Clusters of expatriate apartments are dotted around the edge of Chaoyang Park, the city's largest. Restaurants and cafes to be found at the park's West gate. A subway line will soon connect the area to the CBD.
At the northeast corner of the 4th Ring road. One of the older expatriate neighbourhoods with the Holiday Inn Lido at its epicentre. A relatively leafy area with decent amenities. 798, a 50s era industrial factory turned creative hub is here.
The busy central business district contains a high concentration of office towers with China World at it's centre. Ritan Park and the surrounding leafy embassies afford a small green lung. Preferred by those wanting a quick commute to work.
The geographic centre of the city, but now frequented by provincial and foreign tourists. With Tiananmen and the Forbidden City to the south and Houhai's courtyards to the north, it's a historical area. However, there are few quality homes and amenities in the area.
Tax breaks have attracted financial houses to this new area to the west of Tiananmen. Very quiet in the evenings and weekends. There are few quality homes and a dearth of amenities.
Although home to the city's top universities, this is not Cambridge. Promoted as a tech development zone, it isn't Palo Alto either. There is a vibrant student scene, but expatriates working here choose to commute from the eastern side of the city.
There are a number of embassies here, but the neighbourhood is most renowned for its cafes and restaurants. The Bookworm, a literary cafe, and small independent boutiques add a bohemian flavour. The Workers Stadium and French School are also in the area.
Expatriate suburbia, minutes from the airport and under an hour's commute to the office. The major international schools are here. A wide range of expatriate amenities have sprung up around the villa communities. This quieter, cleaner area is a family friendly biosphere.
A vast mid-tier residential neighbourhood developed in the last 10 years. Of late, larger corporations are building dedicated office complexes in the area. Equidistant between the airport and CBD.
At the northeast corner of the 2nd Ring road and a stroll to Sanlitun, its embassies and the Workers stadium. The airport line will soon turn this area into a major public transport hub.
Office and apartment towers surround the Lufthansa Centre, one of Beijing's earlier upscale malls. The German school is here, as is the new US embassy. The area includes Lady's Street, a flower market and bazaar.
At the northeast corner of the 3rd Ring. In recent years, office and apartment developments have extended north along the 3rd Ring into Sanyuan Qiao. The airport link and subway lines will soon allow easy access to most parts of the city.
Home to the new Olympic facilities. The park areas and sports facilities will surely improve residents' quality of life. For now, few expatriates choose to live here.
Once the wrong side of the railway track, the south-side is still under developed. Lower property prices do mean favorable rents for bargain hunters. Unfortunately, the subway lines don't extend far south. Few expatriate amenities.
Just outside the East 4th Ring, the area was once an industrial hinterland. Some mid to low-end development. A short commute to the CBD, but few expatriate amenities in the immediate area.