The Opposite House

I had heard that The Opposite House was once hailed as the pinnacle of Beijing’s hotel scene. Often staying at The Upper House in Hong Kong, I was intrigued to experience its counterpart after my recent stay at Rosewood Beijing. Let me assure you, the contrast between the two experiences was as stark as Bliss and Torment. Unfortunately, my recent encounter with the Opposite House didn’t live up to expectations when it came to overall experience and room comfort. While the hotel’s prime location held promise, the  prevalence of significant drawbacks cast a shadow over the stay, resulting in a very unsatisfactory experience.

As I stepped through the entrance, my initial impression was YMCA. The lobby’s interior décor seemed to be an ambience of an aspiring futuristic youth hostel. The angular and pointy design of the check-in counter’s backdrop, in particular, was rather irritating, creating an unsettling effect on my eyes and an immediate sense of discomfort. The cascading curtains only added to this dissonance, evoking memories of a scene from “Fantastic Beasts” where the baby was drowning. These aspects significantly detracted from the anticipated tranquil, relaxing and soothing atmosphere that one expects upon entering a hotel. That red elevator, I can’t even… The lobby is just screaming bad feng shui in any sense, 嘈杂不息，难得宁静。

After completing the check-in process, a bell attendant delivered my luggages to the room, left them by the door, and promptly departed. There was no orientation or explanation of the room’s features. Upon entering, I couldn’t help but notice that the room’s design seemed to prioritise its ‘aesthetics’ over practicality and comfort. A major drawback became apparent with the complete absence of any demarcation between the bedroom and the bathroom. This design quirk led to discomfort, particularly when stepping out of the shower or bath, as the abrupt shift in temperature caused by the air conditioning was disconcerting. To make matters worse, the master switch failed to power down all electrical components, leaving the lights in the shower and toilet on without any means of turning them off. The choice of hard surfaces throughout the room resulted in subpar sound insulation; as someone who prefers an early bedtime, the noises from the lobby persisted and hindered my attempts to sleep soundly.

Privacy proved to be another HUGE concern. The hotel’s layout, with rooms facing an atrium much like public housing in Hong Kong, had regrettable consequences. Anyone in the lobby had a direct line of sight into each room, effectively broadcasting occupants’ comings and goings. I really do not understand the green film all over the window, is it an attempt to create a false sense of privacy? Once inside, the proximity of neighbouring buildings and the lack of one-way windows allowed pedestrians on the street to peer into the room, compromising both personal space and security. I can attest to this firsthand, as I observed my own room from the street with unsettling clarity. This lack of privacy dealt a significant blow to the overall comfort of the stay. (You can see through my room below LOL)

The modern design of the enclosed shower, while aiming to complete its ‘aesthetic’, unintentionally generated a sense of confinement, inadvertently evoked a feeling of claustrophobia, overshadowing the intended relaxation during bathing. The bathtub’s impractical design led to water spilling onto the floor, leaving behind unsightly stains accumulated over time.

The encounters with the hotel staff proved to be equally disappointing. When I approached the front desk for assistance on several occasions during my stay, I found the tone and language they used to be rather disconcerting. It seemed they might have underestimated my Mandarin comprehension. Adding to this, during the check-out process, I couldn’t help but notice the complete absence of inquiries about my stay. This absence was quite conspicuous and indicated a lack of attentiveness to guest feedback.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to explore Opposite House’s food and beverage offerings or experience the hotel’s facilities, so I can’t provide any insights on those aspects. However, I can certainly share my overall impressions of my stay. Regrettably, my stay at the Opposite House was tarnished by discomfort stemming from room design, subpar sound insulation, issues of privacy, and unsatisfactory service encounters. Despite the hotel’s convenient location and certain aesthetic elements, these significant flaws cast a long shadow over the overall experience. Given the lack of comfort and noise-related disruptions, I can barely sleep that night.

Address: Building 1 No 11 Sanlitun Road Chaoyang, Sanlitun