August 2013

"Where did you stay in China, Kirien?" Here goes..

Let me lead in by saying that, I’m not one of these crazy people you find on Tripadvisor who pays £3 a night to stay somewhere and expects a concierge service. I’m realistic and open-minded. 

In Beijing I stayed at Beijing Downtown Backpackers - here's their Tripadvisor page. 

For a private twin room the cost was 190 RMB which was about £23 per night. 

Photos of Beijing Downtown Backpacker Hostel, Beijing
This photo of Beijing Downtown Backpacker Hostel is courtesy of TripAdvisor.
I was really impressed with this hostel. The staff were very responsive to all of my emails. Because I was staying longer than 5 nights, they offered a free airport pick-up. As I arrived in Beijing a member of their staff was there to collect me. 

The location of the hostel is good, it’s about a 2 minute walk to the metro, and I don’t remember it taking longer than 20 minutes to get to any of the attractions. The “hutong” where this hostel is located, is very busy, right up until about 11pm at night. It has lots of food, quirky cafes, hidden dens, singing beggars, shops that have literally hundreds of people queuing up outside, sizzling barbeques on display, oh – and be prepared, when you walk up and down this hutong, it’s so tight and over packed that you will, inevitably, bump into people. 
Photos of Beijing Downtown Backpacker Hostel, Beijing
This photo of Beijing Downtown Backpacker Hostel is courtesy of TripAdvisor
The staff, for me, make a big difference to your stay. And the staff were awesome. They don’t try and sell you things, or encourage you to go on tours, they’re organised, they have cards of local attractions written in Chinese so you can hand them to your taxi driver, and just generally helpful. One example would be on the last day when I was trying to get to a hot yoga class but couldn’t see how to get there. The lady on reception called them up and wrote down the directions for me. 

Every day they organise a trip to a deserted part of the wall, you’re literally the only people there. It's incredible! This cost about £30 and was worth every penny. There’s no forced shopping, they provide you water, you do the walk at your own pace and the guide is really cool. Literally everyone on this trip said it was one of the best they had ever experienced. 
The Great Wall
The rooms – this is technically a hostel, so you shouldn’t expect a plasma screen TV and a king size bed, I didn’t. I got what I expected – a very clean room, with air conditioning, a bathroom that had a hot shower, minimal storage units, and a plug to charge my phone. 
Photos of Beijing Downtown Backpacker Hostel, Beijing
This photo of Beijing Downtown Backpacker Hostel is courtesy of TripAdvisor 
Shanghai - Shanghai City Central Youth Hostel (Utels) £18-£20 per night for a double private room, with en-suite bathroom. Here's their Tripadvisor page. 
Photos of Utels Youth Hotel Shanghai Wuning Road, Shanghai
This photo of Utels Youth Hotel Shanghai Wuning Road is courtesy of TripAdvisor 
Let me start by saying that this place is very easy to find. I arrived on the bullet train from Beijing and easily located this hostel. 
Photos of Utels Youth Hotel Shanghai Wuning Road, Shanghai
This photo of Utels Youth Hotel Shanghai Wuning Road is courtesy of TripAdvisor 
This place is very popular, it attracts a great crowd of people. The communal area is huge, and you will no doubt get talking to a colourful crowd of travelers from around the globe. 
Photos of Utels Youth Hotel Shanghai Wuning Road, Shanghai
This photo of Utels Youth Hotel Shanghai Wuning Road is courtesy of TripAdvisor 
The room itself was impressive, a big – and comfortable – double bed, a private bathroom with a good quality shower, a TV (which worked), air conditioning, plenty of storage for your luggage and you had room service, so your bed was made every day. 

Location is good. You’re about a 3 minute walk from the metro shop and there’s lots of places to eat nearby. The hotel will call a taxi for you, but you can easily find taxis outside, too.  

This hotel did offer trips, but I didn't go on any so I can't comment. And I didn't speak to anyone who had used them either...sorry! 

The staff – I really don’t want to sound like someone who complains, but I think this is an area that could be improved. The guy who works in the restaurant doesn’t talk – or smile. Having said that, the food in the restaurant is good. The staff on reception are okay, but not the super friendly guys you see at Beijing downtown backpackers. The management however, who you will find around the wider reception area, I found to be more friendlier. 

But that was my only displeasure whilst at this hotel. 

Nevertheless, I would totally recommend staying here; the location and quality of the rooms for the price you pay is excellent. 

Accommodation in China

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Saturday, 3 August 2013

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