My Hangzhou Hostel Experience: Freshly Back & Utterly FUMING!
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Hey everyone! I just returned from Hangzhou, and the experience at one of those hostels was so frustrating that I felt compelled to share with all of you, especially my foreign friends, hoping to help avoid the same pitfall.
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Do not under any circumstances stay at Hangzhou Fulaiju Hostel! (Note: It's possible their official name might be slightly different)- I strongly suspect that all those positive reviews online are fake!
Initially, I planned my visit to Hangzhou to be delightful fun.
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All I wanted was to find a hostel close to the famous night market and West Lake (the magnificent lake which is a symbol of Hangzhou) so I could head out early next morning to Lingyin Temple (a very famous ancient temple).
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What transpired instead was a nightmare!
The place doesn't qualify as a hostel at all (Hostel), but it might be classified as a small hotel or guesthouse ("Minsu" - a homestay typically offered in private homes). It had only three bedrooms, two male dorms and one female dorm.
- When I booked the room, it said “4-bed dorm,” but once I got there, it turned out to be a 6-bed dorm! True, I myself share some blame; with excitement, I rushed to drop my luggage and explore without thoroughly examining the room.
The photos and descriptions matched online, scores were high, and I imagined it would be a warm and snug place. Sadly, it turned out to be a disappointment!
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Numerous complaints about the lodging experience:
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Top bunks without privacy curtain: Within minutes after entering, I realized that the top bunks didn’t even have a privacy curtain! Feeling frustrated, I was ready to leave when the owner sent me a message...
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Owner lied: He claimed that someone going to be sharing the bottom bunk had rescheduled and thus wanted me to stay on the bottom. Only later did I realize the "bottom-bunk guest" was actually a cleaning staff they had invited!
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Facility conditions not matching descriptions given online:
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"They claimed they provide disposable slippers, shower amenities, WiFi and toiletries. But in reality:
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No disposable slippers!
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No shampoo!
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Conditioner so thin it was virtually water!
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Wanting a shower late at night, I discovered no shampoo and asked the owner to deliver some. Ignoring my plight, he made me borrow one from another roommate.
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The papers used in the bathroom were thin; and by evening, it wasn't replaced at all!
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The owner was uncooperative and apologetic, trying to avoid responsibility:
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My efforts in negotiations with the owner seemed futile. For the most part, his attitude suggested something to the effect of: if I wanted a good environment, I would only have to pay an extra 70 to 80 yuan (roughly $10-$12/night)! There are decent hostels priced within budget close by. We aren't ignorant! I argued.
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“If you don’t give shampoo, don’t write it down then!” I continued, feeling irked he wouldn’t make the issue clear enough.
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Safety and Privacy issues (this particularly alarming!):
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"Only internal locking: the doors could be locked from the inside, meaning that whoever left later had to wait for you to open up, no security at all!"
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"Disrespectful conduct from the owner: around 11 PM, the owner was knocking our door as if this was acceptable. Then he stood in the hallway while talking to us and even tried to enter the room to assist us. Utterly disregarding privacy and manners, and on top it is an adult man invading a female’s privacy."
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I slept like a board on a hard bed. Worst I ever experienced from a 'hostel'.
- The owner was not only rude and offensive but also dishonest.
*I couldn't help to resent my own impulsiveness. I should have either left promptly in disappointment or looked for another accommodation.
- Finally, I hope my experiences could help everyone, especially those searching hostel accommodation in Hangzhou, please keep a wise eye!
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I asked last night, and a youth hostel near the East Station was 100 yuan a night! Damn!
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Oh wow, that's so expensive! It was probably because so many people went yesterday. I looked again today and found a hostel near Wulin Square for just over 70 yuan, and the environment looks pretty good too.
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Youth hostels inevitably get dirty and run-down over time, especially with many long-term residents. It's best to choose chain hostels that have been open for less than 2 years. Even older chain ones aren't great.
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This one claimed it opened in '24 and had high ratings. Strictly speaking, it's more of a guesthouse. My bad for not looking closely before booking. Who would've thought it could be so misleading?
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A few days ago, I traveled off-peak and stayed at a newly opened hostel near West Lake in Hangzhou. Everything from the design to the service was pretty good, and it was just over 100 yuan for two nights.
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I also went off-peak, stayed on the 29th. I picked it because it was close to Wulin Street and West Lake. Who knew it would be like this? When I checked in, I was in a hurry to drop my stuff and head out, so I didn't look closely. It wasn't until I came back at night to shower that I realized how bad everything was.
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The better hostels I've stayed at were all 200 yuan a night during the May Day holiday.
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May Day is just super expensive; prices go up everywhere. I went on the 29th.
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My first time at 'Dugunai' (or 'Do Good Night') was genuinely the worst. The curtain on my assigned bunk was broken, and the bed was an absolute pigsty. I didn't even take my clothes off and didn't dare use the blanket.
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The top bunk at the place I'm staying at doesn't even have a curtain!
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Which one is it? Name and shame so we can avoid it!
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When I was in Hangzhou before, I stayed at Lü Xiaoer. It was clean and not noisy.
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Now that's what a proper hostel bed looks like. The one I'm in is just like a dorm bunk bed; the top bunk doesn't even have a curtain.
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Youth hostels these days aren't what they used to be. They're mostly full of long-term residents.
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This place is so bad it doesn't even have long-term residents anymore. The girl sharing my room messaged me yesterday saying everyone else had checked out.
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Which hostel is it? I'll make a note. [Crying emoji] Domestic accommodation standards are really declining these days.
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Fulaiju Youth Hostel, it's over by Wulin Road.
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And then there's Kepler 🤮. If you want to experience being inexplicably berated by the front desk, I suggest Kepler. If you want a happy trip but end up feeling like you've eaten dirt because of how disgustingly you're treated during check-in and check-out in Hangzhou, then by all means, go experience Kepler.