We loved this courtyard hotel and were glad that we chose to stay there for 3 days. The Bamboo Garden Hotel is a sprawling complex with many low buildings (think chalet bungalows in sea side resort but tweak it into the chinese courtyard concept).
The lobby block was closest to the entrance of the hotel which is nestled inside the Xiao Shi Qiao Hutong made of a long narrow road.
We stayed at level two of the Ting song Lou (Listening Pines Block) which is further inside the hotel grounds, away from the alley and the car porch area where vehicles may idle while the tour vans or cars waited for the guests in the morning or evenings, past the restaurant facing the courtyard garden. There is free wifi in our room but it was rather weak. I could only get a strong signal if I sat at the window balcony area or near the room door/toilet area.
We liked the quiet, relaxing and peaceful location of our rooms and the courtyard garden with the rock landscaping, mini bamboo forest and the lovely pine trees right outside our block.
There is a pond (which is not so nice smelling) at the other side of the garden and I would not recommend at the blocks over that area near the pond unless the water is actually changed and flowing.
Also, during our stay, they were constructing a massage room around that area of the garden. While they had the work done during daytime so it wasn't noisy at all during the evening and night, we could smell traces of paint solvent from the construction when we walked past the rock landscape in the morning.
The hotel is around 10-15 minutes’ walk to the Gulou subway stn and Andingmen subway stn where the Nanluogu Alley is located is one stop away from the Gulou Station.
Walking Directions 1:
Turn right at the hotel exit, walk along the hutong alley till you hit the main road with an archway that reads Bamboo Garden in chinese.
(i) MacDonalds, Drum and Clock Towers
Standing in the direction facing the main road, on the right of the archway is MacDonalds where we get our daily dose of caffeine and if if walk further down from MacDonalds about 10 minutes, you will be able to sight the Drum and Clock Towers and use them for landmarks to reach the sights.
(ii) Gulou Subway Station and breakfast shops
Standing in the direction facing the main road, on the left of the archway are a long row of shops towards the subway and two convenience stores. The row of shops have many traditional chinese breakfast options ranging from express breakfast buns/bread with soymilk to snack bars, diners and restaurants which we strongly encourage to try them out on your way to the subway. Keep walking down the row of shops past the Soluxe Courtyard hotel till you see a cluster of bicycles parked on the pavement. The bicycles parked there tell you that you have reached the entrance to the Gulou subway station.
Walking Directions 2:
Shichahai, Wanghailou, Song Chin Ling Residence and Prince Gong Mansion
We followed the setting and the flock of birds on the first day of our stay and found the shortcut to Shichahai.while using the buildings under renovations as landmarks for backtracking (still feels pretty proud of our instincts)
Turn left at the hotel exit, walk along the hutong till you reach the intersection w/ Da Shi Qiao Hutong. Turn left and walk along Bifeng Hutong till you see another hutong alley - Xinkai Hutong on the left. Walk the Xinkai Hutong where there are some cafe/teashops and diners till the Main road which turned out to be Gulou West St.
There is a bbq shop at the mouth of the Xinkai Hutong, a fruit shop, a restaurant specializing in lamb or mutton and a convenience store. At the mouth of the Xinkai Hutong, cross the Gulou West St and follow a path alley that leads to the Shichahai lake.
You will see a noticeboard at the end of the path with a map and you can navigate yourself to the various sights clustered around the lake. If you walk northwards following the lake you can see a fitness corner for the residents. Walk further north, you will see a cluster of restaurants including a restaurant you can have your meals there.
