Summer has come, bringing with it various traveling conundrums. The warmth of the summer is a blessing upon the soil—it clears the skies, makes flowers bloom, and plumps the fruits—but it is also a headache for tourists. Have you ever wanted to go out and appreciate the scenery, just to be slapped in the face by the heat waves? This summer, things could be different.
山家 Shan Jia is a new, local bed-and-breakfast in Beijing. Its campus is located in the 门头沟 Men Tou Gou region and is surrounded by mountains on all sides. Though it was once a traditional elementary school that had been abandoned for years, last year, construction finally began, turning the land into a modern tourist site.
Currently, 山家 has 19 guest rooms (14 normal rooms and 5 lofts) and its services include a gym, a meeting hall, a cafe, and a breakfast area; the guest rooms circle around a field where activities such as campfires, barbecues, and performances can be hosted. Most notably, the campus provides visitors with an excellent view of the mountain scenery. Additionally, tourists could explore the surrounding area where there are sites for picking fruit, dining, and other forms of entertainment.
Upon the onset of the summer, 山家 has launched a series of activities with the theme of “interacting in nature”, as the owner of the B&B Mr. Wang explains.
Recently, 山家 brought 35 visitors into the surrounding hills in an innovative summer event. The 15 kids in the group were taekwondo trainees seeking a team bonding experience, which their time in the mountains ultimately proved to be. Throughout the day, 山家 provided a camping area for the kids to set up tents, barbecue for lunch, and many bonding activities. The kids showed off their taekwondo training, played frisbee on the field, picked fruit from a nearby orchard, and started a water fight in an inflatable pool; at night, they camped out in the tents and were able to witness a night sky filled with stars, far away from the city.
Mr. Wang states that there will be many more events to come this summer at 山家.
山家 is a great option for accommodation this season, especially for families with kids. Though it dwells in a highly localized and traditional environment, the campus has incorporated modernized, as well as westernized aspects into a fundamentally Chinese space; just as its mission statement suggests—”Where heart meets nature”, this is a place to bring families together and to balance the needs of all family members.
Find it:
Mentougou Dongmagezhuang Cun Dongmashanjia B&B
门头沟区东马各庄村东马山家民宿
Tel: 13301220229
Images: 王利 Li Wang
