Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
east of the Forbidden City. It's a small, boutiquey place, and thus gets booked up early; those
lucky enough to bag a room or bed will benefit
from
a relaxe
d atm
osphere, one livened up
with occasional martial arts lessons. Dorms from
¥
130
, rooms
¥
500
Sanlitun Youth Hostel
三里屯青年旅舍
, sānlĭtún qīngnián lǚshè Off Chunxiu Lu 010
51909288,
itisbeijing.com
;
Dongsishitiao subway (line 2);
map
.
Most notable for being the
closest hostel to Sanlitun, this is a friendly place that boasts a good bar of its own. The only
prob
lem for
most
backpackers is its distance from the nearest subway station. Dorms from
¥
60
, rooms
¥
220
SOUTH OF THE CENTRE
365 Inn
365
安怡之家宾馆
365 ānyí zhījiā bīnguăn 55 Dazhalan Xijie 010 63085956,
china365inn.com
; Qianmen subway (line 2);
map
.
Highly popular place on the bustling
Dazhalan strip. Its rooms are cheery and relatively spacious, though guests tend to spend
more
time
in the s
treet-
facing restaurant, which morphs into a busy bar come evening. Dorms
from
¥
50
, rooms
¥
250
Leo Hostel
广聚园青年旅舍
, guǎngjùyuán qīngnián lǚshè 52 Dazhalan Xijie 010
63031595,
leohostel.com
; Qianmen subway (line 2);
map
.
Still the best hostel on
Dazhalan, and particularly popular with younger backpackers on account of its cheap bar and
fun vibe - like a reverse mullet, it's party at the front, business at the back. Leafy and at-
tractive communal spaces make up for rooms that are a bit tatty round the edges; some of the
dorms can be a bit cramped. It's
easy
to find,
and a
n easy walk from Tian'anmen Square and
the Forbidden City. Dorms from
¥
50
, rooms
¥
240
WEST OF THE CENTRE
Chinese Box Courtyard Hostel
团圆四合院客栈
, tuányuánsìhéyuàn kèzhàn 52 Xisi
yard hotel, hidden behind a sturdy red
hutong
door, only has a couple of rooms, so you'll
certainly need to book ahead. The dorms are on the pricey side, but the rather incongruously
luxurious double rooms are up there with the best in their price range; they feature huge beds,
and imperial-style wallpaper and cushions. There are daily events such as mus
ical p
erform-
ances
, tea tastings and “dumpling parties”. Small breakfast included. Dorms
¥
120
, rooms
¥
450