Equis: A New Contender for Beijing's Best High-End Bar
One of Beijing's most extravagant, alluring new bars is located in the place you'd least expect.
Instead of being housed in a posh corner of Sanlitun or the CBD, Equis can be found in the comparatively quiet Liangmaqiao area. That's because the recently opened lounge is in the neighborhood's Four Seasons Hotel. It certainly wouldn't be a good fit for the scarce, hotly coveted Sanlitun or business district real estate, considering this venue's gigantic 3,600-sqm floor space.
And just what are they doing with that copious amount of room? Well, they have one of Beijing's best terraces, for starters. It's simple enough, with Great Wall-ish bricks that offset noise and winds just enough, while also boasting plenty of greenery and an outside bar. More importantly, this terrace is just downright big enough to fit lots of patrons comfortably, making it ideal for lounging with all your pals during the capital's gorgeous autumn season.
Inside, the venue is sectioned off into themed areas like the Cellar (which has a fireplace and a huge seafood counter, including Belon oysters, along with lots of champagne); the Library (a quieter corner with artisanal spirits and craft cocktails); the Imperial room (painted bright red like the set of your Chinese friends' favorite historical soap opera). Then there's the main Lounge area, which is outfitted with glittery surfaces that rival the sidewalk that Michael Jackson moonwalked on in the Billie Jean video, along with a dance floor and DJ booth to boot.
Some of those sections were too fancy for our liking, but we really enjoyed the dazzling main Lounge area and the relaxed terrace, both which attained the sort of atmosphere that they seemed to be designed for.
Aside from our surroundings, we were also impressed by what the friendly bar staff poured into our glasses. Equis' cocktails are creative, refreshing and sport plenty of Chinese ingredients. One of the best is the RMB 78 Qianhai Cooler (made with vodka and jasmine syrup along with fresh lemon and club soda, for a smooth, light finish). Even Equis' more conventional cocktails have noteworthy Chinese twists. Prime example: their old fashioned, with smoldering bourbon balanced with dabs of sweet persimmon honey, along with aromatic bitters. It's also priced at RMB 78, which is more than reasonable considering the steep bill you can easily ring up at many new Beijing cocktail bars.
Of course, these are by no means the best cocktails in Beijing, but they were much more flavorful and distinctive than we expected from a hotel bar, or most bars in general. Further to that point: so many hotel lounges are blasé at best, a critique that could never be leveled at this ambitious, flashy venue. Patrons with more low-key tastes will find it to be a sensory overload, but that's not who the staff is looking to woo anyway. Instead, the sort of elegant young throngs who hit up Mei Bar or the new InfraRouge will be happy to know that there's a new joint in Liangmaqiao that can rival those glossy lounges.
Equis (Four Seasons Hotel)
Daily, 5pm-late (terrace opens at 8pm). 48 Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang District (5695 8888)
北京四季酒店 ：朝阳区亮马桥路48号
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Email: kylemullin@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
Photos: Courtesy of Equis