Expat families will never lack cool places to squeeze a Beijing adventure into their busy lives. But sometimes it gets tiresome to simply check off the list of top ten tourist stops, and you want to experience something different.
No matter the age of your kids, FunHill Hotel in the Fang Shan District is, quite literally, a breath of fresh air two hours away from the city. At the foot of the Taihang Mountains, your lungs and spirit are sure to enjoy this locale while having a family-oriented retreat to lay your head.
FunHill opened this October, and its one-story buildings feel modern yet steeped in tradition, where you are truly guests in someone’s home. Each of the three separate Chinese villas has its own unique layout, with two boasting large dining tables, perfect to host either a small company retreat or, like the night we stayed, a birthday party. Fun family activities like Jenga, miniature bowling, and puzzles are available to be pulled out for group games.
With a total of ten king-size bedrooms and three more private Japanese tatami rooms, their comfortable furnishings and tall windows frame the experience very nicely. Decorative display gardens add an aesthetically pleasing gap between your window and the courtyard, emphasizing an understanding of how to combine personal and social space that resounds through this mini resort.
Guests can take advantage of access to a fully equipped kitchen and make their own meals, along with complimentary breakfast and DIY pizza nightly baked in their outdoor oven. Coffee and tea are brewed all day, and the management team is available to suggest restaurants within walking distance or to order for delivery.
Load up on sightseeing over a couple of days (the Ju Ma River, Yunju Temple, and the Shidu Scenic Area are just some of the sights), or take time between tours to relax. December through March you can also visit the Yunju Ski Field. If you mostly want to get out of the city, then take your time to enjoy their courtyard (or the playground, as our five-year-old called it), with two sunken seating areas, a trampoline, sandpit, and water features. The view of the mountainside on the 500 sqm roof alone was worth the trip, and by the summertime will host a vegetable and herb garden for guests. They also have plans to build a swimming pool up there.
Since they just opened a little over a month ago, the staff is still working out some small kinks. Our shower didn’t drain very quickly and so we sped up our bathing time, and there’s only a bathtub in one of the rooms. These are quibbles compared to the vibe of really feeling at home with just enough modern convenience. For instance, both sides of the bed had not just an outlet, but two USB ports apiece.
Instead of taking a chance on a stranger’s listing or a random hotel, choose the place that cares about every person who arrives as their guest. If you’re lucky, you might also get invited to the neighbor’s hot pot.
Booking Channel
- Airbnb
- Tu Jia APP （途家app）
- Ctrip
XiBaiDai Village，ZhangFan Zhen, Fang Shan District, Beijing, 北京市房山区张坊镇西白岱村 “静观云居”, Mr. Ken Wang, 130 2006 3551
Guest Rooms
– Villa 1 (2 Garden View Rooms, 2 Japanese Tatami Rooms, 1 living-room, and open kitchen）
– Villa 2 (2 Garden View Rooms, 1 Superior Room, 1 Japanese Tatami Room, 1 suite room）
– Villa 3 (2 Garden View Rooms, 2 Superior Room, 1 living-room and open kitchen）
– Bar/kitchen (serve breakfast, guests are able to use the kitchen equipment to cook by themselves）
Sightseeing
Yunju Temple
7km away from the hotel
Yunju temple was established in the Sui Dynasty (A.D 518).
Yunju Ski Field
7km away from the hotel
Opened in 2005, the Yunju Ski Field is open every December to early March. There are a total of eight ski tracks for beginner, intermediate, and expert skier. Yunju Ski Field also operates at nighttime.
Ju Ma River
1km away from the hotel
One of five major rivers of Beijing, the Ju Ma River is 300km long. The river water is very clear with a cobblestone river bed that’s ideal to swim and fish in during the summer.
Shidu Scenic Area
20km away from the hotel
Often referred to as “the Guilin of the North,” Shidu Scenic Spot is located along the middle-upper reaches of Ju Ma River. There are ten river bends along this segment of the river, on each of which a ferry crossing was set up. Hence the name Shidu, which means “10 ferry crossings” in Chinese.
Photos: Cindy Marie Jenkins
