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Dawn on the Ming dynasty ramparts
The Mutianyu wall in pre-sunrise light — the most atmospheric Great Wall access available from any hotel in China, on a morning walk before the cable cars open.
Wellness getawayMindReach
The Brickyard at Mutianyu
Great Wall at dawn: 22-room boutique retreat at Mutianyu, morning wall walks before the crowds, TCM spa, and northern Chinese farm cuisine 70 km from Beijing
Beijing, Beijing
2 nights
Guest voices
Stories from guests
Real moments shared by participants at The Brickyard at Mutianyu.
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Experience highlights
What a stay here actually feels like.
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Autumn wall and forest
October in the Juyong Valley — gold and red forest against grey Ming-dynasty stone, the image that makes the Brickyard's autumn season its most celebrated.
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Room with Great Wall view
22 rooms where the wall is visible from the window — the most direct relationship between accommodation and one of the world's great historical structures.
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Village brick hotel
The converted tile factory in its Ming village setting — architecture that belongs to the place rather than being placed upon it.
Gallery
The setting
Spaces, views, and surroundings at The Brickyard at Mutianyu.
Your journey
Drive northeast into the mountains
The Beijing urban sprawl gives way to Huairou's mountains within an hour — the Juyong Valley closes in and the Great Wall appears on the ridgeline above.
Pre-dawn wall walk
Leave at 6 AM on the forest trail — 20 minutes to the wall, in autumn mist or winter frost, the watchtowers emerging from cloud above you. The Mutianyu ramparts before any other visitor arrives.
Sunrise on the battlements
The sun breaking over the Juyong Valley from the Ming watchtower — the wall running east and west as far as visible, Beijing invisible to the southwest, Mongolian steppe implied to the north.
TCM morning treatment
Return from the wall for tuina or cupping in the spa — the combination of physical exertion and therapeutic bodywork in a historical landscape is distinctive.
Village and garden lunch
Chestnuts roasted in the Huairou tradition, mountain vegetables, Huairou lamb — the northern Chinese table with Beijing's mountains as backdrop.
About
About this getaway
The Brickyard at Mutianyu is a boutique retreat hotel at the foot of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China — 70 km northeast of Beijing in the Huairou District's Juyong Valley, where the renovated Mutianyu section of the Ming-dynasty wall rises directly above the village. The Brickyard occupies a former tile factory (hence the name) converted into a small, carefully designed hotel of 22 rooms and suites, with the Great Wall visible from most windows and rooms.
Mutianyu is widely considered the finest accessible Great Wall section near Beijing: better restored than Badaling (the most crowded section), more dramatic than Simatai, and retaining genuine Ming-dynasty character in its watchtowers, arrow slits, and battlements. The Brickyard's position directly below the Mutianyu ramparts allows guests to walk to the wall in 20 minutes on a forest trail — and to experience it early in the morning before the day visitors arrive, in conditions approaching what the wall actually feels like as a landscape rather than a tourist site.
The hotel's wellness offering centres on the Great Wall itself — as a mindfulness landscape, a physical challenge (the wall's grades are steep), and a historical meditation on the scale and ambition of Ming-dynasty China. The spa draws on Beijing's traditional wellness culture: tuina, cupping, hot herbal compress, and Jing (capital city) traditional therapies. The village setting, the organic garden, and the northern Chinese mountain cuisine complete the retreat character.
The Mutianyu village at the foot of the Great Wall was built by Ming-dynasty soldiers who maintained the wall section above. When the wall's military function ended, the village became an agricultural settlement that remained essentially unchanged for centuries. The tile factory that gave the Brickyard its name was part of the village's 20th-century economic life — producing the fired clay tiles used in traditional Chinese construction.
Packages & pricing
Rates and availability from the property's official booking page.
Featured program
Great Wall Retreat Stay
Brick room or suite with Great Wall views, organic breakfast, and forest trail wall access.
Check dates & bookPlan your trip
Availability notes
- • Autumn foliage season (mid-October) is the most requested period — book 8–10 weeks ahead.
- • Chinese national holidays (Golden Week, October 1–7) require booking months in advance.
- • Winter and spring midweek stays offer best availability and quietest wall access.
Accommodation
- Standard rooms with Great Wall views
- Suites in the converted tile factory (largest footprint)
- Garden rooms facing the organic garden
Location & travel
- Getting there
- The Brickyard is at No. 1 Mutianyu Village, Huairou District, Beijing 101407 — approximately 70 km northeast of central Beijing. By car or taxi: approximately 1–1.5 hours via G101 Jingcheng Expressway to Huairou, then follow signs to Mutianyu. The hotel can arrange transfers from central Beijing hotels or Capital Airport (PEK). Confirm current routing and transfer options on booking.
Policies
- Minimum stay
- 2-night minimum typical — confirm at brickyardmutianyu.com.
- Cancellation
- See brickyardmutianyu.com for current cancellation terms.
- Children
- Confirm child suitability for Great Wall hiking terrain.
Contact & book
Reach the retreat directly or reserve online
FAQ
Good to know
What makes Mutianyu the best Great Wall section for a retreat experience?
Mutianyu is widely considered the finest accessible Great Wall section near Beijing: substantively restored without being over-commercialised, with genuine Ming-dynasty watchtowers and ramparts, dramatic topography, and the forest backdrop that makes it visually spectacular. Unlike Badaling (15 km of crowds), Mutianyu is manageable and retains character. The Brickyard's position below the wall allows pre-dawn access via the hiking trail — when the wall is yours entirely.
Can I walk to the Great Wall from the Brickyard?
Yes — a 20-minute forest trail from the hotel leads to the Mutianyu wall access point. The Brickyard can arrange early-morning guided walks to the wall before the cable car opens (typically 8:30 AM) and before day visitor tour groups arrive. This is the defining experience of a stay at the Brickyard: the Mutianyu ramparts in the early morning light, without crowds.
How far is the Brickyard from central Beijing?
The Brickyard is in Mutianyu Village, Huairou District, approximately 70 km northeast of central Beijing. By car: approximately 1–1.5 hours via the Jingcheng Expressway (G101) depending on Beijing traffic. The hotel can arrange transfers from central Beijing or Capital Airport (PEK), which is approximately 50 km to the south.
What is the best time of year to visit the Brickyard?
Autumn (October–early November) is the most celebrated period: the Huairou Valley forests turn gold and red against the grey Ming-dynasty stone, and clear autumn skies deliver the best Great Wall visibility. Spring (April–May) brings green forest emergence. Winter has the wall in snow — stark and magnificent. Summer is green but hazy, with potential for rain.
What is the organic garden at the Brickyard?
The Brickyard maintains a kitchen garden in the village that produces vegetables, herbs, and seasonal produce for the restaurant. Northern Chinese cuisine here uses local Huairou produce: chestnuts (the Huairou district is famous for its chestnut production), walnuts, mountain vegetables, and the lamb and pork of the Beijing countryside. The farm-to-table orientation is genuine.
How do I book at The Brickyard at Mutianyu?
Book direct at https://www.brickyardmutianyu.com/rooms-suites. MindReach connects ready travellers with The Brickyard at Mutianyu — we do not take room bookings or spa reservations.
How do I contact The Brickyard at Mutianyu?
Phone: +86 10 6162 6506. Email: info@brickyardmutianyu.com. Website: https://www.brickyardmutianyu.com
Who is The Brickyard at Mutianyu ideal for?
Beijing visitors who want the Great Wall experience without the Badaling crowds Photography enthusiasts seeking dawn Great Wall access in autumn foliage season Wellness guests combining TCM spa with a unique historical landscape immersion North American China travellers wanting to understand the Great Wall as landscape rather than attraction Couples seeking the most atmospheric and private Great Wall accommodation available
Location
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