Beijing Lotus Hostel

An oasis amongst the bustle of a big city
Rooms basic but clean. Facilities good. Courtyard a great place to relax with a drink and socialise with other travelers at the end of a day. Staff friendly. Always helpful. Location good. We stayed in May 2007.

Not so great
I am surprised by the good reviews this place gets. I found the staff rude and the place quite dirty (a steamed bun and an empty bottle of beer sat in the shower cubicle for three days), the toilets don't flush, and the kitchen never has any of the food it advertises. It's also in a bad location, you need to get a bus then metro to get anywhere. Worst of all though, our friend made a reservation ahead for us, only for it to be lost -- we were offered a dorm instead of the double room, then once we had settled in, we were told after two days that we had to leave as someone else was booked in our room! Other guests were frequently moved between rooms as staff seemed unable to shuffle future bookings between rooms.

This Hostel was great! I stayed in the upper level with my own private bathroom. The staff was very friendly. There were people from all over the world visiting there. Ben, a manager, always gave me helpful suggestions about where to find places and took the time to write the Chinese characters down on paper for the Taxi driver to read.

With no exaggeration, this was probably one of the nicest places I've stayed. The staff were so friendly, very helpful finding our way around Beijing, and booking a Great Wall Tour. Highly recommended!

If you book here you won't be disappointed. It's quite conveniently located, close to cheap eateries, bus, and underground, but really quiet. Real nice if you're coming from Europe, a little jet lagged like i was. No annoying hoovers in the morning like some places. Staff were really good and writing directions in Chinese to give to taxi drivers was never a hassle for them. Hot water twenty-four/seven and clean rooms. Pool table and free internet. Go for it.

I have stayed at this hostel twice, having tried two other Beijing hostels previously. It is outstanding. Friendly, helpful, generous staff, comfortable beds in clean rooms, clean showers and toilets. Excellent extra facilities -- clean kitchen and dining area, comfortable lounge with TV and free internet, washing machines that work available. A very pleasant courtyard area for relaxing away from the hustle and bustle outside. Efficient booking service for tours, trains, etc. I highly recommend Lotus Hostel.