2-Star Hotels in Dunhuang

The owner was super nice and enthusiastic, recommending so many great places to eat. The dogs at the hostel are also incredibly adorable, truly the sweetest babies. Honestly, no youth hostel I've stayed at in any first-tier city across China, whether it's for hygiene, decor, service, location, or facilities, can compare to this place. And the butter lamps on the wall in the front hall – you can tell the owners have put so much care into perfecting this place. It genuinely exceeded all my expectations. Looking at that wall of books, I really regret only staying here for two nights.

This guesthouse is truly unique! Each room is named after one of the twelve zodiac signs, with designs that blend local flair and astrological elements. In the evenings, you can go stargazing, with options for an indoor lecture and actual observation from the rooftop. The instructor mentioned that summer is the best season for stargazing, and if you want to spot your own zodiac constellation, it's best to visit around two months before or after its designated month. They even gave us wishing bottles for our own zodiac signs, which we filled with sand from Mingsha Mountain the next day to take home! The host is incredibly warm and helpful; you can ask her about local tourism, car rentals, and more – she's very considerate. Breakfast is different every day, with a thoughtful and nutritious selection. There's also an adorable cat who loves to 'accompany' you during meals, often sitting on a chair. She gets so happy if you share half an egg yolk with her every morning! She also recently had three tiny, adorable kittens! The guesthouse features a classroom and a spacious, bright lobby, making it feel especially suitable for study tour groups. We initially planned to stay two nights but loved it so much we extended for another night. The village atmosphere is quiet and comfortable, and it's about a 15-minute taxi ride to Shazhou Night Market and around 20 minutes to the train station, so transportation is very convenient. Highly recommend for family trips and educational tours!

The Donhuang Island Guesthouse is located in a rather nondescript building but in an excellent location just a few minutes walk from the middle entrance of the Mingsha mountain on a fairly quiet side street. The Guesthouse is surrounded by eateries.and has camels walking past the front of the property in mornings and evenings on their way from and to work.The Guesthouse has an easy location to catch a taxi as it's nearby an intersection with lots of taxis available. It's important to understand that this property is not located in downtown which is probably part of it's charm. A taxi will cost 35 yuan from the train station or Mongua Caves. Going to the night market which is 5 kilometres away will cost you 11 yuan by regular taxi. The Donhuang Island gueshouse offers simple but smartly furnished rooms. The beds are good, the shower is hot and the air-conditioning is cold. But what makes this guesthouse truly stand out is the remarkable hospitality from the owner and his whole team. Hahan the golden retriever from the property across the road comes by on a frequent visit and is the centre of attention. It was a pleasure to stay here. The only minus is; how much I hate the disposable towels but that is just a minor thing amid all the positivity.

Great atmosphere. The tent/bedding was much cleaner than expected despite being in the middle of desert . The heater works well. The owner took his time to take great care of us (noted that we didn’t go during high-season); very service-minded. He took us to/from airports and different tourist spots. Also provided us with many additional activities (not excluded in the initial program of camel riding) such as ATV riding, sand hill sliding, firework. The hotpot/grill dinner was delicious! Overall we were very impressed with everything. ที่พักบรรยากาศดีมาก สะอาดกว่าที่คาดไว้เนื่องจากอยู่กลางทะเลทราย heater ทำงานได้ดี เนื่องจากตอนเราไปยังไม่เข้าช่วง high season เจ้าของจึงดูแลเราอย่างเต็มที่ ให้บริการดีเลิศ มีรับส่งสนามบิน มีรับส่งสถานที่เที่ยวต่างๆ ช่วยดูแลเรื่องซื้อตั๋วเข้าสถานที่ท่องเที่ยวต่างๆ มีขับ ATV สนุกมาก ตอนกลางคืนมีเอาพลุมาให้เล่น ดูแลนอกเหนือจากโปรแกรมที่ตั้งไว้ (ในโปรแกรมมีขี่อูฐ,อาหารมื้อเย็น มื้อเช้า อาหารเย็นเป็นปิ้งย่างและหม้อไฟ (烤肉，火锅）) 气氛很好。帐篷/床上用品比预期的要干净得多，尽管它位于沙漠中部。加热器工作正常。主人慢慢来照顾我们（注意到我们在旺季没有去）；非常有服务意识。他带我们往返于机场和不同的旅游景点。还为我们提供了许多额外的活动（不排除在最初的节目中），如ATV骑行，滑行。火锅/烧烤晚餐很美味！总的来说，我们对一切都印象深刻。

The B&B has a large yard, a good environment, and is surrounded by green trees. It is very close to the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake scenic area. The owner will take you to a small path, which takes less than ten minutes to reach the scenic area, which is especially convenient for watching the sunrise and sunset. The room is spacious, clean and tidy, and there is no odor. The bathroom is separated into dry and wet areas, and the spray hot water is large, so it is very comfortable to take a bath. Recommended! ! !

Extraordinary host. Picked us up at the trainstation, drove us to the Nightmarket and back and organized us breakfast. Very recommendable! The location is somewhat out of the city center, but with the helpful host not a problem.

The location is ideal for access to markets, shopping, eateries, and the adjacent bookstore which has a coffee shop and was one of the real treats of the city (we took pictures; it is a top-ten experience in its own right!). We took taxis to the grottos and the dunes, and it was easy to make arrangements. This is a terrific spot for runners/exercise fans, since the walkway along the river —immediately next door — is well suited for both activities. The room was very comfortable and had a mix of disposable towels and regular. The linen was pristine. There was coffee/tea and a hot pot in the room. Our view was of the traffic circle but we didn’t hear traffic except on a couple of occasions. There is a place to leave luggage if you arrive early / leave late. I’m not sure how much English was spoken at the desk but the clerks were very patient with intermediate-to-advanced Mandarin conversations. Would recommend this more than some of the other tourist hotels just for ease of eating!

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.

The front desk service is very good, but the hotel facilities are average compared to the price of 320. Don't expect too much. There is air conditioning, and the room hygiene is OK, but the entire toilet is made of plastic, which is weird.

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.