Hostels in Yunnan, China

This hostel is really great! It has its own restaurant that serves meals daily, and you can also order coffee or cocktails. The atmosphere is lovely, with an indoor cafe and outdoor seating. They even have daily activities – I was lucky enough to catch a folk music performance on Saturday! My room was pretty quiet, the bed was soft, and it had a small desk and good lighting. Plus, there are several toilets and bathrooms on each floor, so you can use the restroom and shower separately without waiting, which I found really convenient. Here, you meet travelers from all over the world: families on vacation, solo adventurers, some looking for friends, others keen to experience Chinese culture… People from all walks of life and corners of the globe connect through this hostel, sharing a brief, special encounter.

It started off great, with both the environment and service being top-notch. I booked for two consecutive days. On the second day, it seemed like some of the other beds had new occupants, and the quality of the new guests varied. Given the hotel has so many rooms, it's impossible to keep an eye on everyone. Overall, it was still pretty good.

The location is excellent, very close to Kunming Station, the pedestrian street, and Cuihu Park. The room is also spacious enough. The only downside is the excessive smoking in public areas; it's pervasive. For someone trying to work in a quiet spot, I had to move three times. There's a corner in the restaurant that I suspect is directly opposite the second-floor restroom. Every time someone flushes upstairs, it's incredibly loud, like dirty water is being splashed directly on you. Also, the Wi-Fi is too slow.

This is my second stay at Backpacker's, and Lijiang Backpacker's is still lively, but the facilities are a bit old and not well-maintained. The cleanliness of room A24 was a bit subpar. However, what really stood out was the excellent service at the front desk. Big Wang (Dawang) deserves a high rating; he was great at engaging with guests, playing Werewolf with us, chatting, and recommending nearby food. It was a very good experience overall.

I've stayed in many hostels across the country, but this is the first one I've truly wanted to recommend to everyone! The atmosphere is fantastic, the scenery is beautiful, it's clean and tidy, and the owner is lovely. It's especially amazing to just sit on the sofa and zone out when the sun is out. This is hands down the best value-for-money hostel I've ever stayed in. The owner even gave me a ticket to a stage play! If you love ethnic culture, you'll be absolutely thrilled! Highly, highly recommend!!!

Before coming to Dali, I had a feeling that Lililixiang (a hostel name) would be different from any other hostel I'd stayed in before. Usually, the hostels I've stayed at are purely for sleeping. People might chat a little, but it's mostly about rest, so comfort and quiet are the main priorities. But Lililixiang is the most unique one I've ever experienced. First, the location. Lililixiang is near the Cangshan Gate San Yue Jie in Dali, on a small hillside. It's quiet, but a little out of the way. From 9 AM to 10 PM, the owner provides a shuttle service to the foot of the hill, and from there, it's about a three-minute walk to the ancient city. However, for a solo female traveler like myself who wants to enjoy a pub and stay out late, you might need to take a taxi, which isn't expensive, around 10 yuan. Safety is something to consider. Next, the accommodation. Lililixiang has several floors. The first floor is a common area, the second, third, and fourth floors are for sleeping, and the top floor offers views, a paid washing machine, and a drying area. What I found a bit challenging was that the bathroom is inside the room and the door doesn't have a lock. This compromises privacy a bit, and without a door for soundproofing, I worried about disturbing roommates. The common area has many sections: billiards, table tennis, desks, dining tables, and a karaoke area (I really wanted to sing, but I left before I got comfortable enough with everyone). There's also a water dispenser, kitchen, and more. The common area is large and very convenient, and people usually hang out there. The owner stops noisy activities at 11 PM, so it doesn't disturb those sleeping. Finally, the atmosphere, which many people might be curious about. My stay was short this time, so I didn't fully experience it. Friends who stayed longer can add their comments. Last night, I met some international guests, and as someone who practices speaking English whenever and wherever possible, I went up and chatted with them. Others joined in too. I found that everyone had been to so many different places and countries, all traveling solo. I've always wanted to travel abroad by myself, but I always worry about this and that. I feel that everyone from all corners of the world shared experiences I haven't had, and it truly inspired me. Bonus: pictures of cats and dogs. A special thanks to the owner who helped me transport my luggage to the foot of the hill after I checked out. So incredibly thoughtful.

This was my second time visiting Kunming, and also my second stay at Yajv. I have to give it a full 5 stars! Yajv is right near Kunming Station. If you exit the North Plaza and walk straight to your right for about five minutes, you'll be there. It's located within a residential complex, a three-story building, with a supermarket downstairs and plenty of places to eat. The rooms at Yajv are clean, cozy, and comfortable. The mattresses are very soft, and they clean the bedding after every guest. The rooms are spacious, with ample room beyond just the bed. Each bed has a privacy curtain, and everyone gets a locker for their belongings, which requires your room key to open – offering great privacy. Plus, no outside food is allowed in the rooms! The bathrooms are communal and separate for men and women. The women's restroom has double doors and offers 24-hour hot water. The water pressure is fantastic! This is so important for us Guangxi people! Guangxi people have to shower every day!! What I loved most were the communal space on the second floor and the large balcony on the third floor, both great places to relax. The second floor is non-smoking; you can watch people and cars go by outside the window, read a book, or even ask the owner for a cup of tea. He hasn't priced his tea yet, so just be a bit cheeky, it doesn't cost anything to ask. In the living room on the second floor, there's a wall with a cloth or something hanging, covered in drawings. The owner and his friends designed and painted them themselves – they're totems. There are sun patterns, bronze drums, frogs… symbols representing the natural and animal worship of primitive tribes. Here, you might find yourself having many 'wild and imaginative' thoughts. The rooftop on the third floor is very breezy and comfortable. In early summer, you can see the lush green trees growing freely. You might even find a dog zoning out with you, though it could also be that he's hidden a bone upstairs and is watching to see if anyone is going to dig it up – hard to tell what they're thinking. Another enjoyable trip to Kunming, I'll be back next time!

This was my first time in Shangri-La, and traveling solo, I was curious about hostels as I'd never stayed in one before. I saw Pine Cone Hostel recommended on Xiaohongshu, so I looked it up and it turned out to be really great! I stayed here for a total of 4 days. Three days in a private room and one day in a 4-person dorm. The front desk staff member is leaving tomorrow, which is a real shame – I'll definitely stay at Pine Cone again next time I'm in Shangri-La!!! **Service:** The front desk staff were very proactive in resolving issues and had an excellent service attitude. After check-in, they also sent over welcome information and local travel tips, which was very thoughtful! Besides the front desk, other staff members also actively helped out whenever they saw a problem. **Facilities:** The private rooms are very well-equipped, with a heater, humidifier, and a dressing table. They even provide disposable bath towels, regular towels, and bottled water. For the 4-person dorm, the towels and bottled water are placed in the respective lockers. The public areas also have excellent facilities. The shower area has curtains, hooks, and toiletries, with plenty of space, strong water pressure, and ample hot water. The restrooms have both Western-style toilets and squat toilets, and overall, the hygiene is impeccable. The laundry area has a dryer, washing machine, and even a shoe-washing machine – how thoughtful! The makeup area has large stools, hair dryers, and curling irons, completely catering to women's needs. Hand soap is provided at the sinks, and there's enough space between each sink so you won't bump into each other while getting ready, haha. **Hygiene:** Both the public service areas and guest rooms are kept very clean. **Environment:** The overall experience was fantastic. It was my first time staying in a hostel with private rooms, and it felt very special. I recommended it to my friends right after checking in. The male and female dorms are in separate buildings, and the common areas are very cozy, like a huge 'Friends' apartment. The hostel offers breakfast and dinner, which are both good value for money. It's actually not too far from the ancient town – just a few minutes by taxi, or about a 20-30 minute walk.

Located right next to the core area of Xishuangbanna, the surrounding commercial environment is lively with plenty of large supermarkets and shopping streets. The bedding was relatively comfortable and clean, but many of the bathroom facilities were broken. Also, the cleanliness of the hostel's common areas could be significantly improved. Hopefully, it will get better and better!

The hostel is in an excellent location. The manager is very kind and always tries to help. The place is clean, the beds are large and comfortable, and the common areas are great and perfect for meeting people. There are Western-style toilets, and the staff speaks English, which is a big plus for me. It doesn’t smell like cigarette smoke (which can be common in China), and quiet hours are respected. I would definitely stay here again.