Templeside Home Hostle

We decided that we wanted to spend a few days in a traditional Chinese Hu Tong. Hu TOngs are the old houses that popular with the multi generational Chinese Families. Many of the Hu Tong areas have bee torn down by the government putting up new high rise apartment buildings. And in a way you can see why. The tall apartments we have calculated can hold about 1,000 people in a big one, the single story homes, even if they are packed in, many less i am sure.

As is common in many places the old has become popular again even here in modern Beijing, so the remaining Hu Tong houses are being bought up and turned into ....boutique hotels! Luckily we found a plae that was only a guest house, and not pretentious at all. Bobby the owner of Templeside Home Hosle, was a delight and very helpfull. An excelent English speaker and of course knowlageable about all the ins and outs of the city. His Hu Tong had 10 rooms and a lovely rooftop terrace over looking the neighbourhood and the local temple. Evita and August were entertained by the captive cricket in the office. A good time was had by all.