This section of the Great Wall is special to me. I proposed to my girlfriend here. I will always come back whenever I can. The chairlift and toboggan ride is wonderful. We'll definitely do that every time we come here.

Near to various Great Wall sites, local farms/farmers, horseback riding, camping, lakes and other natural places, it's a nice place for a day or 2 trip from Beijing or to travel in China. The air is clean and people are friendly. However, many restaurants close early, and many places have Chinese-style, squat toilets. Also, depending on what you pay, many farmer style places, are a bit rugged, and are 0-2 stars at best. For the outback experience, and the cost, it is worth it though. Afterall, you are there for the nature and to see the Great Wall!

The village is typically Chinese....basic but SAFE.....with warm, friendly people who go out of their way to make you feel welcome. There are excellent inexpensive restaurants & fruit/veg market nearby. Certainly don't need a car because there are numerous buses to hop onto. I would suggest "Papa" or his son collecting you from the airport. They are reliable, whereas Airport taxis' are likely to be expensive & they're not so keen to travel an hour or more & particularly if trafic is heavy. The family are likely to charge 200(local) but that's cheap compared with other taxi options. Bus or train can also be investigated as there is a railway station not far away.

Our stay at the Brickyard Mountain Retreat was wonderful. The hotel is beautiful, the staff are friendly and courteous, the surrounding villages are very quaint but most importantly it has the Great Wall on its door step. If you are considering visiting the Great wall, I would recommend you spend a few nights at this hotel.