HI - Shanghai - Le Tour Shanghai YH Hostel

HI - Shanghai - Le Tour Shanghai YH Hostel is located right near the metro station (in fact, it is almost underneath the metro line). It is in a somewhat more poor area of Shanghai (compared to the area around The Bund and around the Pearl Tower), however, within a five-minute walk of the hostel is an area with street food as well as McDonald's and convenience stores. The rooms are air conditioned and the beds are comfortable.

The Location

The hostel is located right under a metro line, and about a five-minute walk from a metro stop. It is across the street from some stall food and small restaurants, as well as a very large, inexpensive internet cafe. The hostel is easy for cab drivers to find if you give them the name of the subway station it is near, and of course is accessible by subway during the metro operating hours. The instructions provided by the hostel should be okay, but if in doubt have a map with you and ask a local at the exit of the subway which direction to walk.

It is not far, so don't be fooled into paying for a ride on a motorcycle. At the subway exit, as is the case everywhere in Shanghai, there are a number of motorcyclists offering a ride. There is no need to because the hostel is close enough. Walk along the metro line (which is above you), and without turning on any street, you will see the hostel from this road. Be careful though, as there can be a lot of high speed motorcyclists who will not slow down for pedestrians.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The rooms are spacious and provide a place for books as well as a light for each bed. All the rooms are air conditioned. The washrooms provide western-style sitting toilets, and they are reasonable clean. Each bed also has the option of a locker with a lock -- these are spacious and should hold most reasonably sized backpacks. The blanket and pillow provided are sufficient, and the mattress is reasonable thick and soft. the showers are located in communal bathrooms attached to the hallways. Each shower is in a stall.

Common Spaces

There is a very cozy common area in this hostel. the hostel has free internet for short periods of time (and for longer internet sessions, an internet cafe right across the street is very inexpensive). The hostel offers a good selection of meals including a good all day breakfast. For much cheaper food, the food stalls all around this hostel offer Chinese food at very low prices. Very close is a place that sell baozi at very cheap prices. There is a DVD room as well as a number of couches and tables good for reading.

Summary

This is a good hostel. However, it is rather far from The Bund and the Pearl Tower, but is closer to other attractions in Shanghai. It may be cheaper than hostels closer to The Bund, but remember it may be a costly cab ride to get there if you plan on going there at night. Like most hostels in China, it provides a decent selection of western and Chinese food, albeit at much more expensive prices than the Chinese food you can buy around the hostel.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
September 2009