In short, this is the perfect place to stay if you'd like to be immersed in old Beijing, and also be close to major tourist spots and authentic delicious food.

The rooms are big, the bed is extra comfy, the rain shower perfect - with views of amazing Chinese roof tops, you can't beat that. The staff can't be friendlier. Kudos to Lu, who made our visit extra special. She was so helpful and nice, she even offered to go with us to the market! Take advantage of their tours, they are reliable and organize everything for you. Don't miss having dumplings at Mr. Shi's across the street.

Their breakfast is incredible, don't miss it. They also have an itunes collection of hundreds of recorded movies in English.

Sure, getting there might be intimdating. Once you leave, you won't be sorry for this combination of comfort and authenticity.

I say ditto because my review will probably just echo some of the previous positive reviews of this quaint little hotel.
En-route to the hotel there are many things that go through your mind (where are we? the area looks shady, have we made the right choice? If this is what the surrounds look like, what is the hotel going to be like? Etc). But don't worry. The surrounds, although worrying to begin with, are actually just part and parcel of the quirky hutong that the Orchid is situated in.
The Orchid is quite tricky to find as it is in a slightly dodgy-looking side ally (also known as a hutong) off the Main Street (specifically Baochao Hutong). The the entrance is in a further narrow ally diagonally across from a small restaurant called Mr Shi's Dumplings.
When entering the Orchid you get a welcomed surprise with a quaint modern-type entrance with small sitting-room and bar. There is wifi throughout the hotel and if you require there is a computer available with Internet access.
The courtyard leads to the various rooms and is very pretty and cosy. We were there while it was snowing and so it looked quite romantic.
We were in room 10 which is either the Yin or Yang room (one of the larger rooms). In a previous review I read, someone said to choose a larger room as they come with better views. Well this one had its own private balcony. While we didn't use it, as it was about -8 degrees or so, it was a lovely option.
The breakfast nook is really lovely and comfortable with beautiful views of the neighbouring buildings rooftops. In the summer you can sit outside under umbrellas. The breakfast options were fantastic. I suggest "Cake for Breakfast" which was lovely pancakes with fruit and homemade syrup.
The staff were very friendly (Lou was very helpful). A suggestion is to ask the staff what nice areas there are to visit and places in and around the neighbouring Hutongs to see. Unfortunately we only found a busy Hutong off the Main Street on our last night, where there were a few bars and interesting stores and restaurants (including a nice modern Korean restaurant), and weren't really able to explore much. So ask for directions to this area especially, you will be sorry you missed it.
If you consider going in winter ask for an extra blanket as the heating in the rooms is not that great.

I have just come away from the orchid with very mixed feelings - on the plus side the location is fantastic right in the middle of a working hutong so you just go out the door and are immersed in sights sounds and smells of the real Beijing - easy to walk to subway plus can walk to forbidden city in about 30 mins - if that.
Another plus was the staff who were all really friendly and helpful:)
Downsides - and sorry, there are some-

Breakfast was really only so so and I ended up having toast most mornings
I stayed in lookout room with fabulous view if bell and drum Towers but bathroom had a really unpleasant smell if door kept shut plus plasterwork in ceiling had fallen in and needed replacing. This room is also by the laundry and one night at about 1030pm they decided to do some laundry - the noise of the extractor fan woke me
Cats roam in public areas so be warned if you have allergies which I do
Apple TV is a real boon - why doesn't everywhere have it? But being china it trips up every 2 hours and you have to ring down for the team to give it a kick
Would I go back? Probably not to the orchid but most definitely to another hutong style hotek

This is a gem of a boutique hotel that fills a nitch & perfectly done, a blend of modern with older features retained. Fantastic location if you like wandering hutongs & local neighborhoods like we do. It's a 15 to 20 minute walk to the nearest subway station but that will change later when nearer stations will open on the new line.

We stayed in the Yin room which was a very good size for a hutong hotel. Beds are very comfy but can be a bit soft if you are used to harder ones. Lovely bathrooms with piping hot water. The climate control in the room was for aircon only for the warmer months. Heating is supplied by underfloor heating only. Being December it's very cold & only just managed to heat the room. If you are not opening & closing the door it stays warm.
Apple TV is a nice touch. Bottles of water, fresh fruit & lovely flavored tea is supplied. Wifi was slow & kept cutting out sometimes at the time of our stay. The Yin Room included a small private courtyard area which was too cold during December to take advantage of, but would be nice in the warmer months.

Breakfast is incredibly well done & thoughtfull. There are some lovely choices all served in an upstars room with lots of character.

We come to Beijing often & The Orchid will now become a firm favorite. After a busy day its nice to relax over a glass of wine in lounge/bar area - it feels more like you are visiting someones home & its very cosy and relaxed feeling.
The staff deserve a standing ovation. They bend over backwards to help you and are very warm & welcoming.