Fodor's Expert Review Commune by the Great Wall

An hour from Beijing, Commune is a design-led cluster of villas in wildly contrasting architectural styles set amid the hills and scrubland of the Great Wall; there's plenty of space so it's an ideal spot for families and small groups (and includes private access to the Wall); Bamboo House and Suitcase House are the best of the villas, but overall the service and upkeep is spotty following changes in ownership. Facilities such as a kids' club, pool, restaurants, and spa mean that, even though you're out in the sticks, you won't be roughing it.