Netflix and chill like a pro at these private cinema rooms

Head to Xizhimen for some seriously themed cinematic tackiness

Hidden in the basement of a Xizhimen mall, the unassuming Cloudmovie seems like your average cinema experience at first look, but beyond the foyer you’ll find around 20 different private screening rooms, all puzzlingly decorated for your sensory pleasure.

There’s something for all palates here, with themes ranging from the tasteful – Japanese teahouses, forests and beaches – to the sickly sweetness of Hello Kitty and Barbie, spaceships and superheroes. All are kitted out with comfy seating, three-metre projector screens and phat surround sound.

Essentially, most of the rooms are what you’d end up with if you were mad enough to give an eight-year-old free reign over the interior design of their bedroom. The choice of movies is decent: in addition to Chinese blockbusters, there’s a fairly exhaustive list of recent Hollywood smashes, the odd indie flick, and even a selection of European cinema hits.

Unfortunately, as non-members (pre-paid cards start at 1,000RMB) we weren’t allowed to choose our favourite space – the dolphin-laden seabed theme seemed most appropriate for our movie du jour, Blake Lively’s 2016 sharkfest, The Shallows – though the luxe red recliners and arachnid chic of our Spider-Man suite didn’t disappoint.

Cabin capacity is limited to a strict and slightly awkward three, but they say three’s a party, and at 188RMB (268RMB Fri-Sun) per room per movie, it’s an acceptable cost to split for a nifty novelty experience. The coupon-savvy can get it cheaper, too; we visited on a weekday and the Cloudmovie staff were more than happy to help us sort out a 148RMB deal via Dianping.

Be sure to sneak your own snacks and drinks in though – the 20RMB super-sweet popcorn is reasonable enough, but 15RMB for a bottle of water is almost criminal. Hydration and no new movies aside, Cloudmovie hits the mark for a cinema trip with a twist, and is great for kids, big kids, and maybe even an offbeat date.

For more awesome alternative cinemas, hit 'Read more'.

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