Côté cour is French for 'garden view' but it's also the traditional French name given to the royal box in the theatre – a perfect tribute to the performing artists of the emperor's court who, during the
Ming dynasty, lived and rehearsed in Yanyue Hutong where this gem of a hotel is situated.
Hotel Côté Cour SL is owned by ex-Hong Kong investment banker, Shauna Liu, who always wanted her own boutique hotel. She spent six months restoring and transforming the
500-year-old building by first commissioning scores of local artisans to paint the ancient Chinese corridors in intricate designs, then decorating the bedrooms with colourful flourish, before recreating a traditional Chinese courtyard garden and a rooftop terrace as a peaceful retreat for her guests from the bustle of the city outside.
Rumour has it that traditional Chinese courtyard hotels are right on trend in Beijing and this intimate little hideaway is way ahead of the pack. Guests love the fact that it combines
old-fashioned hospitality and personal service with five-star luxuries – high quality linen, modern bathrooms, air conditioning and heating, Wi-Fi access, and satellite television. It's fabulously convenient too - just ten minutes from the city centre and a half-hour walk away from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
No surprises then that Condé Nast Traveller lists the hotel on its Hot List for 2008 and reckons that 'the woman behind Beijing's sleekest boutique hotel could teach big-brand concierges a thing or two about personal service'.
Hôtel Côté Cour SL is JUST THE PLANET'S hotel of choice for the Gourmet Tour to China from 8 to 18 November 2008, hosted by Luxury Concierge China.
Hôtel Côté Cour SL , 70 Yan Yue Hutong, Dong Cheng Qu, Beijing
www.hôtelcôtécoursl.com
