Hotel 2-Star di Gansu, China

I stayed in a 4-person room. The room was minimalist and medium-small, with lockers – basic but comfortable. The common area is stylish and inviting, with plenty of seating, cozy corners, plants, kettles, and power outlets, though it’s on a high floor with a glass ceiling – warm when hot, cozy when cold, and the few fans aren’t always enough. The staff at the desk were friendly, laundry facilities available, though no snacks or cold drinks. The area is urban, among regular buildings, so not particularly attractive from the outside, but within walking distance to the museum and the metro station, with a large supermarket and several food options nearby. Overall, a decent place to stay in Lanzhou.

The boss was very enthusiastic. I contacted him one day in advance and waited for us at the station early the next morning. The accommodation was close to the East Gate. We said we were going to Crescent Lake and Mingsha Mountain. The boss took the initiative to drive us to the Middle Gate, saying that we could save 20 yuan on the shuttle bus fare. The next day, we signed up for a tour group to go out and play. The boss also sent us to the boarding point early in the morning. The boss was afraid that it would be inconvenient to go back after the Crescent Lake Music Festival, so he also came to pick us up, making our travel very convenient. The accommodation environment is also very good, and the steamed bun for breakfast is particularly large.

Wonderful place and wonderful family! The best accommodation we stayed in in China. Perfect position very close to the monastery. Very clean. As soon as we arrived we were greeted with a snack of dried dates, bread, butter and tzampa, accompanied by some delicious tea. We stayed with this family for two days and they always offered us breakfast, the first day with house tea and fresh bread, the second day with coffee and fried bread. We spent the evening with them and they always kept offering us food and tea, always making us feel welcome. The house is wonderful, ******* style, wooden, always very clean. The beds are really comfortable, and they have a warming blanket. Inside our room we also had an electric heater to warm ourselves, which made the room really warm and cosy. The bathroom has hot water. You can fill your water bottles from the drinking water containers they have in front of each room. We always saw them cleaning the common areas. The owner, his wife and their three children welcomed us warmly like family. I will recommend them to all my friends. Really recommended!

I brought my parents, who are in their 70s, to visit Maiji Mountain. The hostess was incredibly warm and attentive. After arriving at the North Gate 1 of the Maiji Mountain scenic area, we just made a call and she came directly to pick us up and take us to the guesthouse. The room was spotless, not a speck of dust anywhere. For dinner, we had mushroom stew with free-range chicken and stir-fried wild vegetables – truly delicious! 😋 The next day, she dropped us off at the entrance of the Maiji Mountain scenic spot at 7:30 AM, so we were the first ones to go in at 8:30 AM. After our visit, we saw a super long queue had already formed outside. Afterward, we took a taxi to explore Xianren Cliff and Jingtu Temple. Finally, the hostess even drove our luggage to the Line 34 bus stop to drop us off. It was a truly perfect day, so relaxed and easy. We avoided the crowds in the morning and didn't have to wait in long lines, making for a 10/10 visiting experience. Huge thanks to the hostess for the pick-up and drop-off service!

If life is a never-ending journey, then the camping trip at the Desert Star Hotel is undoubtedly a highlight of my journey. When I arrived at the campsite, the first thing that attracted me was the unique tent house. Unlike regular tents, the top of the tent is made of special transparent materials, like a huge viewing platform, which builds a bridge of communication between me and the vast galaxy. As night fell, I couldn't wait to lie on the soft bed, and when I looked up, the bright starry sky was presented to me without reservation. The stars twinkled, like gems inlaid on the black sky, beautiful as a dream. At that moment, the world seemed to press the mute button, and the impetuousness and noise in my heart were instantly soothed. The unique beauty of this quietness made me intoxicated. It is worth mentioning that the hotel staff is very considerate. After placing the order, the customer service guy at the front desk added our contact information and gave us some local travel tips, which saved us a lot of time. From the warm reception at check-in, to the careful guidance during the activities, to the warm greetings at night, every detail made people feel cared for. They not only provided me with thoughtful service, but also made me feel the simplicity and enthusiasm of the desert people. This desert camping trip not only allowed me to appreciate the magnificent scenery of the desert, but also experienced exciting and interesting activities, which became an eternal and beautiful memory in my heart.

I stayed in this hostel for a total of 5 nights, with two breaks when I went on tours outside of Lanzhou. I have put in reviews earlier, so this is my final for the hostel that had begun to feel like Home. The hostel itself is very comfortable a stay: clean, comfortable wide bed with sliding door for privacy, nice seating areas... It is run by a family who take turns staying over so that there is 24 hour reception. All are friendly and kind, especially the father. The parents don't speak English but you can easily use a translation app; other guests will probably interact with you. The location: it is situated about a 5 minute walk to the Yellow River Tower, and a further 10 minute walk to the Lanzhou Old Street area where there is an amazing array of food options. Just outside the hostel is a Halal (Muslim-run) restaurant called (Ruhua 如华）which the hostel owners say have been in operation for 20 or 30 years. The hand-pulled (手抓) mutton that I had there was fantastic, even though I am typically not a mutton eater --- the taste is a delicate and balanced mix of light spices (I could taste a hint of ginger, for example) and saltiness. And the 八宝茶 is also excellent. A 7 minute walk to the right after exiting the hostel (past the above -mentioned restaurant) to the main road where many buses ply, you will find another good mix of local food options, especially in the morning. The hostel is conveniently located near the Lanzhou West railway station. There is a bus 136 that runs just outside the hostel and gets you to the railway station in 20 minutes. Hope this helps someone deciding on where to stay in Lanzhou, since there doesn't seem such a good range of hostels. Some photos of the yummy food nearby : ) Thank you for such a comfortable stay, hosts!

The hotel is in a great location, with a similar distance to the city center and Maiji Mountain, making travel very convenient! The room is clean and the shower water is huge! The front desk service attitude is also good, it is worth recommending!

The environment is fully equipped and the service attitude is good. Every time I come here, I am very enthusiastic, it is worth recommending to everyone, the transportation is convenient, and it is convenient to travel by car. The store also takes the canteen.

We stayed one night when we arrived from zoige and booked the tent first. But before booking you should know that the bathroom is one floor underneath and there are NO showers. So if you only stay one night and dont need the shower its fine, but if you can spend 20 Yuan more you get a really big room with two beds and an own bathroom WITH a shower! We departed the next morning to Diebu to go from there to Zhagana. The bus departs at the traffic light at the main street and should normally stop there at 9.00 am but on our day it was more like 9.30 am. While waiting on the bus we had breakfast at the food stands next to the traffic light and asked around for the bus

This was the most pleasant surprise among all the hotels we stayed at during our 10-day trip to Qinghai and Gansu. The starry sky theme and its intricate details are incredibly well-executed, with new discoveries around every corner. You can really tell the owner poured their heart into creating this hotel. The decor and amenities are also excellent, with every room featuring a smart toilet and a starry sky projector. Most importantly, the service is outstanding! They offered pickup from the station and proactively shared a wealth of knowledge about Dunhuang. Since the owner used to be a tour guide for over ten years, they truly know everything! They also provided many travel tips and itineraries. We booked the astronomy mini-class, which was very interesting. Unfortunately, it was cloudy on both days of our stay, so we couldn't see many stars.