Huairou – Beijing Kids

Escape for a Weekend in the Country at Cedars

Robynne Tindall — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 05:00:18 +0000

Like any big city, the fast pace of life in Beijing can get overwhelming sometimes. When that happens, an escape to the countryside with the family can be exactly the prescription you need: quality time and an opportunity to relax and reset. Located just a two-hour drive north of downtown Beijing, Cedars Country Holiday Hotel offers just that, with facilities that will appeal to both parents and kids.

Cedars’ cozy courtyard

Set in a quiet valley on the banks of a small river, Cedars boasts 10 elegantly appointed rooms (from RMB 788 per night Mon-Thu, RMB 988 Fri-Sun) arranged around a central courtyard. Four of the rooms are large duplex suites that look out over the river and the hills rising beyond and each one has a unique theme or color scheme full of plush touches, setting Cedars apart from the rustic minimalism that many similar hotels and guesthouses favor.

A standard double room

No matter which room you choose, though, each is furnished with amenities such as tea and coffee making facilities, cozy slippers, and internet TV with access to hundreds of movies and cartoons (which, we’ll admit, is useful to have on hand as a distraction for fractious little ones). The majority of rooms also have a bath, which will be a treat for those of us living in cramped downtown apartments.

The Japanese-style room complete with traditional wooden soaking tub

Those looking for a particular sense of zen will want to choose the Japanese-style duplex suite (RMB 1,388 Mon-Thu, RMB 1,688 Fri-Sun), complete with tatami rooms and a deep wooden soaking tub. The suite has two separate bedrooms, making it a good option for families. This and the other duplex suites have a seating area downstairs where you can sit and watch village life go by outside the window.

The two-story suites have a sitting area looking out over the mountains

Kids will love exploring the path alongside the river, simply hopping on and off stepping stones or perhaps fishing in the summer (rest assured that the water is fresh and clean). Alternatively, a path climbs up into the hills opposite the hotel, with pretty pagodas to stop at along the way. The path is quite steep so this might be a better option for older kids with stronger legs. There are also plenty of scenic areas and things to do within easy reach of the hotel. The closest is Yunmeng Mountain National Forest Park, a scene 2,208-acre area of mountains and forests. With the park’s highest peak reaching 1,414m, this will be a popular choice for adventurous families, with a number of hiking paths, plus boating and other activities inside. The park is famous for its three “seas”, namely the “sea of clouds”, “sea of flowers”, and “sea of trees.” In winter, Huaibei International Ski Resort is just a 30-minute drive away.

Take a stroll along the river

At the end of a long day, come back to the hotel to enjoy a tasty home-cooked meal. The room rate only includes breakfast (two breakfasts in standard rooms and suites, four breakfasts in the Japanese-style suite) but other meals can be ordered a la carte from a menu of classic, country-style Chinese dishes, which are reasonably priced considering the remote location. The friendly staff can also whip up kid-friendly dishes and snacks such as breaded chicken breast and french fries if you give them advance warning.

In summer, they also offer chuan’r and whole roast lamb in the courtyard, a fun way to dine if you’re traveling with a crowd. Vegetables for many of the dishes on offer, such as fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, are sourced from the hotel’s own small farm nearby (or otherwise from trusted suppliers). Kids will enjoy visiting the farm and picking their own vegetables, a good way to get in touch with the food you’re eating and maybe learn some Chinese words as well.

Settle down by the fire at the end of a day of sightseeing or hiking

The hotel also offers a convenient round-trip pick up/drop off service from any address in downtown Beijing for RMB 600 (vehicle seats three people). Opportunities for R&R don’t come easy in Beijing but at Cedars, you can sit back and relax knowing you are in good hands.

Spring Peach Blossom Festival
From Friday, Mar 29 to Sunday, Apr 28, Cedars is holding a Peach Blossom Festival in celebration of the sea of flowers that appears in the area around the hotel at this time of year. In addition to the usual elegant rooms and delicious food, guests who visit during this time can enjoy a complimentary afternoon tea including handmade pastries stuffed with a floral filling. Call 132 6198 8851 now for more information and to make a reservation.

Cedars
13-14 Shangwenpu Village, Liulimiao Town, Huairou District (132 6198 8851) 
柏璟•山水赋乡村度假酒店：怀柔区琉璃庙镇双文铺村13-14号院

This post is paid for by Cedars
Photos: Uni You, Wikimedia

Weekend Warrior: Liyuan Library, Experiencing Beijing’s Most Instagrammable Library

Pennywu — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 02:00:58 +0000

Update: On September 19 2017 Liyuan Library was closed by the authorities, following complaints about pirated and uncensored material. We strongly advise you to check the current status before making the long trip to visit it.

Libraries have held an integral role throughout human history as a place where knowledge is stored, protected, and passed down from generation to generation. But due to limited access and living in the age of the internet, these houses of information have mostly become obsolete.

We say mostly because there is still a certain fondness that exists for the utilitarian functions of a library, and the sort of conduciveness for learning and quiet ambiance such places possess. That’s why we decided to venture out to the village of Jiaojiehe, in the mountainous region of Huairou, to check out this minimalist architectural wonder known as the Liyuan Library.

Liyuan Library was designed and built by Li Xiaodong, an architecture professor at Tsinghua University in 2011. Li saw it as a way to draw visitors to the forgotten village, and help promote economic development. Since it was constructed, it has been featured in numerous architectural and international publications, not only because of its unique structural characteristics but also because of its isolated and serene location.

Using the village and its landscape as his inspiration, one of the building’s most distinct features are its use of local fruit tree branches along the roof and exterior to almost camouflage the facade with its surroundings. This decision also gives Liyuan’s interior the perfect amount of ambient lighting during the day and helps keep the glass and steel box structure relatively cool during warmer months by providing just the right amount of shade. This combination of a unique design and remote location has since turned this sleepy village outpost into a travel destination for about 400 people every weekend between mid-Apr to mid-Oct. Getting there, however, is no real easy feat. It is a 50km drive from the city center, which depending on traffic can take you up to three hours to reach. We recommend arriving early because on the weekend lines can get painfully long. We first rode the subway to Houshayu on Line 15 and from here caught a Didi, who managed to bring us the rest of the way. It wasn’t easy to find, and we had to turn around at one point because the road Didi directed us to take was closed. It also got even more confusing because there wasn’t much cellular service as you begin to traverse up the mountain. All in all, though, the drive up these summits provided many stunning views. There were a couple of moments where you could even spot unrestored guard towers on the Great Wall that have probably been untouched for years due to their hard to reach strategic positions.

Upon entering the site, you’ll start to see a couple of signs pointing you in the way of Liyuan Library and pass a couple of small restaurants. If you arrive by car, they ask that you pay a 5 RMB parking fee. Once you get out of the car, there’s a small concession stand that can come in handy as this is your last chance to get some liquids or a quick snack before reaching the library, which is about a five-minute walk down a gravel road.

The scene is immediately impressive. The elongated box structure covered in dead tree limbs is perfectly nestled among mountains and a small pond with a greenish blue hue. The one thing that didn’t look tranquil however was the line of 30 people waiting to get into this minimalist house of knowledge. This was about 1:30 pm, and they had just reopened after their lunch break. This was also when we discovered that the library has a limited capacity of 40 people at all times. Though the restriction makes sense, it can be a little troubling when you just traveled all this way, and you know that nobody currently flipping through their pages on the inside will leave for a while. It’s unlikely that anyone goes to a library this remote to just walk inside, check it out, then hit the road. So we ended up waiting for about two hours just to get in. Luckily, it was mostly in the shade, and there were plenty of places to play while you or someone else in your party maintains that precious place in line.

After reaching the front of the line, when it’s your turn to enter you’ll be asked to remove your shoes to keep the space clean, so make sure to come wearing a clean pair of socks to avoid adding some unpleasantness to the lovely woodsy odor of the venue. The interior is equally impressive as the facade, filled with wooden steps and open floor space for sitting. As we mentioned before, there is great natural lighting provided as the sunlight is obstructed by thousands of branches fastened to the exterior. Just enough light to get you in the mood to start digging into the book of your choosing.

A majority of the books here are in Chinese, but not all. Both the kids and adult sections have a decent amount of books in English, but nothing compared to your neighborhood bookseller. We realized quickly that this was more of a place to soak in the atmosphere, not their shallow collection of used books, which included titles ranging from JD Salinger’s Nine Stories and Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, to less desirable informational reads like Skype Hacks: Tips & Tools for Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service. Despite this lack of choice, it was probably the most “Instagrammable” library we had ever visited. That’s what a majority of the people seemed to be doing there, despite the numerous signs prohibiting photography.

We should warn you that even though this space is conducive to reading, it isn’t very safe if your child is one that can’t sit still for extended periods of time. There are sections that have a pretty high drop due to the design, neglecting the use of guard rails likely for aesthetic reasons. This is why in their comprehensive set of rules that can be found on their WeChat account they state that children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 at all times, and children under the age of three will not be admitted. They also make it clear that you must watch your step at all times, and they can’t be help responsible for any injuries that may occur. It was the first time that we’ve seen the term “use at your own risk,” to detail the potential harm that could be caused by a library.

After spending an hour reading our Kindle in the company of other hardcore readers, we decided it was time to soak in a little more of the scenic offerings available around the perimeter, which can also be a pleasant place to get some reading done. As we were exiting, we encountered a little shouting match with an angry visitor who arrived about an hour before closing time to at least an hour long wait in line. Don’t let this happen to you by doing your utmost to get there when they open at 9 am, to ensure hours of reading pleasure. As the old saying goes, “the early bird gets the worm,” or in this case the bookworm we suppose.

Liyuan Library 篱苑书屋 Sat-Sun 9-11:30 am, 1:30-4:30 pm. Zhihui Valley, Jiaojiehe Village, Yanxi Town, Huairou District (139 1010 5454) 怀柔区雁栖镇交界河村智慧谷

photos: Kipp Whittaker

Wet and Wild: Yanqi Lake Amusement Park

Sisi_Chen

At the height of summer, you won’t see swans idling on the water. The birds come instead in the spring and autumn, when the weather is milder and they can make the lake their home. When the weather heats up, Yanqi Lake (Chinese for “swans dwelling”) receives people instead, who frolic in and around the lake on all manner of water-borne carriers.

Yanqi Lake Amusement Park is located just on the edge of Huairou District. A mere 45-minute drive from Shunyi, this recreational area will appeal to all family members. The main entrance fee costs RMB 34 or RMB 17 (kids under 1.2m) and gives you access to the grounds. However, you’ll have to fork out more yuan to take advantage of the other attractions.

Not the type to indulge in an adrenaline rush? There are also well-kept grounds dotted with benches and picnic tables under big shady trees. The lake itself is bordered on three sides by mountains, with Mutianyu Great Wall to the north and Hongluo Temple to the west.

You can go for a quiet tour of the lake in a paddle boat or rowboat (RMB 60/hour). This is popular among families with young children. For a more dedicated and time-consuming, activity, there is an angling ground for fishing (RMB 20/visit).

If you feel like a little more action, go rock-climbing (RMB 40/adult). There is only one belayer, however, so be prepared for a wait of five to 10 minutes for every person ahead of you, depending on how far up the wall they go.

Another popular attraction is the zipline (RMB 40/adult), which takes you along one portion of the bank and brings you back to the ground beside a lush and shady canopy. Bumper cars and other rides for kids round up the selection of activities (starting from RMB 25/go).

Needing to pick up the speed? There is a whole range of aquatic sports to choose from. Speedboats, motorized dragon boats and aquatic racing bikes can all be rented by the fraction of an hour (RMB 50-120/hour). Jetski is the most popular (and also the most expensive at RMB 20/minute). Real thrillseekers can test their mettle with parasailing (RMB 150/round).

When you are all actioned-out, head to any one of the six restaurants, or grab some basics (drinks, cookies, chips, bread) from a small grocery store by the entrance. Then, find yourself a shady spot to catch your breath.

If your family or group should decide to pursue separate activities, fear not. All attractions are clearly marked in both Chinese and sometimes-spotty English, so settling on a meeting point should not be difficult. Most attractions are located along the side of the lake with the mountains as your backdrop. While there are a few steps down to the water, there are also plenty of ramps, making the entire park stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. Bathrooms are clearly-marked and well-kept, both within the park and at the parking lot.

The advantage of going to an amusement park in the peak season is the chance you get to do all the activities. But there is something to be said about visiting in the off-season as well. Sure, you may not get to see all the action, but you will be able to enjoy the surroundings and not spend all your time lining up at each attraction. You can take things easy, which is perfect for when you have little ones in tow. And who knows, you may even be greeted by the sight of swans dwelling on the lake.

For more info, visit Yanqi Lake’s official website (Chinese only).

Yanqi Lake 雁栖湖
3 Yanbing Lu, Huaifeng Highway, Yanqi Township, Huairou District (400 109 9898, yanqihu@126.com) 怀柔区雁栖镇坏风高速演兵路3号

Getting There
Bus: From Xuanwumen or Tiananmen, take the tour bus to Yanqi Lake. From Dongzhimen Bus Station, take bus 916 to Huairou No. 3 High School and switch to bus 2 to Yanqi Lake. There’s also a direct bus (936) from Dongzhimenwai to Yanqi Lake.

Photo by Dana Cosio-Mercado

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.