Hostels in Yunnan, China

Facilities: Amazing! The moment I walked in, my eyes lit up. The design is really great, and you can tell it's a hostel with a strong youth culture. Cleanliness: Also good, no issues overall! Service: The front desk service was excellent! Both the young men and women were fantastic, from my late check-in at night to my check-out the next morning. They also have many appealing international activities, which is great.

The location is a bit of a journey – after getting off at Dali Station, you take bus number 4 for about 40-50 minutes, and it's located across from Dali Ancient City. I found it easily using the Baidu app. Once you enter, there's a small garden, and the reception is in the middle of it. I chose the most comfortable and free-spirited bed, and right in front of it, you can exercise. There's a punching bag, a bike, and what looks like a stair climber. The toilet is in the room itself, but for the shower, you have to go to the main house, where there's also a washing machine (8 yuan). Aside from a slight strange smell from the bed's wall, the bed isn't uncomfortable at all, and there's an electric blanket, so it wasn't too cold at night. I decided to stay for another day. Oh, and the owner speaks English, so communication is not an issue.

The environment is quite good, clean and hygienic, the room has no strange smell, the washing facilities are convenient, the toilet is clean, and there are lockers with password locks, etc. The staff are very enthusiastic; they offered tangerine peel tea when it was cold, which was very heartwarming! I'll definitely come back next time I travel to Shangri-La by motorcycle! The privacy curtains on the bunks are also very good.

This hostel is really interesting! The common areas are spacious and uniquely decorated with lots of vintage items, and the walls have beautiful ethnic cultural totem paintings. The bathrooms and washing areas are clean; even though there are many guests, the staff are diligent with cleaning, so it never feels dirty or messy. The guy at the front desk was super friendly, helped me with my luggage, and recommended some great local food. For this price, it's incredible value for money. Highly recommend!

First, some praise: ① Compared to the quadruple rooms in other hostels I've stayed in, this one is more spacious and the hygiene is good. ② The location, tucked away in an alley off the main road, makes it quiet enough if there's no one being noisy. In my opinion, the shortcomings are: ① The room truly has nothing in it – no disposable toiletries whatsoever. While it does make it look tidy, it's quite bare. ② The hot water flow in the private bathroom is a bit weak, lacking any real pressure. ③ The room door isn't soundproof, and the floor creaks loudly when walked on. Facilities: The sheets and duvet covers were given to me upon check-in, and they did look a bit old.

The space was spacious and the environment was nice. Cai Cai was very welcoming; it just so happened that I arrived during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the hostel even provided a free, delicious dinner. A truly blissful experience. Cai Cai and her family were wonderful, so thoughtful and warm. Especially her mother; when I asked her where I could buy free-range eggs in the morning, she readily brought two from her own home for me, refusing to accept payment. So kind and simple! I hope I can stay longer next time.

Just a short walk away is the farmer's market, offering delicious fruits and unique Yunnan snacks. Yunnan University's former site (Southwest Associated University) is also nearby. The flower cakes are amazing, and the mushroom fried rice at the cafe is absolutely superb! Facilities: There's a washing machine available. Cleanliness: Spotless. Environment: Comfortable, felt just like home. Service: They provided small gifts like hair ties and bandaids. The staff member who helped me with my luggage when I checked in was incredibly kind, and I was so touched! They also helped me mail some items when I left, which I'm very grateful for – truly, thank you so much! They have a billiards table and a ping-pong table here! I also met some friendly people, making for a very happy stay. The old street in Yunnan is definitely worth exploring. I took a photo of the hostel from outside; the bougainvillea is beautiful. The cafe menu even has the hostel's love story, which I found very touching.

When I arrived at the place, I called the boss and he received me with water and fruit. The entrance is not apparent at first sight, but he speaks English so it was easy to find him. He also invited me for tea, but I was too tired. He directed me to my room that also had lockers and a small table. The location is very convenient, just in front of the west gate to the old town. The beds are old and move a lot, but they are enough to pass one night or two.

The price isn't the cheapest for a hostel, but it's worth it for the quiet location. Plus, they actually have an oxygen tank sharing program! If you need one, you can ask the front desk to use one left by previous guests. And if you bought one and didn't use it, you can leave it for future travelers. The atmosphere is fantastic, with organized activities every day, and a golden retriever hanging out on the first floor. The only downside is that the second-floor hallway is open-air, and the hair dryer and showers are in separate areas. So, after showering, make sure to bundle up to avoid catching a cold, as the day-night temperature difference can be quite significant.

The staff here is quite nice, they give you a disposable towel (a nightmare for the environment but it's a kind gesture, though), there is free drinking water at the reception and there was a washing machine that was free to use. The building is super interesting and has a very cool cylinder-shaped courtyard where people love taking photos. The building is full of artsy places and cafés. The reception is on another floor and quite far away from the dorm, though. That also means that most people will stay in the dorm, eating, being on phones etc. The problem here is that the hostel failed to put up signs that food isn't allowed in the rooms so you can't point those guests towards it. What is normal in almost every other country isn't normal in this one. Whenever I have a roommate who feels like he needs to burp every 30 seconds, fart and clear his throat at the same time, I want to book a ticket out of this country immediately. At this hostel I was also unlucky in that regard. I'm mentioning this because certain types of hostels attract certain types of people. These Chinese-style squat toilets they have here mean that you will stand in someone else's piss every time you enter the bathroom. And that toilet is right underneath you when you take a shower.