Suzhou Blue Gate Youth Hostel

The owner was friendly, helpful, fluent in English, and happy to chat about anything. There was even FREE ICE CREAMS! The lobby had comfy chairs and sofas, plus a high-tech smart-television, and you could ask to watch a movie if other people didn't mind. This is a quiet, simple, affordable hostel for backpackers, conveniently near the subway, a convenience store, and a couple of restaurants, though it isn't very big. A few downsides: the washroom had squatting toilets, which I never got used to in China, the bed was a bit hard but did its job, and the heating was off, so it was chilly, maybe because it was December.

You can rent towels and city bike cards here, which is useful, and the hostel is quiet, well located, great value, and has friendly staff. The cold was a problem, though. Windows everywhere were always open, so the whole place was chilly in early April. There were only two toilets and two showers for everyone, and there was mould. I would come back, but only in warmer weather.

The location was great, the staff were helpful, and security seemed fair. But the place was extremely filthy. There were bandaids on the floor, the bins weren't emptied regularly, and the bathroom constantly smelled of urine. The bathrooms were very small too, and the bedding still had the previous person's hair all over it. You get what you pay for.

There’s a nice social space, and people are always chatting. The room was clean and good value. The toilet was small and not very clean, but overall it’s worth a stay.