Follow the trace of history through the time-honored valley in the Capital city of Beijing

As the longest and one of the most famous Hutong in Beijing, Dongjiaominxiang Alley reaches Tian’anmen Square to the west and Chongwenmen to the east. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was called the "Rice Alley" because of its proximity to the river port by which rice and grains arrived in Beijing from the south. In the Ming Dynasty, a number of ministries moved into the area, including the Ministry of Rites, which was in charge of diplomatic matters. In the Qing Dynasty, the area was opened for legations of a number of countries, including France, Russia and the United States. Foreign banks, hospitals and hotels also started mushrooming up in the alley. As a result of the area's history, it boasts many grand and exotic buildings and is rich in cultural heritage.
In the 1960s, many of the buildings were turned to government offices, such as the Beijing Municipal Government and the Ministry of Public Security, while foreign legations were moving to the Sanlitun area. The alley is such a famous symbol featured with traditional Beijing life style, yet also a special one as a witness to the history of China. Today, anyone can stroll in the tree-lined streets accompanied with European-style architecture, listening to the whisper of the wind narrating the change of history.
Capital Hotel locates in Dongjiaominxiang Alley, where situated the former German and India embassies. While staying at Capital Hotel and overlooking from the guest rooms of Tower A, the time-honored alley just comes into sight. In sunny days, you can take a walk or a ride along the historic alley to get the feel of the past glory. Until now, you can still get a glimpse of the old buildings of the Embassy of France, its Post Office, Grand Hotel des WagonLits, Citibank of U.S.A and the St. Michael’s Church. Wandering in the long alley, you can discover history in each piece of brick and tile and feel the collision and integration of Chinese and Western culture.
Capital Hotel was soft open in 1989. As a young member of Dongjiaominxiang Alley, Capital Hotel embraces a beautiful vision of the future as the profound history goes through the land. In the past 30 years, Dongjiaominxiang Alley witnessed the growth of Capital Hotel and the contribution of the hotel’s staff. In the meantime, Capital hotel has gone through the changes brought about by the reform and opening up. While the hotel won many valuable honors, it conveys the cultural heritage of the alley and capital spirit of Beijing to both Chinese and foreign guests.
For 30 years, Capital Hotel has been dedicated to providing tranquil and dignified living environment for guests. Tower B was open to public in 2007. And now, the Hotel Exterior Upgrading is fully completed. The whole facelift features landscaped gardens with traditional Chinese cultural ingredients, enables guests to experience the pure heritage of classic culture while enjoying elegant and quiet residence. May it the blue-and-white antique walls around the hotel, the corridors and the water fountain in the garden, or the ancient paintings and exquisite decorations in-house, all give a sense of low key luxury and history.
Located in the city center, Capital Hotel is easily accessible to many historical sites and scenic spots. Heading out from the northwest gate, you’ll find yourself standing in Dongjiaominxiang Alley and surrounded by many ancient buildings. It is within 10 minutes walk to Tiananmen Square and the Palace Museum…... It’s never enough to indulge in the city’s imprints in this alley, where modern features and classic monuments are intertwined and perfectly matched with each other, waiting for the hotel guests to come and touch the trace and of history.