Waldorf Astoria — Beijing, China

In order to maintain its position as the most dramatic-looking hotel in Beijing's bustling Wangfujing district, architecture firms AS+GG and RTKL designed the Waldorf Astoria with a striking bronze exterior that will change colour over the years. Inside, esteemed design firm Yabu Pushelberg has created a space that feels like a discreet mansion. As well as an impressive collection of contemporary art, the interior houses 171 spacious guest rooms that follow a modern Western layout with Chinese design touches, such as silk-panelled walls and oriental rugs on wooden floors. As a reference to the past, two new traditional style courtyard residences designed by Ma Bingjian, the director of the Beijing Ancient Architecture Design Institute, have been built in the historical alleyway behind the main tower. Connected to the hotel via an underground passage, and to be opened later this year, both 'Hutong Villas' have four rooms, one of which is also home to a swimming pool and 16-seat cinema.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
5-15 Jinyu Hutong
Dongcheng District
Beijing
China
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
London Design Festival 2025: live updates from the Wallpaper* team
From 11-21 September, London is celebrating design in all its forms. Here's the latest news, launches and other goings-on from London Design Festival 2025, as seen by Wallpaper* editors
-
Inside Ardbeg House, the whimsical Islay hotel from the Scotch distillery
‘Luxury with a laugh’ is how Russell Sage describes his designs for the new hotel, where each room draws on island and whisky lore
-
Luxury cruise line Explora Journeys will set sail in Asia for the first time
28 voyages across Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore will mark the luxury travel brand’s debut in the region
-
Discover a futuristic bar in Shanghai with mad-scientist energy
Penicillin opens in Shanghai with a clinical steel and concrete design by LC Studio alongside trailblazing, sustainable cocktails
-
A colossal ‘ship’ in Shanghai honours Louis Vuitton’s travel legacy
Louis Vuitton’s The Louis is an OMA-designed hub combining retail, culture and dining in the heart of Nanjing West Road
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Prada and Wong Kar-wai dream up a cinematic restaurant in Shanghai
Prada partners with Wong Kar-wai to bring Mi Shang Rong Zhai to life, a dining experience influenced by the arthouse director’s seminal oeuvre
-
Enjoy heritage views and contemporary brews at a new Beijing café
JM Café, White Pagoda Temple by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio nods to the history of the Xicheng District while injecting a shot of vitality
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy design
There’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
China’s Alila Shanghai hotel is a stylish hub of idle tranquillity
Alila Shanghai, the brand's first urban resort in Greater China, is a serene bolthole amidst the pulse of the Jing'an district
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this year
From the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025