Our guests say...

Christmas visitor to The Schoolhouse raved about staying in the Red Door, one of our spectacular country homes with Great Wall views: "I wish this was my house..." Read the entire blog entry
28 December 2009

The Schoolhouse was a fabulous oasis after our freezing visit to the Wall.
Lyndsey+Noah+Oskar+Diana
December 2009

"Wonderful, warm service, feels like home!" -- Cast member of Race for Love, on tour in Beijing, November 2009

"Thanksgiving dinner was better than I have at home!" -- Guest from USA, November 2009

"Chef Singh was awesome. Thank you for making us feel special!" -- Guest, November 2009

Our driver picked us up in the morning and drove us out to Mutianyu, which is less crowded than some of the other Great Wall sites. We hiked up and down and then had a late lunch at a wonderful restaurant called The Schoolhousewhich is a oasis of fine food made locally with a wonderful chef who works with the local people and creates magical dishes that are informed by the unique cuisine of the area, as well as home made ice cream with caramelized apples (local again) that is memorable to say the least. The service was excellent, the bathrooms an architectural wonder and artists on residence create beautiful glassware and jewelry etc. -- A Trip Advisor Review of Mutianyu Visit, October 2009

I would like to thank you sincerely for your warm hospitality extended to me and my family during our stay at The Schoolhouse during the national holiday. We truly enjoyed the time spent there. Besides the amazing house, the food and the service we received was certainly of top-notch quality. This experience will surely be one treasured for many years to come. --Ignace Lecleir, Beijing, October 2009

The Schoolhouse, the view, the food -- truly a wonderful experience. -- Leanne Smith, Shanghai, September 2009

We had a wonderful stay at Grandma's Place. We loved all the original features of the house, like the kang bed and the exposed beams, but with all the modern conveniences. We had come to see the Wall and to get some fresh air and quiet away from the city and we got exactly that and so much more. We loved sitting in our courtyard and reading and listening to the sounds of the village. It was so quiet and relaxing, and the fresh air was great! My dad cannot say enough about how special an experience it was for him to stay in the house. He said he never would have expected such a nice and interesting place out in the middle of some village in China. He absolutely loved it! We had breakfast, lunch and dinner at the restaurant and were very impressed by the quality of the food and all the local ingredients. We also spent some time in the glass studio as well as walking around the campus which was delightful. Everyone to a person was very kind, smiling and welcoming and it was nice to chat with the owner, and the chef and the interns Everyone to a person was very kind, smiling and welcoming and it was nice to chat with the owner, and the chef and the interns that were there.
We loved it so much that we are planning to come back for thanksgiving if we can get another couple to join us. We want to go on all the walks from the walk book that you gave us and just spend some time relaxing and eating lots of good food!
Thanks again for a wonderful weekend. – Jennifer, September 2009

My husband and daughter recently celebrated their birthdays at The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu. The food was fabulous (nouveau Beijing cuisine) and the staff were courteous and warm. We stayed at Persimmon Court villa on both occasions and can highly recommend it for a family vacation. The villa has a courtyard style garden and downstairs den and bunk bedroom for children. The main bedroom has a large jacuzzi type bathtub and rain shower. It is also decorated with Chinese tiger motifs which are novel for visitors to Beijing. From the upstairs outdoor patio and BBQ area, you can catch a glimpse of the Great Wall. We liked our stay so much that we're thinking of building our own version of 'paradise lost and found' under the guidance and care of Jim Spear, his family and staff. The McKenzies, Beijing"

A friend in Beijing recommended The Schoolhouse to us and we are so grateful for that. Build more Schoolhouses and spread the word!! Or, rather use existing buildings as that is more sustainable. -- Oscar from Spain, July 2009

In June 2009 we had another great visit at The Schoolhouse. Jim Spear's talk to the MBA students was really, really good, sharing his insights with great candor. We shall return! -- Chris Carr, Associate Dean and Professor of Business Law & Public Policy, Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business

Excellent idea to have patio upstairs -- the Wall view is wonderful -- May 2009

Fabulous! Loved it -- great food, service, view! -- April 2009Very Inspirational. A very pleasant experience & setting. Enjoyable & great ambience.
-H. Wild (Australia) 9.08

Beautiful place, lovely lunch - wish you were closer to Beijing so I could visit every day.
-A. Wiktil (Singapore) 10.08

Thank you for the wonderful, unique experience.
-Anon. 10.08

We were totally thrilled with the level of hospitality offered by the team at The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu Great Wall for our very successful Beijing Olympics programs. Innovative, dynamic and totally service-focused efforts from everyone.

They say a team’s performance can be measured through the vision, leadership and ultimate management by the boss and in the case it’s absolutely true. Jim Spear is truly inspiring and he leads from the front in all aspects of the business yet manages with a gentle touch to motivate his team to perform beyond what they thought their capabilities were. We would also like to recognize the efforts of Jim’s wonderful wife Liang Tang and their outstanding deputy general manager Mac Brodie. Nothing was ever perceived as an issue, only a solution in the making. This approach led to our clients from Omega, Atos, McDonald’s, NBC, Lenovo and Eurosport enjoying their experience at the Great Wall.

LUKA saw the potential of our association with The Schoolhouse early, but we still didn’t really comprehend the magnitude of influence that their organization would have on the overall success of our programs. The food was local produce, served fresh daily and the range of the menus easily catered for the individual tastes of all our clients. The teams were so organized and yet fun to deal with, so it made business between us enjoyable. I cannot recommend their Roadhouse venue highly enough, which is why we will remain life friends. That’s the sort of people they are.
-- Richard Giltinan, Managing Director, iLUKA Ltd., London (www.iluka.co.uk)

Thank you for everything you and your incredible team did to contribute to the success of The Coca-Cola Company Global Hospitality Program during the Beijing Olympic Games. Our events at The Schoolhouse were fabulous and our guests did not stop raving about how much fun they had and how much they enjoyed their visit and the delicious food. Your attention to detail and level of service is of the highest standard, and even with the intense pressure and busy pace during the Games, you were able to deliver seamlessly and with a smile. We appreciated all of the care you took to ensure a beautiful experience at the Great Wall for every one of our guests. What a pleasure to work with you and I do hope our paths cross again in the future!
-- Heather Puglisi , Director, Global Hospitality Worldwide Sports and Event Management
The Coca-Cola Company

Many thanks to you and your wonderful staff for your warm hospitality and for all of your help in ensuring the best possible Great Wall experience for our guests during the Beijing Olympics. All of our clients absolutely raved about the Roadhouse and most said it was the best food they had in China. No doubt, the trip to Mutianyu will be one of their fondest memories. Thanks also for being so kind to me and my team throughout the planning process.
-- Blaise Aldridge, Senior Vice President, Corporate Events, NBC Universal

It was certainly a pleasure to be part of The Schoolhouse experience, and I must say that despite the rain, you offered a fabulous alternative, and that is very much appreciated. All the best for everything The Schoolhouse is working on in the future.
-- Tara Nurthen -- Call Incentives, Australia

The Brie Country Salad is like a little touch of heaven.
-- Judy Bryant, September 2008

I normally don't like mushrooms, but The Schoolhouse mushroom soup is absolutely outstanding -- definately an experience not to be missed! Thank You!!
-- Ky Tanner, September 2008

Many thanks to you and your team for the great hospitality I experienced on all four visits I've now made to the Schoolhouse. I've enjoyed every minute and I'm still delighted to know that your guests are able to discover a slice of Chinese life that is both wonderful and unique thanks to you and your vision.
-- Bruce Austin, June 2008

Thank you for a wonderful experience. Great Food!
-- Katie and Jamie Jaffe, March 2008

Child Friendly. Our kids love the food and playing outside.
-- March 2008

Schoolhouse Brownie: Best I've ever had!
-- Daniel Plafker, 2008

I really liked the overall appearance and the food was outstanding!
-- R Jurgensen, December 2007

What a great experience! Thoroughly enjoyed the food. Girls all very pleasant.
-- A. Edgar, November 2007

We had a wonderful thanksgiving hike in Mutianyu and the thanksgiving dinner at the Schoolhouse was superb! They even gave us leftovers which we enjoyed the next day at the Summer Palace. It was wonderful!
--T. Fillinger, November 2007

I would like to say we had a wonderful evening tonight at The Schoolhouse. The food and scenic view were a great ending to a day of climbing the wall. We enjoyed the glass blowing demonstration and found all the staff some of the best of China. A special thanks to Christine who was very informative about the village.
-- S. Walker , October 2007

Surreal experience eating American food looking at the Great Wall!
-- September 2007

Dining at the Schoolhouse was a highlight during my 3 week trip to China. The good food, the graciousness, intelligence, expertise and mindfulness and humility of your exceptional chef made it a unique experience. We felt like we were in Napa, only better, as the Schoolhouse wasn't as overpreening and self-congratulatory as many fine restaurants can tend to be...
-- Tricia Nichols, July 2007

What could be better than a fine 5 star buffet that blends tastes of Asia and West cooked to perfection by a fantastic chef? What could be better than a flute of Champagne combined with a private patio ON the Great Wall?... Perhaps the warmth and hospitality of the Schoolhouse staff and their passion and commitment to quality and their customers...
-- Paul Lepa, May 2007

Delightful, clean, welcoming, excellent food, perfect after visiting the Great Wall...
-- Brigadier D H Godsal MBE, April 2007

A little slice of heaven...
-- Carole Davidson, April 2007

I'd like to thank you for an outstanding job you and your staff did during our offsite last Thursday. I am sure I'm speaking on behalf of all the participants that they've had their absolute best China moment on the Great Wall enjoying the panoramic view of the magnificent Great Wall while savoring the Duck Confit, Brie Cheese, Salad and French bread. The rest of the evening was also fabulous at the Schoolhouse Canteen. We all had a great time. I feel particularly fortunate to have this kind of send-off and was able to share the special moments with my daughter and my wonderful team...
-- Lea King, Cisco, April 2007

Great toilet facilities -- this matters a lot!
-- Kim Furler, Australia

What a lovely place! We loved everything about it. Daisy was delightful...
--Rebecca Brodish, Boston, USA

Just a quick note to say how grateful our party was for the lunch and entertainment with you. On the way back to the city the coach was buzzing with talk of the mushroom soup, the cheesecake to die for, the grandmothers who danced, the colleagues who danced, the beautiful note cards, the glass purchases, the telescope on the roof, etc, etc.
-- Robin Rickard, British Council, Beijing, China

The garden party for approximately sixty guests which was catered with graceful good service by Schoolhouse Canteen will remain in memory. Nice menu with roasted fresh trout, stewed pork with chestnuts, homemade tarts, among others, contributed to create an overall cheerful atmosphere.The good thing also was that we didn't have to worry about anything, except spending time with our guests. Thank you all, management and staff for your organisation skills.
-- Mutianyu residents, from China and France

The lunch menu was well planned and the only negative I heard was that the portion of linguini was too much! I especially enjoyed the thin slice of iced persimmon atop the sorbet!
-- Pat Fromm, American Community Club, Beijing

The food that was served at lunch was out of this world! From the new crop Mutianyu roasted nuts through to Mrs. Wang's fried dumplings, each of the dishes was distinctive, flavorful, and delicious... and the adherence to local seasonal ingredients gave us a taste of the "real China" experience.
-- Russell T. Mark, Vancouver, Canada

The thing that makes it even more enjoyable is the new highway, so it takes the wear and tear off of making the trip. It would take just as long to get to Tiananmen or the China Club downtown as it does to your place now. We look forward to future visits!!!
-- David McIntyre, Beijing

It's the most beautiful and amazing place I have been in China
-- from a guest comment card

Food was delicious - especially the hot chocolate truffles!
Will definitely visit again. Five star service
-- from a guest comment card

We are totally overwhelmed by the dining experience at The Schoolhouse. Bathrooms particularly to be recommended.
-- from a guest comment card

It is delightful here and the staff is very cheerful, friendly, and eager to serve. Thank you.
-- from a guest comment card

Lovely ambiance, good food, nice & warm.
-- from a guest comment card

Best toilet in China...
--Anne Burton, March 2007