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We had a truly amazing stay at this guesthouse. David and his parents are wonderful people who make you feel like part of the family. They go beyond the extra mile so that you have a wonderful stay. They make sure you are comfortable and that you have everything you may need. We thought it was very special to stay in a traditional Chinese "siheyuan" where David and his brother grew up and where his parents still reside. We were only 10-15 minutes walking to the entrance of the Badaling section of the Great Wall and 5 minutes from the train station. It was an unbelievable experience to stay overnight near the Great Wall, as we were able to be there early as soon as the gates open in the morning and also to see the Great Wall at night (it was lit up when we were there). There is also a fortified village near by that you can visit and that few tourists go to. David was so generous of his time to show us a bit around and spend some time over coffee with us. His parents have a small convenience store at very good prices which is very convenient for basic supplies like drinks, cakes and ramen (and cheaper than what you can purchase on the Great Wall site). Make sure you call or email in advance to let David know of your arrival time as he can pick you up at the train station. The room was very clean and comfortable. Since we were visiting in March, temperatures were still on the lower side but the AC heat function kept us warm as well as the extra blankets supplied by David's parents. Make sure that you bring extra layers of clothes if you are visiting early spring or late autumn as Badaling gets colder than Beijing. The room also has a smart tv that allows you to watch Chinese and English movies for free, which is an added bonus when you want to relax after hiking a wall for a few hours. We would definitely stay there again and consider our stay at Cao Courtyard as one of our best memories of our 3 week stay in China.