The Hostelz.com Review
YHA Changsha International Youth Hostel is affiliated with the Chinese YHA, one of three such hostels in Changsha, and as with all such hostels you either need to be a member of a YHA of any country, join on the spot, or pay for temporary membership in the form of a higher price for your bed or room. There are no curfews or lockouts and check-in seems possible at any time. However, there is an internal closedown of all common areas at midnight. Wi-Fi internet access is provided throughout the hostel and is generally of a good standard. Smoking is not permitted in the indoor areas of the hostel.
Location
Changsha is the capital of Hunan Province and is known as Chairman Mao's hometown, but what the local school kids don't get to read in their history books is that Mao set up the Hunan branch of the Nationalist Party (or Kuomintang) and only changed to the Communist Party when he saw greater opportunities! Apart from such history there is little reason to visit Changsha, but if you do, this hostel is situated in an industrial area of town amid true workers' accommodation. It is not too far from the centre of town though there is not so very much to see there. Perhaps the closest attractions are the Provincial Museum and the large Martyr's Park with its substantial lakes. There are plenty of cheap worker-eating places and small general shops in the nearby streets within easy walking distance of the hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The dorms are mostly single gender but mixed is available. Each is air conditioned, reasonably spacious, and accommodates either four or eight people. The bunks are wooden with thin, quite hard mattresses (as is normal in China) and have individual lights. Access is by a magnetic key and one room guest must use the card to activate the room's electricity. They have large lockable lockers and there are smaller lockers in the reception area.
The rooms have a rather basic feel and our room smelled a little unpleasant, although the rooms seem to be cleaned daily. The floors in both the dorm and the shared toilet area need a good scrub to remove ingrained dirt, especially as there are many chipped tiles. The shared (separate gender) shower areas are spacious with adequate shelves for clothes but are quite basic. The toilet cubicle in the men's on the second floor is so small you can hardly sit and do what you have to -- and you must remember to collect some paper before you go in. Behind the doors, the door, the wall, and the floor are dirty. nother concern is whether there are sufficient bathroom facilities in peak times. The bigger issue is that (on one floor at least) there is no wash basin in the men's toilets and one must walk ten metres along the corridor to find a basin -- how many people just don't bother?
Common Spaces
The reception area is very hostel in style, with travel and traveler graffiti. There are multiple small indoor common areas with sofas and chairs, which makes for an interesting and more intimate environment -- the main common area has sofas and some tables and chairs and two free internet PCs. Quite well-priced food is available until 6 p.m.
The outdoor patio area has several tables and benches with sun shades, a pool table, table football, and table tennis (all free). This outdoor area is the only place in the hostel for smokers to indulge. As all common areas are closed down at midnight, hostelers must either stay out or go to their rooms! There is a washing machine and a tumble dryer (at quite a high price). Wash basins in the dormitory areas are adequate for hand washing and wet clothes can be hung out in the same area or outside behind the patio. There is no members' kitchen.
Summary
This is a barely acceptable hostel. It has no members' kitchen facilities at all -- this is an important facility for those with specialist dietary requirements. It is certainly not a partying place -- the drinks fridge was switched off so few foreigners will buy anything, and there's the midnight closedown. Add to that the grime and lack of a washbasin in the gents' and it can only be said that the management is out of touch with modern hosteling standards and the expectation of international hostelers -- and remember, the word "international" is part of its name.
Location
Changsha is the capital of Hunan Province and is known as Chairman Mao's hometown, but what the local school kids don't get to read in their history books is that Mao set up the Hunan branch of the Nationalist Party (or Kuomintang) and only changed to the Communist Party when he saw greater opportunities! Apart from such history there is little reason to visit Changsha, but if you do, this hostel is situated in an industrial area of town amid true workers' accommodation. It is not too far from the centre of town though there is not so very much to see there. Perhaps the closest attractions are the Provincial Museum and the large Martyr's Park with its substantial lakes. There are plenty of cheap worker-eating places and small general shops in the nearby streets within easy walking distance of the hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The dorms are mostly single gender but mixed is available. Each is air conditioned, reasonably spacious, and accommodates either four or eight people. The bunks are wooden with thin, quite hard mattresses (as is normal in China) and have individual lights. Access is by a magnetic key and one room guest must use the card to activate the room's electricity. They have large lockable lockers and there are smaller lockers in the reception area.
The rooms have a rather basic feel and our room smelled a little unpleasant, although the rooms seem to be cleaned daily. The floors in both the dorm and the shared toilet area need a good scrub to remove ingrained dirt, especially as there are many chipped tiles. The shared (separate gender) shower areas are spacious with adequate shelves for clothes but are quite basic. The toilet cubicle in the men's on the second floor is so small you can hardly sit and do what you have to -- and you must remember to collect some paper before you go in. Behind the doors, the door, the wall, and the floor are dirty. nother concern is whether there are sufficient bathroom facilities in peak times. The bigger issue is that (on one floor at least) there is no wash basin in the men's toilets and one must walk ten metres along the corridor to find a basin -- how many people just don't bother?
Common Spaces
The reception area is very hostel in style, with travel and traveler graffiti. There are multiple small indoor common areas with sofas and chairs, which makes for an interesting and more intimate environment -- the main common area has sofas and some tables and chairs and two free internet PCs. Quite well-priced food is available until 6 p.m.
The outdoor patio area has several tables and benches with sun shades, a pool table, table football, and table tennis (all free). This outdoor area is the only place in the hostel for smokers to indulge. As all common areas are closed down at midnight, hostelers must either stay out or go to their rooms! There is a washing machine and a tumble dryer (at quite a high price). Wash basins in the dormitory areas are adequate for hand washing and wet clothes can be hung out in the same area or outside behind the patio. There is no members' kitchen.
Summary
This is a barely acceptable hostel. It has no members' kitchen facilities at all -- this is an important facility for those with specialist dietary requirements. It is certainly not a partying place -- the drinks fridge was switched off so few foreigners will buy anything, and there's the midnight closedown. Add to that the grime and lack of a washbasin in the gents' and it can only be said that the management is out of touch with modern hosteling standards and the expectation of international hostelers -- and remember, the word "international" is part of its name.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
April 2011
Their Description
YHA Changsha International Youth Hostel Details
|
|
(To add or correct information for this listing, please use the Listing Update Form.)
Location/ContactHow is YHA Changsha International Youth Hostel rated on other websites?
Not listed.
YHA Changsha International Youth Hostel Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
