Lion Forest, Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou

Hands down the best hostel I've ever stayed in. It's incredibly clean; the sheets and duvet covers were spotless. The room itself was fantastic – the bunk beds were really spacious, wide, and tall, making for a super comfortable stay.

For this price, being able to rent a place like this, especially in this location, is quite good. The accommodation environment is pleasant, and the hygiene is good. The cleaning staff were very prompt with tidying up, and their service attitude was excellent.

The location is fantastic, directly opposite Lion Grove Garden and not far from Humble Administrator's Garden and Suzhou Museum. It's super convenient if you're planning to visit these places. The room and lobby facilities are complete, with plenty of power outlets. The only issue is that the bathroom and shower are quite old and had some bugs. They could definitely use a renovation.

I chose this hostel for my solo trip to Suzhou, and the overall experience completely exceeded my expectations! It's located right next to the South Gate of Lion Grove Garden, just a few minutes' walk to Pingjiang Road and Humble Administrator's Garden, making it incredibly convenient for exploring the ancient city. It's great for getting to all the attractions. The front desk service was gentle and thoughtful, patiently answering all my questions about sightseeing. The facilities are complete, with laundry and drying areas available. The female dorm beds offer excellent privacy, making me feel very secure as a solo traveler. It's incredibly good value for money, and I'll definitely choose this place again on my next trip to Suzhou! It's so convenient to go anywhere and really comfortable, the value for money is great. A day trip in Suzhou is wonderful. Yesterday there was a bit of sun, and then it immediately rained – truly the misty江南 (Jiangnan, a region known for its misty landscapes)!

The hostel generally has all the basic amenities. There are a few things I think could be improved. First, you need a room card to use the electricity. Second, they charge a 100 RMB deposit. Third, the drying area for clothes is very small. And fourth, the male receptionist was quite cold and unhelpful, as if I owed him money.

Last night, the front desk told me to 'get lost' and yelled at me for being a busybody. It all started because the trash can was overflowing and rubbish was spilled everywhere, so I asked the front desk to change it. There were three people at the front desk at the time. The male staff member, while playing on his phone, shouted, 'You don't need to get involved, our cleaning staff will take care of it later.' I countered, 'Wasn't I just asking you to take care of it? I'm just telling you what's happening.' He became even more agitated, telling me I was 'meddling,' that he 'had disliked me for a long time,' and 'didn't need my advice.' Finally, he told me to 'get lost.' This particular front desk staff member is extremely rude, arrogant, and lazy. Once before, I had just finished showering and was getting dressed. As soon as I unlocked the door, he pushed it open. He didn't even apologize; he just walked away with an arrogant look on his face. Among the front desk staff, he is the laziest. If you ask anyone else, they quickly resolve issues, but he's never around. While others are working, he's playing on his phone. Is he the boss's son? Has your boss not trained him? Going back to the incident, how can this person be like this? I asked you to dispose of the trash, and you said I was ordering him? Did I call you out specifically? Isn't this your job? What are the three of you at the front desk doing? With so many people in the lobby, do others not notice this? Boss, I want to tell you very seriously: if an employee is lazy and arrogant, I think you should reconsider, because he will only infect others. The fact that he dares to yell at a guest at the front desk – is he trying to assert authority over his two colleagues? I've also seen other negative reviews, and your boss only ever refutes them. But I've also seen that you are indeed making changes. So, this is your employee, and yes, the boss is like this too.

The overall vibe of the place is great. I found it very clean during my stay, and the staff communicated smoothly. It seems to cater mostly to a younger crowd. The location is fantastic, just a hundred meters from Pingjiang Road, the Humble Administrator's Garden, and Suzhou Museum. You can easily walk to all of them, which saves you the hassle of finding a taxi or dealing with morning traffic. Personally, I think this is an ideal place to stay if you're visiting Suzhou. Since it's a youth hostel, there's an age limit of 30 years old, so make sure to check that restriction before booking.