Ji Hotel Xi'an Jiefang Road Wanda

The airport bus picks up right beside this hotel!

Nice.

The room was fairly spacious, though the facilities feel a bit dated. I also liked the area, with a big shopping center, a local-style food court and clean main streets. It felt more pleasant than the really tourist-crowded parts of town. The hotel is right by the subway, directly in front of Exit A at Wulukou, where the airport line has opened. Staff spoke English, and sorting out the morning bus schedule was easy. They took a 200 yuan deposit at check-in. My flight home was in the morning, so I checked out planning to catch the 4:30 first airport bus. As soon as I stepped outside, though, someone offered me a shared taxi for 30 yuan, and I went to the airport without waiting. They seemed used to foreign guests and confirmed my destination and timing with a phone translation app. The other three passengers were Chinese; they dropped off at T2, then took me on to T3. The trip took a little over 30 minutes.

The rooms and lobby were nicer than I expected for such a low price, and the hotel is right by the airport bus stop. It's also near stops for buses such as route 306 to the Terracotta Warriors. The front desk staff spoke English fluently, and when they found out I was Japanese, they called over a staff member who spoke fluent Japanese. They also kept my bags on my last day, which was a big help. There's a separate desk for luggage storage. I'd definitely stay here again if I visit Xi'an.