At the Daxidi Holiday Village, even the village head is a soccer fan. During World Cup days, this hospitable village head treats all guests with cold beer and fresh, green cherries, all for free! In the courtyard, which serves as a parking lot and is usually crowded with cars, there is a grill roasting lamb legs, chicken wings, corn, buns, and garlic. On a nearby table lie piles of seaweed, wild vegetables, fresh fruits and various drinks, including mint tea. For RMB 38, the Daxidi Holiday Village provides snacks from 10pm to 5am, as well as free cherries.

A dining hall in the courtyard with a vault ceiling and a huge screen is the main area to watch the games. Iron pendant lamps and rustic wooden furniture contribute to the laid back atmosphere. Fans can whistle and shout freely without having to worry troubling the guests sleeping in hotel rooms.

What's more, for fans wanting to go beyond simply watching, there is a foosball table right below the big screen for all to use and enjoy.

During the day, visitors can spend their time picking cherries or mulberry fruits at the nearby orchard. Amazingly, there is even a Buddhist village not far away. The wooden houses scattered around the mountains were built specifically for monastic training by monks.

Accommodation: a standard room is priced at RMB 180 per night and a villa is priced at RMB 388/488 per night. There are also rooms with oversized beds, for the use of a number of people. All rooms have a 30 percent discount during World Cup days.

How to get there: Take Badaling High Way and get off at the Pingxiguan (13C) Exit. Go around the statue of Lizicheng (a famous revolutionist in ancient China) for half a circle and head north onto 110 National Way. Go straight for about 10.5km to reach the Deshengkou reservoir. It takes about half an hour from the 4th north ring road.

*Yangguang (sunshine) 300: watch the World Cup in a northern European environment

Located on a beach at the foot of a mountain, Yangguang 300 boasts 13 riverside villas, all of which are designed in a northern European style. World Cup games are shown on a big screen in the small outdoor plaza.

Fans may rent an entire villa, enjoying the fun of being a king by day, and a world cup revel by night.

Accommodation: a standard room is priced at RMB 280 per night on weekdays and RMB 320 per night on weekends. Villas big enough to host 10 persons are priced at RMB 3480 per night.

How to get there: Head north at Kuliushu (withered willow) Island in Huairou. Go through the 6th northern ring road and continue in the direction of Huairou for 37km until the Niulanshan crossroad. Go straight until Huairou Kaifang (open) Island and head toward Yanqihu (wild goose perching lake) until Huaibei town. Follow the mountain path for about 9km.

Reservation: 010-61622261/64244106/13381397456

*Shanzhiba (mountain bar): watch this World Cup like a farmer

In terms of accommodation and food, Shanzhiba is somewhat inferior to most holiday villages. It is a typical farm household featuring some of the most primitive world cup fun. In a small dark courtyard spotted with yellow lamps, a group of people sits in a circle around a small TV, shouting as loud as they desire.

Although holiday villages are located far from downtown, they are always crowded with guests. By contrast, the more secluded Shanzhiba is much less crowded, and it is easy to enjoy the World Cup with your best friends in privacy.

Around Shanzhiba there are 5 other folk villages, although they are not quite as prepared for the World Cup. Visitors should also remember that CCTV-5 is cable channel and not all of these villages can receive it, so it is better to ask in advance.

Accommodation: a standard room without an independent bathroom is priced at RMB 50 per night. Visitors may also pay RMB 20 for one night in one bed in a six-person room. A standard cottage (two person size) with independent bathroom is priced at RMB 180 per person.

How to get there: Take Airport High Way to reach Shunyi, and then switch to Shunpinglu to Pinggu town. Take Pingjilu, make a left turn at the Xiayu crossroad, then make a right turn at the Zhangxinzhuang crossroad and then a left turn at Huzhuang crossroad to finally get to Huangsongyu reservoir. Follow the road signs to reach Shanzhiba.

Reservation: 010-60988846/13801097359