Xian is a big bustling city of nearly 9 million people in North-West China and it is home to so many cultural experiences for tourists. Affordable accommodation is one thing it is not known for so we were on a mission to find something within our budget. In the back streets of the Muslim Quarter, you will find the Alley Youth Hostel Xian, China.
- Where is the Alley Youth Hostel in Xi'an China?
- What sort rooms does this Xi an hostel have?
- What facilities does the best Hostel in Xian have for guests?
- What essential services can I find near the Alley Youth Hostel Xian China?
- How to get to Alley Youth Hostel
- Transportation to the Alley Hostel
- Do we recommend Alley Youth Hostel?
- How to get to Xian
- Weather in Xian
- Money in China
- Access to the Internet in China
- Author bio:
Where is the Alley Youth Hostel in Xi’an China?
From the first moment you walk in the door of the best hostel in Xian you are greeted and welcomed by the warm and friendly staff. Most of the staff working in Hostels in Xian speak excellent English, which is a huge help for Westerners.
The Alley Youth Hostel is located in the centre of the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an. The address you will need is No. 33 XI Cang Nan Xiang, Xi’an (Shaanxi), China.
The Alley Youth Hostel is located a 10-minute walk from the Drum Tower and smack bang in the middle of the Muslim Quarter. At the Drum Tower, you will find a market that sells all the awesome Chinese souvenirs you will need to take home.
What sort rooms does this Xi an hostel have?
This 5 storey building has rooms for singles, doubles and families. All rooms contain a toilet and bathroom with all rooms accommodating 4 people.
The rooms have 2 bunks, 4 lockers, and an air-conditioning unit. Each bunk has its own light, power sockets and pull-down blind for privacy.
The bunks are some of the best we have seen in places that we have stayed in. Normally you will have a metal or wooden set of bunks that are free-standing. These bunks are built into the wall and have a good-sized staircase separating the set. It is a great idea and you know even with the kids climbing on them they are not moving.
What facilities does the best Hostel in Xian have for guests?
Staying in a hostel is a great way to meet travellers from all over the world and this is no different when you stay at the Alley Youth Hostel Xian China.
The communal area
The communal area has a bar, cafe and restaurant all rolled into one. You can buy beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, tea, coffee and water. Not all Xian China hostels will have this many great facilities.
You will find table seating to eat around and couches to lounge on. There are movies shown on a wall from a projector most of the day or music playing. You can hire push bikes and even a scooter.
The Alley Youth Hostel Xian China has a restaurant
The restaurant serves basic meals like fried rice, Cantonese noodles, dumplings, Kung Pow Chicken and more. The prices range from around 20-30RMB for a meal. The Alley Youth Hostel Xian China has a real family-friendly feel about it. That’s because a family runs this youth hostel in Xi an together.
Tourist information desk Xian China Hostel
Tourist advice is readily available. The hostel offers tours to the Terracotta Warriors, city walking tours, and many more that they can help you with if you are unsure. They also have in-house activities such as dumpling making and Chinese calligraphic nights, where you get hands-on experience learning from the locals.
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- 13 amazing things to do in Xi’an China
Social nights at the Alley Youth Hostel Xian China
On certain nights of the week, they have specials like buy 2 beers get 1 free, buy 1 cocktail get 1 free and 10rmb for dumplings, fried rice and Cantonese noodles. If you are on a budget, these are great ways to save a little money on your stay in Xian, China.
If you can, get breakfast included in your room booking. We loved the breakfast, as there are 4 options. We went for the American breakfast most mornings at this Xian hostel.
Laundry service
The hostel will wash and dry your laundry for 40rmb (20 to wash and 20 to dry). If you need a transfer to the airport or train station, it is also available.
Local transport service
In all honesty, I found the transfer overpriced, and it is much cheaper to take a cab or call a Didi. We were quoted 300rmb for a transfer for 4 people with 4 suitcases. We walked 300 meters to the main road and hailed a cab, and it cost us 50rmb to get to the Xian train station.
What essential services can I find near the Alley Youth Hostel Xian China?
The Muslim Quarter is one of the worlds great food hotspots. It has an amazing mix of Chinese and Middle Eastern food combining to create some of the best food we have ever had.
Markets
Every Sunday and Thursday the streets, lanes and alleyways of the Muslim Quarter Xian are turned into a market and it comes alive with all types of things. You will find everything from fake Louis Vuitton to cookware, electronics and pets.
Search rooms at Alley Youth Hostel ↗
Shops
Due to the brilliant location of the Alley Youth Hostel, you can get nearly everything you need within a few meters like food and drinks. Fresh food is cooked on the streets every morning for you to buy.
ATM
Unfortunately, there is not an ATM close to the hostel and you will have to go nearly all the way back to the Drum Tower to access money if you need it.
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How to get to Alley Youth Hostel
Da Xue Xi Ally(大学习巷) is the best drop point for the taxi or didi.
At the T road of Miaohou Street and Xiang Alley. The location of the hostel is near the 25th Middle School (130m)
Transportation to the Alley Hostel
Metro Line 2(Bei Da St)→Line 1(Sajin Brg)→take a TukTuk to the hostel (5rmb)
Metro Line 2 (Bell Tower)→DaXueXi Alley →take a tuk-tuk to the (5rmb)
Airport Shuttle (Bell Tower Station)→DaXueXi Alley →take a tuk-tuk to the Alley Youth Hostel (5rmb).
Do we recommend Alley Youth Hostel?
We loved our time at the Alley Youth Hostel. We found everyone who worked there so helpful and their English was fantastic. The knowledge that they had about the area was invaluable to us. If we visit Xi’an again we would happily stay at the Alley Youth Hostel.
How to get to Xian
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport is Xians main airport. The airport covers an area of 5 square kilometres. It is the largest airport in Northwest China. It is 41 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Xi’an city centre. Book our flight to Xian with Skyscanner here and your airport transfer with sun transfers right here
Xian North railway station is one of the largest hubs for high-speed rail in northern China. The station has 34 platforms and is 10 kilometres from the city centre. You can book your China trains here.
Long-distance buses arrive and depart from Xian Fangzhicheng Bus Station. It is serviced by Xian metro line 1.
The main highways in China are fine for driving. You can pick up a rental car at any main airport and travel around China by car.
China travel expert advice: Planning to use the train system in China? Our China train guide has the best information on how to book, collect, board and ride like a pro!
Weather in Xian
July is the hottest month in Xian, with an average temperature of 26°C (79°F). Having been to Xian in July, I can tell you that the temperature in Xain has regularly reached 40 degrees. Get the thermals out as the coldest month is January at 1°C(33°F). The wettest month is September, with an average of 110mm of rain
Money in China
The Chinese Yuan, or RMB, is the official currency. Banknotes are available in RMB 0.1, RMB 0.5, RMB 1, RMB 5, RMB 10, RMB 20, RMB 50, and RMB 100. China is seemingly transitioning to a cashless society through its use of Alipay and Wepay, apps that allow you to pay on your phone.
Beware that large notes can be used in a scam. They take the note at a shop, quickly exchange it for a fake, and then accuse you of tricking them. Please make sure you have some smaller notes, especially at the markets.
Top tips for using an ATM in Xi’an, China
You will find many ATMs around the cities in China, especially in Xi’an. You won’t find ATMs at shopping centres or on random streets; all ATMs are located at banks. They dispense up to 20000 Yuan at a time, sometimes higher in tourist areas.
They are normally very secure with your own small booth from which to withdraw money, but you must take all the usual precautions when carrying money. We found the ICBC bank in China to be the best as it had an English menu that was easy to use.
Like most major cities, you need to be aware of your surroundings and be careful of skimmers on ATMs. We used numerous ATMs in China and had no issues. You should probably alert your bank as well if you are travelling to China to make sure they are aware and do not see your transactions as fraudulent and possibly cut off your access to your money.
Access to the Internet in China
We were all prepared for no internet for the month we would be travelling in China. We knew we would need some for our work, but we also knew it may have been an issue as we had been told that the internet in China for tourists was hard to get even in hotels.
We decided to purchase Chinese sim cards from home in Australia before we left and had them in our luggage to put in our phones when we arrived in China. This is one of the essential things you need to travel to China. We have some great deals for you to check out if you cannot do that.
Using a VPN in China
We downloaded Express VPN from Australia before we left and did not have a problem with it while travelling in China. It does reconnect sometimes, but we have not had any other issues.
This is an essential tool for using the internet in China. It is one of the top things you need when travelling to China.
We hope this post from us here at Wyld Family Travel has inspired you to stay at The Alley Youth Hostel when you visit Xi’an, China. The Alley Youth Hostel Xian China is a great place to stay.
For more amazing ideas on where to holiday in China click through to our China Destination Guide page for more brilliant inspiration.
Are you looking for some more amazing places to stay in when you travel? You can click through to our hostel page for more places to stay.
More travel inspiration for your trip to China
Author bio:
Father, husband, traveller, and chief destination manager here at Wyld Family Travel. When Mark is not discussing travel or planning travel, you will find him working in disability support. Mark is a family travel advocate, having travelled to over 45 countries with his kids from 10 months to their teenage years. You will find his work here and on other popular websites.
Mark Wyld
Content Creator
I appreciate when hostels are set up to accommodate families. This is one reason in the past that I’ve steered clear of hostels. This sounds like a great facility- with the tours and in-house activities. Breakfast is a plus too!