Stays in Beijing

The Jingshan Garden Hotel is a four-star in the Sanyanjing hutong district, and it’s true to tradition, offering authentic Chinese massages, tea ceremonies, and cultural events like musical performances, calligraphy, cooking shows and art exhibitions in the open-air courtyard.

If you’re a luxury hotels sort of traveller wanting to upscale even more, then the five-star New World Beijing Hotel is for you, conveniently situated in the Wanfujing Commercial Centre, between the imperial religious complex of the Temple of Heaven and the notorious Tiananmen Square. It’s popular with business and leisure travellers alike. The rooftop bar offers panoramic views over the capital, excellent cocktails and has in-house DJs, while the Tian Tan Kitchen features live cooking stations, giving you a view of the bustling streets of Qi Nian. And after a day of exploring, some well-deserved pampering awaits at the luxury spa.

Prefer to stay on the outskirts of the City? The Commune By The Great Wall is an upmarket hotel tucked away in the Shuiguan Mountains. The 36 villas are all architectural masterpieces, but the biggest drawcard is that you can get to an untouched and uncrowded section of the Great Wall on foot.

For a guest house option, the charmingly named Delight Inn in the Yanqing district, just under 5km from the Great Wall, offers cosy terraced rooms, a swimming pool, bicycles that are free to use, evening entertainment and Continental breakfasts.