Treasure found in Shanhaiguan Ancient City! Stay in a century-old siheyuan and watch the Great Wall sunset

Don’t want to stay in the same old hotels when visiting Shanhaiguan? By chance, I stayed in this siheyuan, and it completely elevated my travel experience!

Opening the weathered wooden door instantly transports you back in time~ The blue-gray roof tiles, carved wooden window frames, grapevines winding through the courtyard, even the stone basin in the corner grows water lilies. When sunlight pours in, the shadows on the blue brick floor look like scattered gold flakes—every photo looks like a classic ancient-style masterpiece.

The "Star Gazing Room" I stayed in was amazing! It has a small terrace where you can see the red lanterns of the ancient city light up one by one at night, and look up to see a sky full of stars. The room is decorated in a modern Chinese style with warm solid wood furniture, soft bedding, and the owner personally made sour jujube juice as a welcome tea, which is super refreshing~

The best surprise is the location! Just a 3-minute walk to the main street of Shanhaiguan Ancient City, very convenient for exploring the ancient city and eating at Si Tiao Baozi; in the morning, you can walk 10 minutes to the foot of the Great Wall to watch the sunrise, no need to squeeze into crowded parking lots at the scenic spots—lazy travelers will love it!

The owner Tianfu is super friendly, will draw you a hand-drawn guide, recommend local seafood markets frequented by locals, and can help you book Shanhaiguan scenic area tickets, saving you a lot of trouble. In the evening, chatting with other guests in the courtyard and listening to the owner’s old stories about the siheyuan feels as comfortable as visiting a friend’s home.

Oh! You must try the breakfast in the courtyard! Freshly cooked millet porridge, just-fried youtiao, and local specialty tofu pudding, with generous portions. After eating, you’ll feel warm and energized to climb the Great Wall!

Next time I come to Shanhaiguan, I will definitely stay here again! The slow life in the ancient city is perfectly captured by this siheyuan.

🏠 Huazhu · Qilin Pavilion Siheyuan
[RoundNails] No. 7-3, West Street, Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao City

Post by Clark Robert Rob | Oct 18, 2025