News
The Schoolhouse team is proud to present this selection of news and links about us. If you know of a link we haven’t included or find one that has “died” please let us know at info@theschoolhouseatmutianyu.com.Thank you.
Jill Petzinger highlighted the Brickyard in her report on sustainable tourism in China in Air Macau's in-flight magazine.
January 2012
The Schoolhouse projects were profiled earlier this month in the USA Weekly edition of China Daily. Read the story of how The Schoolhouse came to be.
December 2011
Six top hotels, including The Brickyard Eco-Retreat, were selected for Business Traveller's review of special boutique offerings in Beijing. See how we stack up.
December 2011
Air Canada's enRoute magazine features a review of The Schoolhouse and our other venues, including the Brickyard Eco-Retreat, written by Eve Thomas. Read the illustrated article.
December 2011
The Schoolhouse and Executive Chef Randhir Singh featured in illustrated article in American Embassy magazine. Read the article in Chinese.
November 2011
One of Germany's top papers, Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung, reported on Schoolhouse partner Jim Spear's creation of country homes at Mutianyu for clients from around the world in their Sunday real estate section. The feature by Christian Geinitz describes how The Schoolhouse has brought USD 15 million into the local economy in recent years. Read the on-line version of the illustrated article in German by Christian Geinitz. (Just use Google translate if your German is a bit rusty like ours.)
October 2011
The annual travel issue of Hong Kong's South China Morning Post Style Magazine featured our Brickyard Eco-Retreat. Read the illustrated article by Mark Graham.
October 2011
NHK World Service reported on The Schoolhouse, including interviews with our partner Jim Spear, our server Yu Xia, and our main local farmer Li Fengquan. View the story in English narrated by Yoshitaka Hirauchi.
October 2011
Influential Chinese design magazine Wave features a case study on the Brickyard Eco-Retreat designed by Jim Spear. See the images and read the article (in Chinese) here.
September 2011
Matthew Jukes of Global Times reported on his adventures at our annual Slow Food Saturday festival. Read here about how we've involved four villages under the Great Wall with a festival celebrating the harvest and local foods.
September 2011
Julie Upton-Wang and her family were profiled in Women in China. Learn how our Schoolhouse partner made her way from Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts to Mutianyu Great Wall here (in Chinese).
July 2011
Ruili Home featured the Mutianyu home of Schoolhouse partners Julie Upton-Wang and Peiming Wang. See the images and read the article (in Chinese).
July 2011
Beijing Daily featured The Schoolhouse in two front page articles covering the inspection visit to our venues by Beijing Party Secretary and Politburo Member Liu Qi, Beijing Deputy Party Secretary Mayor Guo Jinlong and other senior leaders. Read the articles (in Chinese) here.
May 2011
Randi Ponek reports on a family holiday to Mutianyu Great Wall and their stay in "Persimmon Court," one of the Schoolhouse Homes. Read the article in Shanghai Family.
April 2011
The Schoolhouse's annual Bohai or Bust charity biking event raised funds for the elderly in Bohai Township. Read the report by Matthew Jukes in Global Times.
April 2011
Malaysian Airlines in-flight magazine Going Places recommends Mutianyu Great Wall and The Schoolhouse Homes. Read the feature by Vivian Chong.
March 2011
"Beijing's Big Shape Up," a feature about new architecture around the city in Cathay Pacific's in-flight magazine Discovery, includes the Brickyard Inn & Retreat Center designed by Schoolhouse partner Jim Spear. Read the article.
March 2011
Travel writer Tom Fitzsimons features Mutianyu and The Schoolhouse in his report on touring in China published in New Zealand. Read the article.
February 2011
Michel Faas covers Sustainable Tourism in Mutianyu and The Schoolhouse for the Scandinavian China news and information site Radio 86. Read the article and see his images here.
January 2011
Schoolhouse partner Jim Spear was profiled in an illustrated article in China International Business as "an affable character who can't quite believe his luck in life, but beneath the avuncular appearance of t-shirt, shorts, and work boots, the keen corporate brain still functions efficiently." Read the entire profile.
December 2010
Hometown newspaper covers Jim Spear, his life At Home in China, and The Schoolhouse. Read Andrew Potter's profile of this 1973 graduate of Marshalltown High School.
December, 2010
CNNGo covers sustainable luxury at The Schoolhouse.
December 2010
"The other rather spectacular thing I encountered in Mutianyu was The Schoolhouse. An American and his Chinese wife have converted an abandoned schoolhouse building in the village into a sleek restaurant and community art space with a glassblowing studio and gallery that wouldn't seem out of place in a major city. We stopped in for lunch and had a delicious meal of pumpkin soup, sandwiches, curries, and noodles," reported Janelle Nanos in her Cultural, Authentic, and Sustainable blog for National Geographic Traveller. Read her entire story on Mutianyu Great Wall and The Schoolhouse.
November 2010
The Schoolhouse's celebration of American Thanksgiving featured in an extensive, illustrated profile in China Daily, the country's national English language newspaper. Read the article A Ming Dynasty Thanksgiving by Steve Hubrecht with photos by Mike Peters.
November 2010
Dang It Delicious features a delicious review of The Schoolhouse and scrumptious images... Thank you Lisa from the whole team!
October 2010
China Daily features The Schoolhouse's 2nd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest... read their take on a Great Wall Halloween here.
October 2010
The WWF in conjunction with leading hotel industry consultant HTL and the HICAP conference feature a detailed case study on The Schoolhouse in their new publication, Towards the Business Case for Sustainable Hotels in Asia. Download a 3 MB PDF copy of the book here.
October 2010
America's premier design magazine Architectural Digest profiles designer Jim Spear, his homes, and The Schoolhouse. Read the article by Lucy Birmingham and see the spectacular images by Robert McLeod here.
October 2010
Well-known What's Cooking blog featured The Schoolhouse with images of a visiting child making noodles in one of our popular noodle demonstration classes. See the entry.
September 2010
Brickyard Inn featured as Great Wall destination for meetings and incentives travel in trade journal Mice Biz. Read the article by Mark Graham.
September 2010
Global Times told about The Schoolhouse's impact on Mutianyu and Beigou Villages in a profile of partner Jim Spear with images of our various homes and businesses. Read the article by Matthew Jukes.
September 2010
Dr. Richard Saint Cyr puts Mutianyu and The Schoolhouse at the top of his list for drives to get away from Beijing on his helpful website My Health Beijing, A Family Doctor's Guide to Wellness in Beijing. Find out why here.
September 2010
South China Morning Post covers Schoolhouse Executive Chef Randhir Singh and the Slow Food Saturday community event we co-hosted this month. Read Dominique Patton's article Slow Food Reaches Beijing. September 2010
Beijing Haochi Food Blog gives a wonderful review of our noodle shop Xiaolumian.
Read their comments and see the fantastic images here.
August 2010
Schoolhouse Eexcutive Chef Randhir Singh was interviewed by The Beijinger about his views on slow food and local ingredients. Read the report here.
August 2010
Slow Food Saturday and The Schoolhouse commitment to local foods featured in Global Times. Read the article here.
August 2010
The Schoolhouse was recommended as the place to go by Ben Blanchard in his column the Reuters Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Beijing
August 2010
The Beijinger recently posted the first in a series of blog entries on Slow Food Saturday. Read what Dining Editor Jen Leung had to say about the event, and how we should remember that we do live in Beijing and should be more aware of where our food comes from and how it is made.
August 2010
City Weekend Magazine featured The Schoolhouse in their 8 Perfect Dates cover story as the perfect place to "impress a date by rescuing them from Beijing's polluted air and getting back to nature." The article also recommends the School Bus Day Trip to Mutianyu Great Wall as an option to get out of the city, and our special Listening and Loving Retreat as an option for couples in need of a weekend getaway.
July 2010
Alison Harley had a memorable stay at one of our Schoolhouse Homes. With her family visiting from the UK, she wanted to give them a Great Wall experience. But they enjoyed much more than the Wall - from the local feel, to their stay in the Pavilion, to the 'simply delicious' homemade food. Click here to read her article, as published in the Shanghai Courier.
May 2010
Professor Pitman Potter of the University of British Columbia has made a donation toward the Bohai or Bust Mutianyu Elderly Fund in the name of Professors Wang Liming, Vice President, Chinese Renmin University; Liu Junhai, Director Business Law Centre, Chinese Renmin University; and Professor Wang Yi, Vice Dean, Chinese Renmin University. Learn more about Bohaior Bust.
May 2010
Global Times recently profiled how The Schoolhouse fits into and contributes to Mutianyu and nearby villages. Read the illustrated article here.
May 2010
On May 2nd, the Huairou Mutianyu Great Wall International Cultural Village was officially opened to the public. The project comprises four traditional villages nestled under the Great Wall in Bohai Township - Mutianyu, Beigou, Xinying, and Tianxianyu. Speakers at the ceremony were Secretary of the Huairou District Party Committee Wang Haiping, Secretary of the Bohai Township Party Committee Zhang Fuli, and Schoolhouse Partner Jim Spear. Jim represented all of our partners and spoke about what it meant to be an honorary citizen and promised that we would all continue to be good neighbors and work hard to make a contribution. Read an English translation of Jim's talk here.
Brickyard Inn featured in Sara Naumann's popular blog about traveling in China. See the post and images here.
March 2010
Mutianyu's donkey-powered corn grinding and the Pavilion featured in Alan Paul's You-Tube video.
February 2010
The Schoolhouse selected as a top restaurant by the Bejing Tourism Administration. Read the announcement in Chinese.
February 2010
Finnair's Blue Wings magazine features The Schoolhouse Homes as the place to overnight at the Great Wall. Read the article here.
January 2010
Olgivy & Mather's Kunal Sinha praised The Schoolhouse for having "mastered the art of brand storytelling" in his blog about hotels in China on Sparksheet. Read his appraisal and see the pictures he posted here.
December 2009
Brandon Taylor raves about The Schoolhouse 2009 Thanksgiving in Times News. Read the article here.
December 2009
The Schoolhouse and our partner Julie Upton-Wang featured on BON Cable TV program Starting a Business in China. View the program.
November 2009
Jennifer Conrad features The Schoolhouse and our other venues in her article on sustainable foods in Panorama magazine.
November 2009
Schoolhouse partner Jim Spear participated in a panel discussion about eating locally grown foods, the locavore movement, and organic food in China on the Today program broadcast live by China Radio International. Listen to an MP3 of the hour-long discussion here.
November 2009
A new TV show It's Organic is being broadcast across Asia. The Schoolhouse and our partner Jim Spear are featured in the second episode Organic Visionaries. Learn more about the program here.
November 2009
Food & Wine features the home cooking of Schoolhouse partners Peiming Wang and Julie Upton-Wang in their Mutianyu home. See the photos and read the article in Chinese here.
October 2009
The Schoolhouse and Mutianyu Great Wall featured in Shanghai Family on-line magazine.
October 2009
The Schoolhouse was recognized as the best sustainable communities development in Asia for 2009 at the 20th Annual HICAP Conference in Hong Kong on 16 October 2009. The award was decided by an international panel of judges headed by Professor Lyndall De Marco, who presented the award. Information about HICAP, the judges, and the award criteria may be viewed at
http://www.hicapconference.com.
October 2009
China Countryside Hotels recommended as one of the six best bets in Beijing in Step Back in Time by Manuela Zoninsein in Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia. Download Page 1 here. Download Page 2 here.
October 2009
CCTV International features The Schoolhouse, Jim Spear, and our business partner Li Fengquan in a report about protecting the Great Wall. Read the script or watch the video by following this link:
http://english.cctv.com/20090911/101135.shtml
September 2009
Schoolhouse rated as a "superb restaurant" and a top Great Wall destination in Cathay Pacific's Discovery in-flight magazine.
September 2009
How do The Schoolhouse partners and executive chef Randhir Singh make a Mutianyu summer picnic for themselves when they're not watching the shop? Find out in this exclusive Food & Wine photo feature.
August 2009
Schoolhouse Rental Homes earned a fourth green star from Eco Hotels of the World in recognition of our on-going programs to improve sustainability. Learn more about our rating here.
August 2009
Wild China Selects Schoolhouse Homes as a Top Hotel in China. We are proud to announce that based on an in-depth survey and feedback from their guests, Wild China -- China's premium sustainable travel company -- has chosen The Schoolhouse homes as one of the top 5 hotels in China for the Best of China 2009 Awards.. According to Wild China the winners shared three important common traits: dedication to service, unique design, and a strong commitment to sustainabiliy. They described us as "a home away from hone nestled under the Great Wall." Learn more about Wild China here.
August 2009
Schoolhouse featured in reportage and photography by French bicyclists touring Asia on the DynamoS'olidare project. In French -- visit their site
Summer 2009
View a photo montage by a visitor who stayed in Grandma's Place
April 2009
Travel blogger decribes Schoolhouse as a "cool experience" and tells about her family's visit here.
March 2009
Siemens visits Mutianyu Great Wall and The Schoolhouse as part of motivational trip
February 2009
Schoolhouse partner's story featured on Eco Blog
4 February 2009
Shanghai Family on-line magazine contributors praise The Schoolhouse Rental Homes
November 2008 to January 2009
Schoolhouse partner cited in Hotel News Now: “The world has always weathered economic downturns and we are confident that we'll get beyond this one, too. We are continuing our aggressive building program and have recently concluded several volume programs for 2009,” said Jim Spear, a partner in China Bound Ltd., which runs The Schoolhouse near the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The company is opening two new properties next year, one of which will be at $500-a-night boutique retreat. “Our customers are looking to differentiate themselves from other dining, lodging, and meeting options. We think we have an opportunity during downturn to increase our business substantially,” he added.
View the entire 19 January 2009 article by Helena Iveson.
The Schoolhouse listed in the 5th Edition of Insider's Guide to Beijing
January 2009
The Schoolhouse helps sponsor the 2009 International Montessori Conference
January 2009
Schoolhouse recommended for delicious food... read Charlotte Walsh's top picks for Beijing in TTG Magazine here
December 2008
Tianjin expat magazine profiles Jim Spear and The Schoolhouse. Read the article
December 2008
Whistler Forum Visits The Schoolhouse: During the two-day delegation Chang listened to a speech made by James H. Spear, partner of China Bound Ltd., and learned how Squamish could become a sustainable tourist destination. Spear transformed a small, remote village, called Mutianyu, an hour and half from Beijing, but five minutes from The Great Wall of China, into a tourist destination. "He bought a small rundown schoolhouse and converted it into a nice restaurant and gallery and glass factory, and also a bed and breakfast. It is very unique and also they use the local infrastructure to build their projects, so it is very, very sustainable," said Chang. -- George Chang in the Squamish Chief 11 November 2008
慕田峪『The Schoolhouse』に行った (in Japanese only)
English Translation [PDF] (Japanese Visitor's Blog)
Insite: Australian Homes, Art & Antiques Magazine
Article: China Directions [PDF]
September 2008
Whistler delegation visits Mutianyu and exchanges views on sustainable development
September 2008
Country Holidays 5 day Family Trip to Beijing
2008
British Airways High Life recommends "hip" Schoolhouse
August 2008
Paralympics medalist raves about The Schoolhouse
August 2008
Hong Kong Business Online
Chengde: Beijing's mountain getaway
August 2008
The Wall Was Great But Lunch Was Better
Eric Pateman
August 2008
Local Eateries Must Overcome Olympic Hurdles
Manuela Zoninsein
August 2008
Beijings Best-Kept Secrets
Kit Gillet and Matthew Plowright
August 2008
Insider's Guide to Beijing Online
See Comment: Mutianyu is not a place to avoid
June 2008
China Business Daily
On The Ground: The Marketing Arm's Mark O'Connor
August 2008
The Australian: Room at the Inn
Manuela S. Zoninsein
July 2008
Village Life
ELLE Decoration
July 2008
A daytrip from Beijing!
Lonely Planet Travel Forum
July 2008
Beijing Daily highlights:
The Schoolhouse contributions to building new village life
(in Chinese only)
July 2008
China Daily - A wall of dreams comes true
June 2008
Concierge - Article about The Schoolhouse [PDF] (in Japanese only)
June, 2008
City Weekend/ Dining Column - The Dish: Beijing's Locavores
Manuela Zoninsein
May 2008
French Guide - Report about The Schoolhouse (English) (French)
Aurélie Palancher
May 2008
byokids -- Australian on-line guide to family travel recommends The Schoolhouse
May 2008
Blog: Then for a trip to The Schoolhouse
April 2008
German website for gourmets recommends The Schoolhouse
April 2008
Voices from Other Lands - CRI English Radio
Interview with Jim Spear and Liang Tang
April 2008
Off the Wall - Urbane Magazine
April 2008
Photos: Lunch at The Schoolhouse
March 2008
The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu -That's BJ Kids
March 2008
Country Manners
February 2008
The Schoolhouse Canteen Family Friendly Review - That's BJ Kids
February 2008
Blog: Japanese Tour Guide
September 2007
Blog: Schoolhouse Gourmet Dinner
December 2004
Wall Street Journal recommends Mutianyu Great Wall and
The Schoolhouse
October 2007
Disney Adventure Tours selects The Schoolhouse...
Article 1
Article 2
October 2007
Village restaurant receives glowing review
July 2007
Mutianyu Bound for Glory
July 2007
The Schoolhouse supports Mutianyu sister village relationship [PDF]
June 2007
The Schoolhouse featured as a hot idea [PDF]
April 2007
Schoolhouse Canteen recommended on Lonely Planet blog site
March 2007
Dining Out at the Schoolhouse Canteen [PDF]
December 2006
The best bite at the Great Wall [PDF]
November 2006
Dulwich College Year 10 Mutianyu and Schoolhouse Field Trip [PDF]
October 27 2006.
Party Secretary visits The Schoolhouse.
October 3 2006. Huairou Party Secretary Mr. Wang Haiping toured The Schoolhouse during National Day. (In Chinese only)