Xiaotangshan is a small town in the Changping district, some forty kilometres north of central Beijing, and it has been the capital's hot spring district for centuries. The springs emerge warm from deep fractures in the rock beneath the plain, and because the water rises hot rather than being heated in a boiler, the resorts built on top of them are the real thing rather than a swimming pool with a spa sign. The town sits between the northern suburbs and the foothills of the Yanshan range, which makes it a comfortable half-day out of the city.
What a visit involves
The resorts range from large hotel complexes with dozens of outdoor pools to small private-room spas where you book a tub by the hour. Outdoors in winter is the local preference: the air is below freezing, the water is hot, and steam rolls off the surface. Most complexes include a mix of plain mineral pools, herb-infused baths, and temperature-graded soaking pools, with a sauna, a steam room and a rest area with reclining chairs and tea. Day passes usually cover the pools and the rest area; massage, private tubs and meals are charged separately.
The etiquette that catches visitors out
Chinese spa complexes are used in swimwear for the mixed pools, so bring your own - some sites rent or sell, but not all. Showers before entering a pool are expected, towels are usually provided, and phones are unwelcome around the water. Many resorts require nothing more than a locker key deposit at the desk. In the private-room style of spa, the tubs are single-sex or booked per group, and the price is quoted per room rather than per person.
Getting there and timing
Driving takes about an hour outside rush hour, and the resorts are strung out along the roads west of the town centre, so a taxi or a car booked through your hotel is the practical way in. There is no convenient metro stop. Weekdays are far quieter than weekends, when Beijing families arrive in numbers; a weekday morning will often leave the outdoor pools almost to yourself. Combine it with the Ming Tombs or the Great Wall at Mutianyu on the way home, since both lie in the same direction.
