Saga Youth Hostel

Poor service and rude staff
I was there this summer with five of my friends and we were really unsatisfied with the people there. It was first stop of our trip and we really had an unpleasant time living there. The staff at the reception desks were rude and unhelpful. In addition to that, they were extremely mean to us when we asked questions and said things terrible about us in Chinese (luckily one of our friends knows Chinese), we were really pissed with their altitudes and services. This is by far the worst hostel we stayed at during our trip. Be smart, don't stay at this hostel!

Hi, Although the location is great (no doubt about it), the services of the hostels are VERY BAD ! The people are not nice at all and treat you badly. Moreover the installations are dangerous. When I was staying there last july, almost five people got burnt in the showers. And one girl was seriously burnt and had to go to the hospital !! People at the time seemed not to care about the problem although they were people with small children. The rooms were crowded and in most of them the air condioning was not functioning although we were in the summer and it was deadly hot !!! In that case as well, the employees did not care at all. Well there are enough hostels in Beijing. So one advise do not waste time in this hostel ! FYG, the other hostel located in the same street than the Saga belongs to the same Owner ... so do not except too great a service there as well.

I stayed in this hostel three times. The first time I stayed before 2005. At that time staff were friendly and helpful. The second time I stayed summer of 2005 and winter of 2005. Both times the same stuff who were working in 2004 were there but really changed in their attitudes toward tourists. They weren't helpful at all, really unfriendly. The rate was increased. It wasn't the same hostel I stayed in 2004.

Good hostel. Very cheap and not badly located at all. No breakfast, which doesn't make much of a difference, once there are food markets nearby and very cheap ones by the way. The rooms are OK, not more than you can expect, and the showers are good as well. The atmosphere could be better though. There are a couple of couches in the main lobby and people gether there to get some buzz. Good for the price.

Convienently located 15 minutes walk (or 12 - 15 yuan taxi ride; from airport dont expect to pay more than 100 yuan including road tolls for taxi) north of the main train station, and 35 minutes from the Forbidden city, the Saga International youth hostel is a clean, well run and cheap hostel in Beijing city centre. The rooms are all spacious and clean, and lockers are provided (you provide the lock). The bathrooms and showers have recently been renovated and always offer hot water, and are spacious and clean. There is also a good size kitchen, however it is fairly poorly equipted, check there is cutlery and pots and pans before buying any ingredients!! The restaurant working out of the same room provides cheap and tasty (10 - 20 yuan /dish) chinese and western food though. This is also the social hub of the hostel where residents relax and chat, aided no doubt by the bargain 2 yuan bottles of Tsingtao. The only gripes with this place other than the poorly equipped kitchen are that the laundry has no tumble dryer, meaning a 2 day (minimum) wait in the winter waiting for clothes to dry, and the hard matresses on the beds. However these are common complaints in Chinese hostels. Other services provided by the hostel are internet access, book exchange, small shop in lobby and a travel agency. A great place to stay in Beijing.

A very good place to stay at very reasonable prices. The only thing is, in common with most Chinese hostels, the beds are hard. Please, guys, buy a few mattresses.

This was our first stop in our trip and I am afraid to say that the staff were unhelpful. The tour organizer turned out to be a dragon and ended up costing us a lot of money when it came to booking our train tickets. (She booked the wrong dates and still screamed at us to pay her her commission). The rooms were clean and the bathroom facilities were suitable (apart from very weak flushing toilets!).

Lovely hostel, the reception is welcoming and turns into a great evening meeting and drinking area...beer is available at the reception and is very cheap (2yuan($0.25) a bottle as of 10/2002). the rooms are clean and the bathroom facilities are good. the staff are friendly and tollerant (we had some good parties :-))