The emperor arrives in qianmen

Qianmen is currently more a tourist destination than a hot spot for Beijing's on-trend set, but it may just change soon, especially with the opening of the Emperor Hotel.

This member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World joins other illustrious neighbors in Qianmen, including Capital M restaurant. Qianmen also hosts Beijing Design Week, another factor that will attract the young, hip crowd.

"The age of the cheap group tours is coming to an end, and the era of individual visitors who appreciate original design and experience is rising. We are here to embrace that," says Liu Shaojun, founder and chairman of the Emperor Hotel.