Juyongguan Great Wall Hotel — Hotel in Beijing

I don’t know what the definition of a “group tour” is for the government of China, I was with a bus group of 20. I have learned since arriving home that “group tours” are limited to two hours at the Wall. That includes ALL time; climbing, walking, shopping and eating. |I’ve learned that there are two routes at Juyongguan one easier than the other. I took the more difficult route. Our guide gave us the two hours for the stop. I immediately started the climb up the uneven stairs. Luckily, much of the way there was a handrail. As I grew more tired, I used the handrail more and more. Sometimes pulling myself up as much as pushing with my legs. Taking a photo is a great brief rest. As it was November, the stairs were somewhat less crowded so I and many others in my group occasionally just sat in the middle of the stairs, rested for a minute or two and let others use the railings. After one hour slowly climbing I reached “tower” 9 of 12. Not knowing how long it would take me to make my way down (going down stairs is actually harder on ones body than going up) I disappointedly started down. I counted. 755 stairs from “tower” 9 down. It took about 35-40 minutes down. I did find a mask in one of the site stores that I didn’t see anywhere else (cash only at that store; other stores at the site took Visa). |If /when I go again and it’s with a group, I will try and organize enough of the group to stay longer. If there are enough people, I figure the bus won’t leave without us. I loved China but it is a BIG disappointment not to have made it to the top of the Great Wall and...

For the hotel itself:||It is not in great condition; it seems that it was once a nice hotel but has not been well maintained lately. The hotel itself has some character and is interesting to walk around. We didn't interact a lot with the staff, but they were generally friendly. ||However, problems in our room included:||- a sewage-y smell in the bathroom||- loose fixtures||- the bathtub drained through a tube into an open drain in the bathroom floor. The open drain seemed to be clogged so whenever we had a bath/shower, it would flood the bathroom||- when we moved one of the beds a few inches, we uncovered a pile of cigarette butts and peanut shells on the floor||- the bathroom door handle fell off||- a general un-maintained appearance - peeling paint and wallpaper, water stains on the bathroom door, stains on the wallpaper, etc.||||The redeeming feature about the hotel, which increases my score from a 2 to a 3, is the location. The hotel is right in the middle of a loop section of the Great Wall, so you can do a few different hikes without having to go very far. As with many parts of the wall, it is STEEP so bring lots of water and prepare for a long hike! It's worth it for the views from the top, though.||||Overall, I...

Omg was our response when we finally arrived. Reminded us more of a dirty prison than a hotel. Yep perfect location for an early start to explore the wall , but that's where the good points start and finish. We arrived as part of a guided tour and everyone of us gasped in disbelief at what we were expected to stay in. Everyone had paid good money for the tour and had come from all corners of the world to be put in a place such as this. The staff spoke no English so we found our own rooms. The corridors were dark and dank , the rooms smelt of damp , were dark and dingy with beds as hard as a rock. The restaurant was appalling again the staff did not speak English and the food I would not of given to my dog. The breakfast was even worse and what amazed us all was that there was dirty pots left on dirty tables and the staff just stood around doing nothing. Hasten to add we could not get out of there quick enough. If anything the hotel needs condemning , either that or there needs a massive financial investment in this so called hotel to make...