Homestays in Gansu, China

Bringing my family to Dunhuang, 🏜️ it felt like a dream stepping into Dunhuang. We stayed in a desert RV, nestled in the golden sands, a dream of constant temperature. The room facilities were complete and comfortable, the bedding was cozy, and we had personalized butler service. Only guests are allowed inside, making it very quiet and spacious. We had a whole section of the desert to ourselves, enjoying the joy of having an entire golden sand sea – it's absolutely a stunning spot for photos. Life experience +1: Camping in the desert. It was an amazing experience! They offered complimentary ATV dune buggy rides, which were thrilling and novel. We could slide down the sand dunes for free, and the kids had a blast! Highly recommend!

The location is inside Tianshui Ancient City, a bit hard to find. Breakfast is a collaboration with the shop next door, only available from 8 AM, which is different from the information provided here. The room's screen mirroring works fine, but there are constant ads… The room doesn't have a key; it has a combination lock, so you don't have to worry about only having one card for two people. The front desk provides many free small items that you can use. The downsides are that if you stay on the first floor, you'll hear noise from outside, and if no one is at the front desk during check-in, you'll have to wait.

One of my favourite stays in 6 months across China Communication before arrival was smooth via WeChat, and the staff proactively helped me plan a full itinerary for the region, all in English, which as a foreign solo traveller in China I truly appreciated. The hotel arranged a driver who picked me up directly at the train station gate and took me wherever I needed to go. I could adjust my plans at any time, and he was always there waiting or arrived right on schedule. The whole organzation was genuinely flexible and reliable. The location of the hotel is perfect, like less than 10 minutes walking from Danxia Park West Gate, so you can catch the 5:30 AM opening for sunrise at Platform 1 and go for sunset at Platform 3. The staff helped me to go to Binguo, Kangle Grassland, Alien Scenic Park, Pingshan Grand Canyon and Mati Temple. Over 5 days, I saw far more than I ever could have managed on my own, especially as this area is really remote and no didi is available. It is one of my favourite trips and stays from six months in China and I’ve seen quite a bit. Would come back without hesitation.

The hotel's location is excellent, making it very convenient for getting around. The room was clean, tidy, and well-lit, and the bedding was soft and comfortable. The front desk staff were warm, attentive, and responsive. The facilities are comprehensive, and it offers fantastic value for money. My stay was an excellent experience, and I highly recommend it!

The best aspect of this stay was by far the owner. He was incredibly, incredibly helpful and friendly — from the moment I walked in the door he offered me a cup of tea, then provided tea and bread the next morning for breakfast, offered advice on what to see in the area, arranged a car to take me to Dalzong Lake, and finally even found me a spot on a local minibus going to my next destination. I couldn’t have done half the things I did during my stay in Xiahe without his advice and efforts on my behalf, so that alone made staying here fully worthwhile! It’s worth mentioning that the guesthouse’s architecture is also absolutely beautiful, and everything looks quite new. It’s located down a quiet side alley off of one of the main commercial streets in town, which seems like the ideal placement. On the accommodations: I stayed in one of the two tents erected on the second floor of the guesthouse. This was largely quite a good experience! The bed was very comfortable (with a heated pad), water and towels provided, etc. The tents are not in a closed-off area, but rather on the second floor/balcony area that also is used for sitting, serving tea, etc., so privacy is somewhat limited, but the whole guesthouse is relatively quiet anyway so it doesn’t feel like a public space. My only suggestions for improvement would be related to the bathroom: during my stay, the shared bathroom for the tents was a sort of temporary-style booth installed in the corner of the room with a toilet, sink, and showerhead. The bathroom was very clean and everything inside worked well, but its sliding door separated from the wall enough that there was always a substantial enough space on one side or the other that could be seen through (the door also didn’t lock and slid back and forth easily). The booth was also small enough that, realistically, I think it would be a bit of a challenge to actually use it to shower. If possible it might be worth looking into some simple fixes to improve these situations, but otherwise I have no complaints!

My experience at the Dunhuang Desert Camping Hotel truly exceeded all my expectations! It perfectly blended the grandeur and wildness of the desert with the comfort and sophistication of camping. Delicious food, stunning scenery, fun activities, and attentive service – everything was top-notch. Whether you're on a romantic getaway, a trip with friends, or a family vacation, you'll find your own joy here and create unforgettable desert memories. When you come to Dunhuang, you absolutely must reserve a night here. Eating a whole roasted lamb in the desert, watching a bonfire party, and stargazing from your tent will undoubtedly become the most cherished moments of your trip! I wholeheartedly recommend it; you won't be disappointed!

This hotel left me with truly unique memories! The room was clean and tidy, but what really blew me away was the desert view – the endless sand dunes were breathtaking at sunrise and sunset. The most special part was getting to experience a hotpot dinner right in the desert. Staying in the desert itself was an unforgettable experience: quiet, vast, and completely secluded. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of travel adventure!

The main reason for choosing this homestay is that it is close to the Dari Observation Deck. In fact, there is a large viewing platform next to the homestay. The location is great and the scenery is panoramic. There is a parking lot in front of the homestay, parking is convenient and safe; the room facilities are complete, the supplies are complete, there is floor heating, tea making utensils, etc.; there are restaurants and small supermarkets next to the homestay; the boss is very enthusiastic and overall satisfied!

Conveniently located within walking distance to the labrang monastery (400m) west entrance. They could arrange for transportation around xiahe. Room was clean and spacious , just a little cold as we arrived in end may which makes it difficult to take a shower. Generally, we enjoyed our stay there. As we were staying there for 3 days, we later had to venture out further to try other food varieties. Would prefer if they could arrange for more affordable prices for non native speaking travellers when securing private car hires.

I originally chose this place because it's within a 15-minute walk to the middle gate of Mingsha Mountain, and for just over 300 yuan a night, you can see the stars. It exceeded my expectations, so I had to write a proper review! P1-3: The room was very clean, with no unpleasant odors. The skylight for stargazing was as big as the bed, and sunlight streamed in when it was open! The TV was a Xiaomi, and the toilet and shower were all in great condition. I saw the Big Dipper from bed at night—absolutely amazing! P4: The guesthouse is family-run. At noon, I heard the owner's mother calling ”Lunch is ready!” Since I was traveling alone, the hospitable owner invited me to join them. So, we all squeezed together at the table, chatting and laughing, and the moment reminded me of many tranquil and beautiful movies. P5-7: Because it was before the May Day holiday, the guesthouse wasn't busy, and I was invited to try the food and have a barbecue at the Western restaurant near the entrance. The owner took me to the market to have freshly cut Aksai lamb! PS: The Western restaurant was delicious!! You can tell from the pictures! P8: After returning from Mingsha Mountain in the evening, seeing the room door was truly therapeutic! INFP understands! I highly recommend this guesthouse. Firstly, the accommodation is very comfortable, and secondly, it was a long-lost relaxing and warm experience for someone like me who's been working like a dog for so long!