pre Catelan, is located within an aristocratic dining room of extravagant black chandeliers, upholstered ghost chairs and white-glove service that even outshines the Paris original. The kitchen is presided over by Frederic Meynard, a culinary disciple of the legendary Frederic Anton.
This truly lovely European restaurant of minimalist décor, done up in purple, white and black, features high- end cuisine without the high-end price tag. If you're planning for a special occasion, book the private Purple Room for that perfect dine and wine experience. Check out their new cocotte menus, little iron pots serving up meat, egg and vegetable stews.
Cuisine: European Address: 22-1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Dongzhimen, opposite Canadian Embassy, Dongcheng District, Beijing Phone: 010-6416-9838
Excellent Spanish food, reasonable prices, friendly staff and enticing nooks make this restaurant the perfect spot for a romantic night on the town. If the authentic flavors of Spain and impressive wine list are not enough to get the fires of passion burning, try the rich Belgian chocolate lava cake guaranteed to melt away inhibitions.
Cuisine: Spanish Address: 14 Xindong Lu, Sanlitun, 300m north of City Hotel, Chaoyang District, Beijing Phone: 010-6416-5431; 010-6417-1459
The setting is a two-story wooden mansion on the banks of Qian Hai, overlooking the lake. The Vietnamesse food is variable but as a romantic night-time dining spot this takes some beating.
Located close to the city but far from its chaos, and set amidst a working orchard and herb farm, this classy European-inspired venue is an expat institution. The Orchard Cafe features a largely organic menu featuring homegrown herbs and vegetables. The China - meets - Tuscany - meets -Mexico - styled interior is magnificently tranquil. With a pond, botanical garden and sun porch, it is an ideal place for couples. Don’t overlook the creative menu. The food, wine and especially the desserts are reasonably priced and rich in flavor. Perfect for escaping Beijing in style.
Cuisine: European Address: Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezhuang Township, Shunyi, Chaoyang District, Beijing Phone: 139-1121-1965, 010-6433-6270
Le Cafe Igosso- Beijing's finest Italian restaurant- Classy, elegant Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist. Service is unobtrusive, the wine list is simple but adventurous. Cozy, intimate setting makes this a romantic spot for a date.
Cuisine:Italian Address: Dongsanhuan Nanlu (800m south of Guomao bridge on east side of street), Chaoyang District, Beijing Phone: 10-8771 7013
Sambal embraces and surpasses all the cliches of a chic Beijing eatery -- a cozy courtyard house decorated with antique and modern furnishings, a sophisticated boss, relaxed service, and a well-balanced wine list. And then there're exquisite dishes, prepared by a charming chef from Kuala Lumpur.
Cuisine: Southeast Asian Address: 43 Doufuchi Hutong, off Jiu Gulou Dajie, Chaoyang District, Beijing Phone: 010-6400-4875
Zhang Xiaogang (张晓刚), born in 1958 in China's Yunnan province. Type of art: Surrealism works, portraiture. Zhang is known for his surrealist paintings, with Picasso and Dali among his influences. His Bloodline series of paintings, including 'Big Family', feature stylized and monochrome portraits of Chinese people in stiff, formal poses, which recall portraits done in the 1950s and 1960s.
Zeng Fanzhi (曾梵志), born in 1964 in Wuhan, holds the auction record for a contemporary Asian artist. Type of art: Figure painting, portraits. Zeng is among the most sought-after Chinese contemporary artists. He combines expressionist and realist styles in his work, which often deals with relationships between people. His series of Great Man paintings – featuring Karl Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Mao among others – appear at first glance to be official portraits, but subvert the traditional representations with use of monochrome and expressive brush strokes.
Yue Minjun (岳敏君), born 1962 in Heilongjiang. Type of art: Expressionist figurative paintings. Yue is a member of the Chinese 'cynical realist' movement. He is noted for depicting 'cloned doppelgängers', grotesquely contorted with maniacal grins, such as 2005's 'Backyard Garden'. The forced jollity of his anti-heroes echoes modern anxieties.
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Wang Guangyi (王广义), born 1957, in Heilongjiang. Type of art: Mixed-media, painting. Wang Guangyi is seen as an exponent of 'political pop'. His work, including 2005'2 'Porsche', combines the styles of propaganda posters with consumer logos. 'Stylistically merging the government enforced aesthetic of agitprop with the kitsch sensibility of American pop,
Liu Xiaodong (刘小东), born 1963, Liaoning. Painter and photographer documented the controversial Three Gorges Dam project.
Cai Guo-Qiang (蔡国强), born 1957. Performance artist who uses gunpowder to produce 'explosive events'.
Yan Pei-Ming (严培明), born 1960, Shanghai. Best known for epic portraits of Mao Zedong and Bruce Lee.
Chen Yifei (陈逸飞), born 1946 in Zhejing. Among the first to break into Western art market. Died in 2005.
Fang Lijun (方力均), born 1963, Hebei. Painter of the 'cynical realism' school.
Liu Ye (刘野), born 1964, veteran of the post-1989 avant-garde movement.
Beijing is the best place in China to be whether you're an artist, a diehard collector or just like to walk around and enjoy the shows.
Chinese contemporary art was officially born with an unofficial exhibition just outside the China Art Galley (now the National Art Museum of China) by the Stars Group in 1979; it gained momentum with a group of artists frequently referred to as the 1985 New Art Movement and continued to flourish throughout the 1980s when many of today's auction house favorites burst on the scene, including sculptor Wang Guangyi, painter Fang Lijun and video artist Zhang Peili.
Serious collectors and art students may wish to plan their itinerary by areas. The rule-of-thumb is: head north-east. As the 798 Art District aka Dashazi - which opened to visitors in 2002 - is the most important area, both as a centre for new art and for the cafe-bar culture that clusters around creative folk. The Chaoyang Brewery, known as Jiuchang in Chinese, is a newly established commercial art district that lies just to the north of 798. Caochangdi, a village that lies a few minutes from 798 to the north-east, is far less commercial in presentation. The National Art Museum of China, though mainly a place to see older,mainstream work, has started to exhibit an ambitious programme of international contemporary and modern art. Peak times for viewing art in Beijing occur in April and May, with several art festivals around the capital, notably the 798 Art Festival. Around October time, galleries also put up their best work as artists, gallerists and collectors flock to the capital for the China International Gallery Exposition (www.cige-bj.com) and the Beijing Biennale (www.bjbiennale. com.cn).
798 Space (798 Shitai Kongjian, 798 时态空间)
Address: Dashanzi 798 Art District , 4 Jiuxianqiao Road,Chaoyang District,Beijing 北京市朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子艺术区内 Phone: 010-6437-6248,010-6438-4862 Hours: 10:30am-7:30pm Transportation: Subway Line 2 or 13 or L1 at Dongzhimen, then City Bus 401 or 955 at Dashanzi Station; City Bus 401 or 402 or 405 or 973 or 813 at Dashanzi Station Website: www.798space.com
The first gallery to open in Dashanzi, 798 Space is an avant-garde and trendy space that hosts high-level cultural, artistic and commercial activities. It can hold more than 1000 guests with ease:1000 square meters and up to 9 meters high structural exhibition space + 300 square meters relaxing and eating space + contemporary art book shop + film and video showing area。 It is worth visiting for the spectacle of the cavernous main hall with its curious multiple-arched roof.
Beijing Art Now Gallery (BANG) 北京现在画廊
New Address: Building E, Red Yard No.1, Caochangdi, Cui Ge Zhuang, Chaoyang District, Beijing Chinese Address: 北京市朝阳区崔各庄乡草场地红一号院E座 Original address: Beijing Workers Stadium Opposite Gate 12, Chaoyang District, Beijing Phone: 010-5127-3292 Hours: Tue-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun-Mon 12-6pm Website: www.artnow.cn or www.beijingartnow.com
Founded by cultural critic, Huang Liaoyuan, Beijing Art Now Gallery maintains a diverse programme of contemporary art from around the country. Large expansive rooms with wall sized paintings can be found here amongst other things. It is also situated near a lake where you can take a stroll if you need a breath of fresh air.
China Art Seasons 北京季节画廊
Address: Dashanzi 798 Art District, 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District Phone: 010-6431-1900 Open Hours: 10:30am-6pm Tue-Sun. Website: www.artseasonsgallery.com Admission: Free
Singapore-owned China Art Seasons is a collector’s favorite, and most of the shows feature the kind of work perfect for the living room. Many of the artists showing in this elegant gallery space end up in the major galleries and auction houses in the West.
Chinese Contemporary 中国当代画廊
Address: Dashanzi 798 Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District Phone: 010-8456-2421 Open Hours: 11am-7pm daily Website: www.chinesecontemporary.com Admission: Free
With locations in London and New York, Chinese Contemporary deals with some of China’s best-established contemporary artist. One of its more recent claims to fame happened when artist Huang Rui (黄锐 ), a famous artistic figure in China, was forced to remove one of the more controversial works from his solo exhibition. Entitled Chairman Mao Ten Thousand Yuan (毛主席万圆), the work featured one hundred RMB 100 notes that formed the words ‘Long Live Chairman Mao’.
Although the space here is minuscule – it's in the basement of the Courtyard Restaurant – this gallery still manages to attract some of the most sought-after names in contemporary Chinese art, such as Wang Qingsong, Zhang Dali, Cao Fei and the Gao Brothers.
The Courtyard Annex Location: caochangdi area Address: 319 Cao chang di, Chaoyang District,Beijing,China 100015（Art East End） Chinese Address: 中国北京市朝阳区草场地319号(艺术东区) Phone: 010-6526-8882, 010-6434-9144
The Annex space of 400 plus square meters can accommodate larger, experimental projects and multimedia events.
National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) 中国美术馆
Address: 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng District Chinese Address: 北京市东城区五四大街一号 Hours: Daily 9am-4pm Phone: 010-6401-2252/7076 Admission: RMB 20 Website: www.namoc.org
NAMOC shows a combination of traditional Chinese art exhibitions and contemporary art shows, although any edgier art work that might offend mainstream visitors is still more likely to be found in the 798 Art District. The museum’s director, Fan Di’an, has done a great job of balancing the exhibition programming at NAMOC of late – before his arrival, the museum was known for stale shows that left modern art completely out in the cold. More recently it has begun to exhibit foreign classical and contemporary art works too.
Upcoming exhibition at NAMOC The U.K. will loan China 80 J.M.W. Turner paintings for China's first major exhibition of work by the famed English Romantic landscape artist, Announced by U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The loan comprises key works from Tate Britain's collection, such as The Decline of the Carthaginian Empire and Norham Castle, Sunrise. J. M. W. Turner: Oils and Watercolours from Tate Britain will be exhibiting from 13 April 2009 and will run until 3 July 2009 at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.
Pace Beijing 佩斯北京画廊
Address:Dashanzi 798 Art District ,2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District Chinese Address: 酒仙桥路2号 Open Hours: 11am-7pm Tue-Sun Website: www.pacebeijing.com
Pace Beijing was established in 2008 by PaceWildenstein, a leading New York art gallery and is located in Beijing’s 798 Art District. The gallery is dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art in Asia, presenting exhibitions by an international roster of artists including names like Zhang Xiaogang, Zhang Huan, Chuck Close, Jeff Koons, Alex Katz, Takashi Murakami, and Jean Michel Basquiat. Housed in a 1950s former factory, the gallery is 22,000 square feet and designed by Richard Gluckman, a New York architect whose work includes the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and the recent expansion of the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego. Pace Beijing’s inaugural exhibition Encounters made its debut in 798 Art District on August 2, 2008.
Red Gate Gallery 红门画廊
Address: Dashanzi 798 Art District ,2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, (opposite White Space), Chaoyang District Phone: 010-6438-7107; 010-6432-2624 Open Hours: 11am-6pm Tue-Sun. Website: www.redgategallery.com Admission: Free
Red Gate was the first art gallery in Beijing. Its 798 location is reserved for riskier and potentially more controversial shows.
Red Gate Sister location in Chongwen District Address: Dongbianmen Watchtower, Chongwenmen, Chongwen District Phone: 010-525-1005 Open Hours: 10am-5pm daily Admission: Free
Founded in 1991 by Australian Brain Wallace, Red Gate is arguably the best established gallery to be found in China. Located in a 16th-century watchtower and offering a wide range of contemporary art idioms, it is a must visit for any art lover coming to the city.
White Space Beijing 空白空间
Address: Dashanzi 798 Art District, 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District Open Hours: 12:00pm-6pm Tue-Sun Website: www.alexanderochs-galleries.de Admission: Free
Founded by German gallerist Alexander Ochs, White Space Beijing is a respected gallery in the city and has become an enviable venue for both established and up-and-coming artists, who are often exhibited in Alexander Och’s gallery space in Berlin.
Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA). 尤伦斯当代艺术中心
Address: Dashanzi 798 Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu,Chaoyang District Phone: 010-8459-9269 Open Hours: 10am-7pm Tue-Sun. Website: www.ucca.org.cn Admission: RMB30(adult),RMB20(group of over 10),RMB10(student and senior aged 65 above and special needs), free for childern under 1.3 m, free on Thursday
Add another must-see site to the list in rapidly modernizing Beijing. The Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, founded by Belgian art collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens in November 2007, aims to be China’s most comprehensive institute for contemporary arts. Their collection of around 1500 works by contemporary Chinese artists is considered to be the world's largest and best. The museum’s spare galleries, exposed support beams, and 31-foot-high ceilings recall the Bauhaus-style building’s original function as an electronics factory. It’s a natural fit for the 798 art district in Beijing’s Dashanzi neighborhood.
Three of the greatest buildings of the year 2008, Herzog and de Meuron’s extraordinary Olympic Stadium, the stunning steel latticework structure widely known as the Bird’s Nest; and Norman Foster’s Beijing Airport, a project that was not only bigger than any other airport in the world, but more beautiful, more logically laid out, and more quickly built. And the headquarters of CCTV, the Chinese television network, by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren, of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture—a building which I had thought was going to be a pretentious piece of structural exhibitionism—turned out to be a compelling and exciting piece of structural exhibitionism.
