Sanlitun Village is not in the least like any other village in China. It is a huge retail area comprising 19 separate buildings on two sites and a boutique hotel connecting the structures with alleyways, courtyards, squares and tree-lined lanes featuring fountains and ponds, sculptures and places to relax. The design and layout of the facility, inspired by Beijing’s famous hutongs is aimed at giving the public one of the best shopping, dining, entertainment and cultural experiences possible. Some of the world’s most well-known architects combined their design and artistic visions to come up with a series of dramatic buildings that are at once eye catching, yet warm and welcoming and a different stroke from the huge enclosed air-conditioned box that is the usual mega-mall.

Piazza Village in the south of the complex features 140 shopping venues showcasing some of the most well-known names in international retail, as well as a multi-screen cinema and dining venues offering different options for a range of taste buds. The Deck, which is at the northern end of the village, offers high-end retail experiences. Avante garde and contemporary art galleries showcasing works by contemporary Chinese and international artists are also found here. Its many facilities and people-friendly design has turned Sanlitun into a chic area where many expats from adjacent embassies and international organisations along with hip locals hangout, splurge, party and window shop.

More than half the pubs and bars in Beijing are supposed to be located on the so-called bar street, which is in north Sanlitun. Over 80 pubs and bars line the street and many have become famous over the years. Some of these establishments open in the afternoon and remain open till the wee hours of the following day while some are open 24 hours. Most bars have eye-catching interior décor and resort to various gimmicks such as live bands, dancing after dark and other entertainment to draw in the crowds. They are busiest during major international soccer tournaments when giant screens are set up on the sidewalks to show much-anticipated matches. A tea bar with furniture from tree roots and sawn off logs also on ‘bar street’ attract quite a crowd with its original interior decor and quaint tea pots as well as its selection of fine teas and tea art shows. Sanlitun also offers a range of restaurants from gourmet to fast food. Visitors can enjoy food from all over the world including specialised Chinese cuisine. Top-end beauty salons, nail bars and spas with the latest treatment regimes that are a real blessing for the foot sore, complete the facilities at the village.

Enjoy a stay in a prominent luxury apartment in Beijing that easily meets the needs of families and business executives. The Somerset Grand Fortune Garden Beijing located in a central area of the city with quick access to shopping, attractions, business and entertainment destinations, offers its guests a range of spacious, furnished and fully-equipped apartments. Suitable for long and short stays, these serviced apartments Beijing features provides many luxuries of home and are ideal to be used as a base from which to experience the many fascinating aspects of the city.

Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and hopes to visit them all someday. Google+