Brickyard at Mutianyu

Located around an hour's drive away from the hustle and bustle of Beijing city center, in a small village at the base of Mutianyu Great Wall, the Brickyard is a newly opened eco retreat, which offers guests the chance to take in local village life as well as to explore this section of the Great Wall at leisure.

Reconstructed from a local brick factory that had fallen into disrepair, the Brickyard boasts 16 rooms. All feature private terraces and floor to ceiling windows that reveal lovely views out toward the Great Wall beyond. The rooms are simple in nature but designed for comfort, featuring comfortable beds, rainfall showers and some amenities. Please note that the rooms here do not have curtains so if you are sensitive to light in the early mornings then this is something to bear in mind — although the Brickyard does provide eye masks for those who prefer a morning lie in!

The emphasis at the Brickyard is very much toward offering eco friendly accommodation in keeping with the surrounding area. The design of the property very much reflects this — each room for example features handmade furnishings, made from recycled materials (where possible) and the building itself has been reconstructed using reclaimed bricks and tiles from the local area.

The property is part of a wider project of reconstruction in the local area, by an American ex patriot, Jim Spear, who happened upon the village on a visit to this section of the Great Wall in the 1990s. This visit resulted in his purchase of what is now 'The Schoolhouse' — a central administration center, which has formed the heart of his project of reconstruction and regeneration of the local area through tourism.

The Schoolhouse provides a range of additional facilities including a canteen, which serves a range of Western and Chinese style dishes.

Food is also available at the Brickyard, however they only serve light meals so if you did want something more substantial you will need to make your way to The Schoolhouse, which is around 20 minutes by foot or eat in one of the local restaurants in the village nearby. Your concierge will be able to assist you with this.

OUR RATING: Medium