BARS OF BEIJING

No one would question the fact that China’s capital has a thriving bar scene, but in recent years many independent outlets have taken a hit. Sanlitun’s infamous expatfriendly Dirty Bar Street has undergone significant gentrification since April 2017 – the street that was once home to a host of dive bars has now been widened and pedestrianised, with flowers and bushes lining the roadside, according to the South China Morning Post.

Fortunately, this dearth of dingier drinking dens has been partly made up for by some impressive innovations in the hotel bar space. Sarah Keenlyside, who runs Bespoke Travel Company in Beijing and was deputy editor of Time Out Beijing between 2005 and 2009, says more people in Beijing seem to be drinking in hotel bars these days.

“It’s partly because a number of smaller, more independent bars in Beijing have been shut down; partly because some people can’t handle the chaos of Sanlitun; and partly because these hotels are now as creative and affordable as the independent bars,” she says. “They’ve really made the effort to do something different – and you get five-star hotel service thrown in, so it becomes a no-brainer.”

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