Since the 2008 olympics, modernized inns are taking the place of traditional B&Bs in the hutongs of houhai

Returning to Beijing three years after the Olympic Games, French photographer Pierre Dumont is happy that prices at his favorite bed and breakfast (B&B) have not increased.

Olympic homestays in Houhai area offer foreign tourists an opportunity to learn about the real folk life of Beijing residents. Photos Provided to China Daily

"It is an oasis amid the modern and commercialized surroundings. I am happy to experience the hutong (alley) life again," says Dumont, who is in China for a fortnight to shoot a new photo album.

Dumont stays at Gold Silk House, a siheyuan (courtyard homes) style B&B, located in the hutongs of Beijing's Houhai area. Most of these B&Bs were approved as Olympic homestays before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by the local authorities.

But many of them are struggling to survive, as they are unable to attract more footfalls because of rising inflation, bigger and better competition and the lack of modernization.

Lin Xiaomu, director of the Shichahai Scenic Area Administrative Office, says there used to be 33 host families for Olympic homestays, and the B&B service peaked during the same period. But now there are only four left, with well-preserved siheyuans.

The immediate challenge for most B&B owners comes from big businesses, which are building luxury hotels and catering facilities in the lake area, one of the most popular places in the city for local and international travelers.

Lin says many traditional courtyards have been bought up and refurnished as modern inns. These new inns with bigger bed capacities are certainly more profitable, but lack original charm.

"The four old-fashioned B&Bs left are the only open windows for the world to learn about real folk life, and I hope they survive," Lin says.

Jing Jichang, host of the Gold Silk House, says revenue this year is only one-third of what it was in 2008 and 2009. "October should have been the peak season, but more than half of the beds were empty last month, and most of our customers were repeat visitors," Jing says with disappointment.

Jing says that more than 90 percent of his customers are foreigners, and less than 10 percent are from Hong Kong or Taiwan. "This is partly because they have more interest in the traditional Beijing culture," he says.

Despite attractions like distinctive architecture and traditional decorations, lower prices tend to attract most customers to the B&Bs.

Nominally priced at 200 yuan ($31, 23 euros) for a bed and breakfast, rates at most establishments have remained unchanged for more than three years. The average price for a standard room at a chain hotel or boutique hotel in the Houhai area is around 500 yuan.

"I did my research before I first came here, and this might be the cheapest lodging in this area," says the 43-year-old Dumont. "But that was three years ago! The hotels are more expensive today as the prices of everything has gone up."

China's CPI rose 3.3 percent year-on-year in 2010, while property prices in Beijing grew 42 percent year-on-year.

"Some customers have been coming to our house every year for over four years now. How can I raise the rates? They come to explore the authentic lifestyle of Beijing residents, and we want them to have a worthwhile trip. This is Beijing-style hospitality," says Jing, when asked why he has not increased the prices.

On the other hand, the B&B owners, mostly in the 40s and 50s age group, also have problems promoting their services.

"During the 2008 Olympic Games, our customers were sent to us by the Beijing Tourism Bureau. But now, most of the customers are repeat visitors or their friends," Jing says.

The other three B&B owners are also going through a tough period and are allowing tourists for "courtyard viewings" to boost revenues.

"The B&B revenue cannot cover our daily expenses. So we have to find ways to make more money," says Zuo Jun, host of another B&B in Houhai.

Zuo says at least 200 people visit their courtyard every day and the ticket price is 1 yuan per person.

"The constant visits by tourists has certainly disturbed our lives, but we have no other option," he says.

For many old acquaintances, the facilities still have their attractions.

Jason Craig, an Australian tea trader, spends about two weeks in Jing's house every year. "It's totally different from the Western-style hotels. The host is a special person, and I love to listen to his old stories of Beijing," says Craig, who is also satisfied with the pleasant lake nearby and the convenient transportation.

Entering the old-fashioned courtyard, one can find all four fundamental elements required for a traditional courtyard: a grape trellis, a pond with golden fish, a pomegranate tree and a fat dog.

Jing has provided the B&B service with his wife, Wang Zhixi, since 2003 when the Shichahai bar street became famous and regional tourism started to take off.

After retirement, the couple renovated their well-preserved Qing Dynasty-style house with more modern facilities, such as an air conditioner, a heat radiator and a bathroom in each room. The courtyard is also Wi-Fi enabled.

"Using these facilities, tourists can easily send photos or e-mails to their families and friends. What they see is our daily lives, and what they participate in is also our daily lives. The feeling of home comes from the comfort and convenience instead of the decoration," says Wang.

Jing, 57, speaks with a strong Beijing accent. Jing and his family have lived in the Gold Silk House for four generations now and have been practicing speaking English for the past few years. Wang says that she can also speak some Japanese.

Jing says that he is happy to communicate with foreign customers and teach them how to speak Chinese under the grape trellis or practice taichi in the courtyard. For Jing, who has a considerable pension after retirement, the B&B is more of a lifestyle than making a living.

"As long as we live here, we will always keep the beds for our foreign friends, no matter whether it is profitable or not. I provide them a home away from home that also has rich cultural resources," says Jing.