NATURAL APPROACH

Wangjing, a residential area in northeast Beijing known as much for its surfeit of Korean restaurants as for its more recent emergence as a vibrant business center and IT hub, now has a hotel to match its new buzz. Designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma as a tribute to the traditional three-sided courtyard house known as sanhe

yuan, Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing is a ravishing addition to the city’s lodgings scene, its location between green parks re ected in an “urban forest”–inspired look that emphasizes natural materials and understated contemporary luxury. Beyond the conservatory-like lobby, the hotel’s 3 guest rooms continue the theme with swaths of oak wood, beige marble, and wood-grain patterned carpets, not to mention oor-to-ceiling windows that frame views of the surrounding greenery. Culinary o erings range from the Market Caf , where guests dine on regional and international cuisine amid gazebos and water features, to Shunpachi, an izakaya

style restaurant serving an array of Japanese specialties. Other pluses include a cabana-lined indoor pool and easy access to the 79 Art one and Beijing’s extensive subway system. For more information, call 86-10/8630-1234 or visit beijingwangjing.regency.hyatt.com