Why trundle through Beijing’s hutongs in a convoy of tourist tricycles, when you can hunker down in your own ancient courtyard – complete with rain showers and room service? A handful of new hutong hotels are transforming the Chinese capital’s traditional residences into unique, and remarkably affordable, accommodation options. Our current favourite is Hotel Cote Cour SL.

Ming dynasty meets Vogue Living at this 500-year-old hutong residence now revived as a 14-room boutique hotel. Cote Cour is French for ‘garden view’. It’s also the name of the royal box at the theatre, a fitting theatrical allusion considering that Yanyue Hutong where the hotel is situated was once the rehearsal and living quarters of actors and dancers of the emperor’s court during the Ming dynasty.

Hidden behind grey brick walls and a lipstick-red door, the hotel feels a world away from its ramshackle surrounds. Fashionable first-time hotelier Shauna Liu invariably greets each of her guests, and her cheongsam-clad staff are always on hand with a glass of iced lemon water (there are 15 full-time staff for the 14-room hotel making for excellent all-round service).

Rooms and suites of different configurations range around a central courtyard, connected by intricately painted corridors. But it’s not all traditional. The ancient Chinese canvas is offset with plenty of quirky flourishes creating a delightfully cheery and liveable space. A candy-pink garden bench sits opposite a 200-year-old date tree, and sun umbrellas coloured emperor-yellow are dotted around a goldfish pond. The whole place is wired and unbelievably quiet – you’d never guess you were in the heart of Beijing.

Everywhere you turn you can see that the creator of this cosy hideaway has an eye for detail and style. The traditionally dark rooms are brightened with lime walls and emerald mosaic bathrooms, while elsewhere antique bricks combine with contemporary lacquered concrete surfaces. Tall beds are made with fine linen and handmade Chinese silk, and TVs are of the flat screen variety with a wide selection of international channels. Though not as spacious as the Suites, the Deluxe Superior (number 203) is the room to book, with higher ceilings and bustling street views.

Guests have access to a whimsical residents’ lounge strewn with silk armchairs, a giant birdcage, and room-length mural by local contemporary artist Chi Peng. Morning sunlight streams through six-metre glass panes as you tuck into breakfast of organic muesli, fresh-baked scones, tropical fruits and coffee strong-brewed from the gleaming espresso machine (included in the room rate). Reserve ahead for dinner, when the chef cooks up a healthy menu using whatever is fresh from the market that day.