Commune By The Great Wall

The people were one of the better parts of our stay. The bed was firm and comfortable, which suits us, and we slept very well. The hotel gave us a fruit bowl, a handwritten welcome card, a bottle of South African bubbles and an adorable Commune plush squirrel that we loved. Service was mostly good, too. The front desk manager and the hotel manager were especially kind and took good care of us as non-Chinese guests. The room and grounds, though, felt far too worn for a property in Hyatt's Unbound Collection. There were scuffs in our suite, faded buildings outside, and the place looked quite different from the website photos, which seemed at least ten years old. Inside, we found tea cups with drink stains that hadn't been properly cleaned, dirty carpets by the bed and in the living room, and old, rusty toilet fittings. The windows, balcony door and balcony itself were dirty, with dirt and rust marks. The bamboo buildings may be an exception to how worn the other buildings looked. We were also disappointed by the advertised walk to a private part of the Great Wall. We'd asked ahead and were told we could at least hike to the fence, even if we couldn't get onto the wall. On arrival, staff instead said the path was risky and suggested we travel into town to see the renovated tourist section. The hotel can close a path for safety, but promoting it and then saying it's risky felt like false advertising. Its website described a walk to an untouched, crowd-free section of the Wall, while staff seemed embarrassed to discuss it. On the second day we walked a few metres down the overgrown path and saw safety warnings all along it. It was clear no one hikes there now. We felt duped, and the hotel should remove that claim from its site. We had booked a suite with Hyatt points and arrived from central Beijing in the hotel's outrageously overpriced limousine. The location is very isolated, and the car felt almost essential if you don't have your own. In the suite, the air conditioning didn't work properly. It was about 24 degrees, but the vents blew hot air when we wanted to cool the room. We've found places overheated all over China, but this was still unacceptable for a hotel presented as a five-star Hyatt. We asked our English-speaking friend at the hotel, who told us to switch it off because the system follows the prevailing wind. That isn't how air conditioning should work. This was a hard property to rate. It's certainly unique, but the website photos and description set expectations of having a private part of the Wall to walk to. Being part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection also suggested the sort of high-quality five-star stay we usually associate with it. Those expectations left us very underwhelmed.

The place felt almost rural, like its own little world away from Beijing's bustle. The accommodation houses were clean and nicely equipped, with generous shared areas and pleasant outlooks. Our room was basic and small, but clean. The restaurant was lovely, with both Eastern and Western choices. A short, sometimes rocky hike leads to a private stretch of the Great Wall of China. It's worth going at sunset or sunrise, but wear sturdy shoes.

This sprawling property has facilities spread across many buildings, and the buildings vary, with some more modern than others. They were all interesting. The staff were very helpful, and there is a trail to the Great Wall. We also had a great breakfast in the restaurant. It was a relaxing change of pace from busy Beijing, and the air felt noticeably cleaner than closer to the capital's center.

The beautiful dishes came from an extensive menu, and the staff were polite and attentive, ready to guide and serve. With breathtaking surroundings and the Great Wall nearby, this is a great place to go for a Wall adventure.