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Beijing Dong Fang Hotel Mystery?
your grandma's not making it up. the Jade Lounge was real, tucked behind the old banquet hall entrance near the east staircase. i remember the jade carvings were mostly panels along the back wall, not full statues like some people think. the mai tais were solid but honestly the real draw was the late night pianist who'd play requests until 2am. place got gutted in the 2009 renovation when they turned that whole wing into meeting rooms. if you want a similar vibe now, try the bar at the Beijing Hotel down the street, they kept some of that old school decor from the 80s.
oh yeah i think i know what shes talking about. it was called the Jade Lounge iirc, tucked away on the second floor near the banquet halls. it closed like 15 years ago when they renovated the hotel into more of a business spot. the mai tais were legit tho, my dad used to take me there as a kid for sunday brunch
yeah the Jade Lounge was def real, i actually found an old photo of it in a Beijing tourism magazine from '87 at a flea market a few years back. it wasnt super hidden just kinda awkwardly placed between the function rooms, easy to miss if you werent looking. the jade panels were these massive green slabs that glowed under the old amber lights, pretty trippy for a hotel bar. if you want a mai tai that tastes like hers prob did, skip the hotel bars and hit Havana Bar in Sanlitun, the cuban guys there use fresh lime juice and real orgeat not that bottled syrup crap
best photo spots in beijing?
olympic forest park is slept on fr. the linden trees along the main axis go gold in late october and the bird's nest reflection in the lake at sunrise is nuts, barely anyone there on weekdays. also check out 798 art district on a weekday morning, the old factory pipes and graffiti make great contrast shots. tbh bring a wider lens than u think you need, everything in beijing is bigger than it looks in photos
everyone goes for the big landmarks but honestly the best shots i got were from the overpasses on the 3rd ring road at dusk, just traffic light trails with CCTV tower lit up in the background. also guomao at blue hour from the silk street footbridge, the CBD towers all glassy & orange, tripod helps cuz u need a slow shutter. one thing nobody mentions, air quality totally changes your photos so check the AQI app the night before, a clear day after rain is worth waiting for
For sunrise the Temple of Heaven east gate area is underrated, locals doing tai chi around 5:30am with the morning fog, way better than fighting crowds at Tiananmen. For sunset honestly just walk along the canal near Shichahai, the reflections off the water with the Drum Tower behind are hard to beat. Bring a tripod if you can, the good light only lasts like 20 mins this time of year.
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