Destination Asia 2004-09

Rooms with Great Wall Views

Savoring views of the Great Wall of China has long meant joining the mid-day crush of day-trippers from Beijing; aside from a clutch of farm stays operating along the wall's fringes, the only option for serious lingering has been tents and sleeping bags. That is, until this summer, when Red Capital Ranch opened on the estate of a former hunting lodge in a private valley just outside Beijing. Run by the same outfit behind Beijing's kitschy-chic Red Capital Club and Residence, its 10 stone cottages (the backdrop to this issue's fashion feature) are filled with antique Manchurian and Tibetan furnishings and objets d'art. So too are the ranch's restaurant, teahouse, and Tibetan Tiger Bar, the later replete with Tibetan chests, pained wall panels, and faux snow-leopard-pelt pillows. Each cottage has a private patio or rooftop terrace with glorious views of the wall, a mere five minutes' hike away. And, unlike nearby sections overrun with tourists and touts, the great Wall here—an undulating rampart dating to the first emperor Qin Shi Huangdi—is yours to enjoy in peace. Red Capital Ranch, Xiaguandi Village, Huairou District, Beijing; 86-10/8401-8886; www.redcapitalclub.com.cn; doubles from US$180

Ron Gluckman

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