Tiananmen Square Beijing

Lost Heaven is one of Beijing’s most talked about restaurants with an eclectic menu to match the stylish design.

Opened in May last year, Lost Heaven occupies a prestgious location in Ch’ien Men 23, a refined lifestyle complex housing high end stores such as Patek Philippe and Johnnie Walker House, the renowned Maison Boulud, an art gallery and theatre.

The quadrangle of neo-classical buildings was home to the US embassy in the Qing dynasty (between 1903 and 1949) and is close to the Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. By contrast, Lost Heaven is in a slick, contemporary building with an expansive dining room, bar and second floor outdoor terrace.

Lost Heaven is inspired by James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon and there are already two outlets in Shanghai. The Beijing restaurant’s stunning design features hand-carved wooden chairs with jewel tone cushions, decorative orange lanterns, embroidered bar seats, colourful tiles and photographs of Yunnan Province. The surroundings are so striking that Lost Heaven won Best Interior Design 2013 in Time Out Beijing Food & Drink Awards.

Chef Li Zhire’s menu references the ethnic cultures along the Ancient Tea Horse Trail through Yunnan, Burma and Tibet. Some of the tribal-style dishes from Yunnan Province are folk classics, while others are innovative interpretations exclusive to Lost Heaven.

We visited for a late lunch and enjoyed the chef’s selection of signature dishes and chilled glasses of lemongrass lemonade.

We started with a delicious string beans salad with a peanut, dried shrimp and red chilli topping. This was swiftly followed by Ji-zong mushrooms, stir-fried kale, stir-fried broccoli with garlic and some tasty vegetable spring rolls. All of the dishes were beautifully presented in terracotta or hand-painted dishes and were decorated with pretty purple and white flowers atop a bed of fresh kale.

For the meat dishes, we tried braised bamboo shoots with chicken, Da Li-style stir-fried chicken with Jiao Tou and Huayao Dai-style sauteed beef tenderloin. The chicken and beef were both served in long minced strands and had a springy, light texture.

Other delicious dishes that we tried included Yunnan scrambled eggs with white mushrooms, spicy cod steamed in banana leaves, Yunnan-style hot and spicy tofu, and fried rice with vegetables. My favourite dish was the Miao Tribe hot and sour prawns in a rich, spicy tomato and chilli sauce.

Most of the dishes we tried were very spicy and hot, with a delicately fragrant taste. If you prefer milder tastes, ask the attentive staff to make some menu recommendations.

We finished with a luscious fresh fruit platter of watermelon, strawberry, orange, apple and dragon fruit.

Lost Heaven is perfect for a delicious lunch after sightseeing in Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, or for an elegant evening meal in grand surroundings. Sampling authentic dishes from Yunnan Province is a rare opportunity that is not to be missed when visiting Beijing.

For more Beijing travel ideas, read my reviews of

Chérie City was a guest of Shangri-La Hotels

All photos by Chérie City

China World Summit Wing by Shangri-La is Beijing’s tallest and most stylish new luxury hotel. The beautifully-designed hotel is located on the top floors of the striking China World Trade Centre, within the China World complex in Beijing’s flourishing business district.

Location

Sights such as Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are a 15-minute taxi ride away and there is a wealth of shopping opportunities on the hotel’s doorstep with the interconnected China World Mall, featuring the likes of Hermès, Jimmy Choo and Fendi, and the nearby Silk Street Market for a bit of bartering and bargain hunting.

China World Summit Wing features 278 guest rooms and begins on the 64th floor with the impressive Resident’s Lounge, offering guests complimentary tea and bites throughout the day.

Arrival

On arrival from the airport, we were welcomed by a large, friendly group of Shangri-La staff and were swiftly escorted to our rooms where we were checked in from the comfort of our own desk. The lovely, attentive Effie made sure I had everything I needed and was present throughout our stay, asking about our day and plans.

The Room

My Premier Room on the 68th floor was extremely spacious and designed in a chic contemporary style with Asian touches and a colour palette of midnight blue, gold, red and dark wood. Being a corner room, it features floor to ceilings windows boasting incredible views of the Beijing skyline.

Premier Room features include a large writing desk with integrated tech hub and drawers filled with office supplies, an iPod docking station and sound system, free wifi and a 40-inch Samsung LCD TV with movie channels included and a DVD player. The TV conveniently swivels so you can watch it comfortably from any point in the room.

The sumptuous king-size bed covered in crisp 300-thread-count linen is well-suited to imaginative dreams with a mural of the mystical Shangri-La mountains above the head board. Being so far removed from the traffic and bustle of the city made the room completely free from noise.

In a corner of the room is a dark wood cabinet with a Nespresso machine and kettle with a full China tea service, a selection of teas and coffee, minibar and complimentary bottled water.

A Welcome Treat

A delightful Shangri-La signature is a pot of jasmine tea waiting in your room on arrival. I enjoyed a few cups curled up in an armchair and couldn’t resist grazing on a few of the pretty mini financier cakes. A gold and black lacquered box filled with fresh fruits, a granola bar and cookies is replenished daily.

The bedroom leads on to a fabulous walk-in wardrobe with two large fitted wardrobes, drawers and a nook for storing luggage.

The Bathroom

The Marble bathroom has real ‘wow factor’, featuring a deep soaking tub set against a spectacular view of the city. The amazing statement bath is complemented by luxurious features such as a double sink, a large mirror with a concealed 15-inch flat screen LCD TV, separate glass stalls with a rainfall shower and separate toilet. A quirky touch across all Shangri-La hotels is a notepad and pen and a ledge for holding your mobile phone.

I was delighted to find a full set of L’Occitane bathroom amenities in both the shower and by the soaking tub, as well as sachets of bath salts and a drawer full of the usual bathroom extras such as cotton wool, nail files and combs. As if that wasn’t enough to be well-groomed, there was also an embroidered female amenities bag filled with L’Occitane lip balm, facial cleansing wipe, shea butter hand cream, sheer stockings and a hair band.

Turndown

At evening turndown, the room is thoughtful prepared with extra bottles of complimentary Evian and glasses by the bedside, slippers laid out on a cotton mat and a sweet treat presented in a little box on the bed. One night it was a decadent mint milk chocolate and the next was a duo of red bean rice rolls.

Breakfast

Breakfast with spectacular views over the Forbidden City in Grill 79 is the perfect way to begin the day, with everything you could possibly want for breakfast. The breakfast buffet features a generous selection of mini pastries and muffins, granola, fruit and yoghurt parfaits, Chinese rice and noodle dishes, pork congee, dim sum, eggs and bacon.

Alongside the buffet, guests can order freshly-cooked dishes including pancakes, French Toast, Eggs Benedict and scrambled eggs with bacon. Glasses of freshly-squeezed orange juice and pots of English Breakfast Tea completed my morning meal.

The Swimming Pool

The health and leisure facilities at China World Summit Wing are truly impressive. The expansive state-of-the-art gym is sleek and modern while the 25-metre indoor infinity swimming pool gives the unbeatable feeling of swimming in the clouds above Beijing. The herbal steam room, laconium and vitality pool have a cool urban spa design and are perfect for relaxing the muscles, particularly after a long day of sightseeing.

CHI Spa

On our first day in Beijing, we had the pleasure of visiting CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La. We were welcomed with warming green tea and were offered a choice of oils for our one hour Aroma Wellness Massage – I chose rose. The massage focused on my back, neck and shoulders and really helped me unwind after the long flight. In fact, it was so relaxing that I almost drifted off to sleep a few times.

Dining at China World Summit Wing

China World Summit Wing has five restaurants including the fine dining Cantonese restaurant Fook Lam Moon, the stylish and international Grill 79, high end Japanese chain restaurant Nadaman and the more casual Noodle Bar and The Red Chamber. Private dining is also offered in the intimate Chairman Rooms.

Atmosphere, on the 80th floor, is the highest bar in the city and there is always a queue to sip Champagne and cocktails while marveling at the unrivaled views. Chief Bartender Henning Neufeld asked which kind of ingredients I like and made me a bespoke Old Fashioned using Talisker whisky. As the name suggests, the bar has a great ambiance, with guests dancing to the live band into the early hours. Like many bars in Beijing, it can get quite smoky, but it’s worth it for one glam evening.

China World Summit Wing is an exquisite hotel at the pinnacle of luxury with warm, unbeatable Asian hospitality. Service is exemplary – well choreographed yet sincere – and the small touches are what makes the hotel so special. Staying at China World Summit Wing is an experience in itself and the perfect way to discover the finer delights of Beijing.

A double room at China World Summit Wing starts from 2,530 RMB (approx £268) per room per night. Price includes tax and service. (B&B basis).

Chérie City was a guest of China World Summit Wing