Xiangzimen Youth Hostel

We came from Beijing on the high-speed train, which was an amazing ride, and stayed here for a few nights during Lunar New Year 2017 to see the terracotta warriors. Xiangzimen Youth Hostel was one of my favorite parts of our two weeks in China. It felt like a real cultural experience, with a unique building, an authentic feel and a great city-center location. It was clean, safe, well kept and nicely appointed, with good food and a very fair price. A lovely spot to unwind over tea or set out on foot to explore the wider area. I was here with my wife and daughter, who teaches at Beijing University.

I liked the hostel's traditional red Chinese style, and it was clean and very pretty. The Southern Gate is close by, and the Muslim quarter isn't far either. There are also plenty of good bars and breweries around. Our room had no window, but it was big enough and smelled fine. The downsides were the breakfast, where every option was awful, and staff who weren't very friendly or easy to talk with. The excursions look appealing, but they're expensive. They don't accept Visa or MaterCard. Also, the map pin is in the wrong place, so use the address instead.

I found the stay comfortable, with cozy beds, clean showers and lots of shared areas to sit, chat or relax. There are many restaurants nearby, and a bus station with routes to pretty much anywhere you might want to go. The hostel is large and sits right by the entrance to the Ancient City Wall. Getting there from the airport is a bit of a hassle, though, with a two-hour bus ride followed by a 30-minute walk. The Wi-Fi in the bedrooms was unreliable sometimes, which I guess is to be expected in a hostel.

A great stay in Xi’an. The hostel is near the South Gate (Yongningmen), and the address is 16, Xiangzimiao Street, close to the Hong Kong Yonglijian Ji Ltd mark. The Google Maps pin is a little off. You can get to the Muslim Quarters (Hui Min Jie) in two bus stops, usually on bus no 608, and Defu Bar Alley is within walking distance. The evening walk back, around 1-2km, was no trouble for me, with several landmarks beautifully lit along the way. Sometimes you can hear drunk people singing or getting a bit rough at night, but I found it entertaining. There are 2-3 convenience stores nearby for stocking up on mineral water and yogurt ice cream bars in the heat. We had a spacious twin room with its own bathroom. The hostel seems to have two connected buildings, one for private rooms and one for dorms. They offer airport transfers for ¥150/way, which can be shared by four people, plus laundry for a small fee.