Mix Hostel Chengdu Guesthouse

Mix Hostel Chengdu Guesthouse was set up by Mix, a young Chinese traveler who has stayed at many hostels and therefore knows what a backpacker really wants. The hostel is a large three-story house with an open courtyard centre, which has coal fires gently burning away during winter. The decor of graffitied messages scrawled on every inch of wall and Mix's travel photos hung on the walls gives you that travelers' feeling.

The dorms are either four- or six-bed and are very reasonably priced with winter deals making this even cheaper. They are a bit squishy and don't have lockers but they are cleaned everyday, and each person has their own key. As they don't have double-glazing on the windows, the rooms get very cold -- some rooms have working heaters but if these don't work, then the free electric blankets ensure that you don't get chilly sleeping.

There is no guest kitchen here but they have a good, reasonably priced food (try the banana pancakes!) and they have hot and cold water dispensers on all floors. The downstairs area is the social area with the internet room (free internet), TV room where you can watch DVDs for free all day long, restaurant and general area where you can sit around the fires and chat or just defrost in winter.

All the staff speak good English and can help you with almost anything. There is a pack of cats living here -- each one seems to have claimed it's own room but they just sleep and don't bother anyone. Finding the hostel is quite easy, as it is just off the main road where a number of buses travel along. If you arrive by train, then you can be picked up for free as long as you let them know what time you will be arriving.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
April 2007