While I love my current campus and city, I also love being only an hour from the capital of Sichuan province – Chengdu. I spend almost every weekend in Chengdu exploring temples and ancient streets, taking dance classes, and appreciating the relative abundance of cheese. Sometimes it’s difficult deciding what to do or eat in one weekend, but when it comes to where I’ll be staying, it’s not even a decision; Mrs. Panda Hostel wins every time. Like most hostels, it’s cheap and easy to meet people (or people watch and drink accordingly) but Mrs. Panda wins every time for a few additional reasons:
1. Location – Only a three minute walk from Xinnanmen Bus Station, a ten minute walk from either the Huaxiba or Jinjiang Hotel subway stops, a ten minute walk to the airport shuttle, and within walking distance of multiple attractions, Mrs. Panda is ridiculously convenient. Added bonus: there are plenty of restaurants around the corner and Maan Coffee is just down the street.
Check-in Desk
2. Tours and Information – Like most hostels in Chengdu, the staff at Mrs. Panda can help you arrange trips to the Panda Research Base, Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan Opera, and about thirty other things in and around Chengdu. If you’re not sure what’s worth seeing, the staff are happy to make recommendations and give honest advice on when something is worth seeing or not during your time in Chengdu.
Look at all those things to do! Such activities! Wow!
3. Quality –In addition to the regular hostel small talk, one of the things that guests in Mrs. Panda are constantly commenting on is how nice it is. Yes, it’s a hostel and you’ll share a bathroom and shower, unless you opt for a private room, but it’s one of the nicest hostels you’ll ever stay in. It helps that Mrs. Panda is attached to Traffic Inn, a hotel, and shares rooms with the hotel as well.
Standard 4-bed room – 50 RMB per night.
4. Room Selection –Beds range from 6-bed dormitories for 45 RMB (about 7 USD) a night to double private rooms with bathrooms for 188 RMB (29 USD) and are always clean and comfortable. Being connected to Traffic Inn also means more rooms, so unless it’s a national holiday, it’s easy to book at the last minute.
Twin Private (shared bathroom) – 128 RMB per night
5. Staff –AKA, why I really keep coming back to the same hostel every weekend. There is always someone at the desk and bar who speaks very good English, and they’re not just helpful, but they are FRIENDLY and genuinely wonderful people. Everyone is great, but Kevin is especially helpful and I’m pretty sure he knows everything there is to know about Sichuan. He also just bought a kitten.
6. BABY KITTEN who lives in the hostel. LOOK AT IT IT’S SO FLUFFY.
Mrs. Panda also offers affordable breakfast and dinner options, cold beer and cocktails, daily movies, free luggage storage, lockers in dormitories, a pool table, plenty of hangout space, good wifi throughout the hostel, free computer use, and a generally chill vibe with a mix of international and Chinese travelers coming through. You can easily book your room directly on their website here.
This is NOT a sponsored post in any way shape or form, just an attempt to share the knowledge of where to stay in Chengdu and the joy of Mrs. Panda Hostel. Book your room now while the kitten is still a baby cat!
The post Where to Stay in Chengdu – Mrs. Panda Hostel appeared first on Southern Fried Panda.