Lanzhou Hostels

"I stayed in this hostel for a total of 5 nights, with two breaks when I went on tours outside of Lanzhou. I have put in reviews earlier, so this is my final for the hostel that had begun to feel like Home. The hostel itself is very comfortable a stay: clean, comfortable wide bed with sliding door for privacy, nice seating areas... It is run by a family who take turns staying over so that there is 24 hour reception. All are friendly and kind, especially the father. The parents don't speak English but you can easily use a translation app; other guests will probably interact with you. The location: it is situated about a 5 minute walk to the Yellow River Tower, and a further 10 minute walk to the Lanzhou Old Street area where there is an amazing array of food options. Just outside the hostel is a Halal (Muslim-run) restaurant called (Ruhua 如华）which the hostel owners say have been in operation for 20 or 30 years. The hand-pulled (手抓) mutton that I had there was fantastic, even though I am typically not a mutton eater --- the taste is a delicate and balanced mix of light spices (I could taste a hint of ginger, for example) and saltiness. And the 八宝茶 is also excellent. A 7 minute walk to the right after exiting the hostel (past the above -mentioned restaurant) to the main road where many buses ply, you will find another good mix of local food options, especially in the morning. The hostel is conveniently located near the Lanzhou West railway station. There is a bus 136 that runs just outside the hostel and gets you to the railway station in 20 minutes. Hope this helps someone deciding on where to stay in Lanzhou, since there doesn't seem such a good range of hostels. Some photos of the yummy food nearby : ) Thank you for such a comfortable stay, hosts!"