Cleanliness at Yangshuo Flowers Youth Hostel could be better, but it is an ok place to stay if you are looking for cheap accommodation with a convenient location. The hostel also offers a small restaurant where you can purchase breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There are not many options on the menu, but it can be handy if you arrive and are tired and do not want to go out.
The Location
The hostel is a bit tricky to find at first, since it is "hidden" on a back street, but it is very close to the bus station (about three minutes' walk). If you are heading to the hostel from the bus station, make sure you cross the street and turn right, after that you will cross the market. Right after that you will see a small street -- you need to turn in there and you will find the hostel turning to your right (it is a pink building with a sign). Keep in mind that the name of the street is the same but you need to go around the bank in order to be able to find it. Once you've found it, it gets easier. It is a five-minute walk to the river and town centre -- at night the area seams a bit dark, but there is no danger around.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel is a building with several floors, so you might be unlucky enough to be on the top floor -- you will have to use the stairs with your bags on your back, since there is no elevator. The rooms are a decent size, the beds are bunk beds, and some of them have a night light. The lockers are not big enough to fit a big backpack but enough to fit some of your valuables (you will need to bring your own padlock). All rooms come with a shower and toilet (together in the same room). You will have to be careful while showering not to get your towel or clothes wet, since there is no curtain, and after a shower the floor is wet so if someone else wants to use the toilet it might get messy. The walls of the rooms are a bit mouldy but not too much. The mattresses are quite comfortable for Chinese standard. Most, but not all, of the rooms come with air conditioning that you can also use for the chilly winter season.
Common Spaces
The common spaces are situated downstairs right next to the reception. As you come into the hostel you will find a living room with several couches and a fridge where you can get beer or soft drinks, at your own expense, of course. There are a few more couches and a big table right in front of the reception so while you are checking in if there are many people around it might be a bit crowded. There are two computers for internet access, but they are not free. They also have a dining room at the back along with a TV room, but if you would like to watch a movie, you will have to rent it. There is no communal kitchen, but they do provide hot drinking water in case you want a tea, coffee, or noodles. In winter time the common spaces tend to be cold as there is no heating system -- they only make a fire inside an iron sink with coal, so it gets smoky inside, and it's not that warm unless you sit right next to the fire.
Summary
The place offers cheap accommodation if you are willing to share a room. It is a great place to stay during summer, autumn, and spring, but not that much in the middle of the winter during the Christmas season as it does get cold.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
March 2009
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