On October 26–27, Qianxun Hotel brought a time capsule blending ancient and modern elements to the Longfor Lion Mountain Tianjie Shopping Mall in Suzhou. This edition of the Qianxun Hotel Time Capsule was themed “Take you on a 300-year journey,” featuring a quaint Qianxun Inn from the Ming Dynasty’s Yongli era alongside a modern, girlie-style Qianxun Hotel. Over the two-day event, more than 30,000 visitors came to explore, take photos, and join the craze.
According to reports, the event was planned and organized by Qianxun Hotel Group, aiming to convey the brand’s core philosophy as a new mid-tier hotel that values both cultural heritage and engaging with consumers through trendy elements. In the Time Capsule exhibition, the Qianxun Inn, representing cultural legacy, was steeped in classical charm — ancient beauties playing guqin under pink peach blossoms, their melodious music transporting visitors back 300 years in an instant.
Passing through a water curtain bearing the Qianxun Hotel logo, guests transitioned from the classic Qianxun Inn to the ultra-modern Qianxun Hotel. Modeled after contemporary hotel rooms, this space was adorned with trendy elements such as rainbow macaron balloons, viral swings, ocean ball bathtubs, and pink double beds, quickly becoming a hit among visitors for Instagram-worthy photos.
At the event, a long line formed in front of the ocean ball bathtub model, with lying in a tub full of colorful balls being one of the must-do photo ops. Ms. Zhang, who was out shopping, said she was drawn to the beautifully decorated Qianxun Time Capsule as soon as she entered the mall. Once inside, she felt every scene was perfect for photos to share on social media. She also noted that the Qianxun Hotel brand left a deep impression on her.
Beyond the dreamy backdrops for photos, the Qianxun Hotel Time Capsule event also featured interactive games. It included performances and interactions with popular cosplay influencers, viral games like the 10-second challenge, and distributed over 10,000 exquisite small gifts. These interactions helped bring Qianxun Hotel closer to offline visitors, while the omnipresent Qianxun logo reinforced the brand’s image in a vivid and memorable way.
Established in March 2019, the young mid-tier hotel brand Qianxun Hotel has, in less than a year, successfully expanded to 50 cities with over 100 properties. Kang Youyou, CEO of Qianxun Hotel Group, said that unlike traditional mid-tier hotels, Qianxun properties are upgraded from small and medium-sized economy hotels. As consumer spending power rises and more Chinese enter the middle class, the old “disorganized, messy, subpar” economy hotels can no longer meet their lodging needs — creating demand for higher-quality options. Qianxun emerged to fill that gap, winning recognition for its decor infused with rich traditional Chinese culture and its professional, attentive service.
Beyond preserving culture, Qianxun Hotel is also exploring new experiences that resonate with younger consumers. For instance, the marketing format of the Qianxun Hotel Time Capsule has been especially popular with youth. Additionally, Qianxun adopts a “hotel+” approach, integrating carefully selected products for immersive experiences — such as leading e-cigarette brand SNOW+ and shared power bank provider Xiaodian — greatly enhancing guest satisfaction.
“Qianxun Hotel’s guests are mainly post-80s and post-90s, who value personalized elements and humanized experiences when it comes to accommodation. As a pioneer in the new mid-tier segment, Qianxun aims to respect the industry while bringing fresh ideas and approaches. In the future, Qianxun will host more unique and fun themed events, giving guests not just high-standard stays but also delightful surprises,” said Kang Youyou. The brand expects to cover over 100 cities and launch more than 300 projects by the end of 2019.