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Has anyone stayed in P.Loft Youth Hostel, Dongcheng district, by the Lama Temple?
I will be in Beijing, my first time in China, in October and I am booked for 16 nights here. Is it a good place?
Any advice for first time Beijing traveler?
I haven't stayed there, but if you will stay 16 nights, budget options are always good. Beijing metro system is great and very cheap. There is a metro station very close to Lama Temple so you will have easy access to everywhere which matters most. For things to do, you can check my Beijing page for tips. Just be careful about scams.
We just returned from Beijing, and my best tip is to smile, make an effort to learn some Chinese with the locals' help, and let others laugh at you. Most people there are intrigued by Westerners anyway, but a sense of humor will take you a long way. There is a subway stop near Lama Temple, though "near" is relative. Everything is huge! It will be too far to walk to Forbidden City from there, staying a little farther south would centralize you more but it's only 2Y to get anywhere by subway.
I was planning on getting a subway card, and I have already begun lessons in Mandarin, to be familiar with the language.
I am glad to hear so many good things about Beijing. the more I read about it, the more I can't wait to get there. :D
Can't comment on the P. Loft but we stayed in Dowtown Backpackers Hostel which is also in the Dongcheng District (on Nanluogu Alley) and loved our stay and the surrounding Hutong area.
Beijing is a great city. There is lots to do and see.
Forbidden City, Prospect Hill, Behai Park, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Mao's Mausoleum, National Musuem of China, Houhai Lake area, Wangfujing Shopping Street, Donghuamen Night Market, and of course....The Great Wall of China. Plus much more!
For the Great Wall, we did the hike from Jingshanling to Simatai and absolutely loved it. I highly recommend it. The wall there is in its original, unrestored condition. Badaling is the most touristy and crowded, followed by Mutianyu. Its up to you though, many love Badaling and many love Mutianyu. We loved Jinshanling-Simatai.
Globetrekr,
This P.Loft hostel has a tour that hikes Jinshanling-Simatai, I wanted to sign up for. I like that you tell me it is unrestored. I do not want to be only in touristy areas. Thank you!
travelmuse, the Downtown Backpackers also runs a no-frills tour to Jinshanling-Simatai which comes highly recommended -- I was one of the earliest to recommend it on the Lonely Planet ThornTree forum, in fact.
Xishiku Church also called north church in Beijing. I like this church most because it's not as chaos as others. In addition, the architecture style is most beautiful in the Beijing's churches I think.
The Qianmen is the common name for The Qianmen archery tower in Beijing
First built in 1419, the gateway consisted of a gatehouse proper and an archery tower. Today the archery tower and the gatehouse survive - though not in the form originally built. Behind (that is, to the North of) the Qianmen once stood the Gate of China, followed by the present Tiananmen, and the Meridian Gate, which is the front entrance to the Forbidden City.
Because of its grandeur and unique design, the Qianmen was long seen as the symbol of old Beijing.
Bring good shoes, because it can be a lot of walking. If you go in the winter bring warm clothes, I went there in March and it was very cold walking around in Beijing. It is a good idea to bring with you some toilet paper , because there is often no toilet paper at the toilets.
The Hongqiao Market can be a trouble. I was looking to buy a Pair of Nike Dunks for my friend in Australia but I knew they wouldnt fit in my luggage RIGHT AFTER I told the clerk i was leaving to get money. Any who i went back on that floor and she eyed me, ACTUALLY eyed from one side of the floor to the other grabbed the shoes, and started sprinting her heart out at me, I quickly jumped back down the elevator and looked at the electronics.
This place is great!
It actually is, besides the tacky ipods and belt buckles it was heaven.
Any Pearls, Shoes and Bags you wanted you could get!!! Pearls are a must but people told they can reach a certain price.
Video Games, Cameras, Phones and Ipods are all here, but if you want an Ipod, buy a REAL Ipod i bought one and it Broke the second i landed in Sydney Airport.
Watches are everywhere in China and you will get any watch you want; even though if some have IIIII as V in roman numerals!!
Belts and Beltbuckles where a surprise to me, with many stores selling them (Floor 2)
Bags: Just like watches, everywhere. From Louis Vitton to Chanel to Nike you want it you get it. Video Games: Ranges from 1 - 20 dollars.
Cameras: Depends on Quality usually around 100 - 200
Phones: Extremely Cheap, getting an Iphone (you can check if quality) will set you back 120 aus
Ipods: Well 4gbs are around 60 - 100 AU and Real 100 - 150 for 8gb
Bags: Hardest to Bargain Down; 20aus
Watches: Also Hard; 10-30aus
Shoes: The best and easiest. A clerk on Level Two offered 950Y for a pair of nike dunks,
with some mild haggling got two pairs of different dunks for 130Y
For Shoes, this is defiantly the place to go!
After a Peking Duck Dinner with our group, we had the possibility to walk around Beijing for awhile - and it was my first experience with thousands of lightbulbs, red lanterns and Chinese nightlife!!! I liked it!
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