Beijing: Nightlife

Centro This enduringly popular martini bar at the Kerry Center Hotel attracts both business travelers and a monied local crowd. Cocktails and cigars are the ubiquitous order of the day. Chaoyang; Kerry Center Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu; 011-8610-6561-8833; www.shangri-la.com
bar

Face You’ll never believe that this three-floor building used to be a school. Infused with southeast-Asian style, the bar/restaurant serves Thai, Indian, Moroccan, and Chinese cuisines. The warm-toned bar features scarlet armchairs, contemporary artworks, and hanging lanterns. There is also an outdoor patio terrace. Chaoyang; 26 Dongcao Yuan; Gongti Nan Lu; 011-8610-6551-6788; www.facebars.com
trendy | lounge | patio

LAN Beijing entrepreneur Zhang Lan hired Philippe Starck to design this 1.5-acre space, which comprises a restaurant, bar, and club. The result is eclectic – Mongolian yurts star in the dining room, while upside-down Regency-style portraits, ’50s Chinese memorabilia, and Starck’s eagle-winged thrones decorate the lounge. Chaoyang; 4/F Twin Tower; B12 Jianguomen Waidajie; 011-8610-5109-6012; www.lanbeijing.com
smart splurge | design | expensive | top pick

Passby Bar A long-standing favorite with independent travelers, this hutong bar, with its Tibetan-style interior and atmospheric, off-street courtyard, provides guests with travel guides and magazines, plus pastas, salads, and beers. Dongcheng; 108 Nanluo Guxiang; 011-8610-8403-8004
great value | bar | tibetan

White Rabbit Opened in late 2007, this two-floor venue caters to dedicated clubbers, offering creative electronica and experimental techno, while artfully avoiding the current Chinese urge to import ‘90s-era, ‘superstar’ DJs. Chaoyang; C2 Haoyun Jie; 29 Zaoying Lu; 011-86133-2112-3678
new | dancing | nightclub