Hutongs!

... these are the little areas close to the Forbidden City where the families of political & influential people lived back in the day. At the moment, it's a bit of a tourist trap replete with pubs!

However, if you're ever IN Beijing, i recommend looking up the Hutongs as a place to stay - a room (like the one Siyu & Maddie are in below) will set you back about US$45/night and that includes some great food, a courtyard atmosphere (including Hanging Dead Fish!), and if you're into it some competitive Mah Jong!

We boarded our flight early morning... took about 2 hours for the tour. We were a little rushed due to our schedule for the day but it was a worthwhile experience nonetheless.