Here's my experience at the Chengdu Qingyou Youth Hostel:
👏Pros:
1. There's a large **delivery locker** right outside the ground floor exit, to the right. This is my first time seeing one! It's very smart; only you can scan to open your compartment, preventing others from taking your food.
2. The hostel has its own small gym on the ground floor. It's the first time I've seen a hostel with a gym, which is quite unique and convenient for working out.
3. The supermarket on the ground floor is quite large, the biggest I've seen in a hostel.
4. The restrooms have wet and dry separation, and there are plenty of showers and squat toilets.
5. The entire 8-story building is dedicated to the hostel, with no other external personnel.
6. The cleaning staff is also present in the evenings. This stands out, as most other hostels only have cleaning staff during the day.
7. The 8th floor is the laundry and drying area, which is very spacious. The drying area is also separated by gender, a first for me in a hostel. Even many hotels don't have such a spacious drying area, which is really good.
8. The CCTV coverage is very dense; there are even four cameras in the male drying area, making me feel very secure about my belongings.
9. The electronic locker by the bed is the largest I've ever seen in any hostel. It can fit an iPad and a laptop, which is very convenient for storing valuables.
10. The bedding is quite comfortable!
🙌Cons:
1. Visually, the restrooms look clean – the cleaning staff polishes the floor tiles till they shine – but the smell is a very strong toilet odor.
2. No laundry detergent. I understand that providing free detergent might incur costs for the hostel, but all other Chengdu hostels I've stayed at provide either laundry detergent, disinfectant, or laundry pods. Regardless, it's essential to offer new guests at least one laundry pod. If you're staying for just one night and need to wash clothes temporarily, it's not convenient to have to buy a whole bottle.
3. No complimentary bottle of mineral water. I know the hostel might say there's free drinking water and mineral water available for purchase, but many other Chengdu hostels I've stayed at provide a free bottle of mineral water.
4. The slippers have thin soles, are of general quality, and not slip-resistant. I almost slipped coming out of the restroom (I stayed at another Chengdu hostel that was cheaper than Qingyou, but their slippers were better quality).
5. I both like and dislike the electronic locker by the bed. Why? Because it's large enough to store laptops and other valuables, providing a sense of security. However, the sound of locking and unlocking the cabinet is too loud. It might be okay during the day, but at night, such loud noises can disturb others' rest.
6. The ladder to the upper bunk should have a certain incline (they could learn from other hostels – I won't name names to avoid sounding like an advertisement). A vertical ladder isn't very convenient for climbing down. The rubber pads on the chair have fallen off and it's dirty. If I don't give feedback, I wonder if the administrators check this regularly.
7. Someone left leftover takeout food on the table by the window in the room and didn't throw it away. If the hostel administrators don't check this, the smell of takeout might linger in the room.
8. The hostel charges a 30 yuan deposit upon check-in, which is my first time encountering this. Perhaps it's to cover potential damages. I understand a deposit for borrowing an umbrella, but could they replace the umbrella (the black one)? It looks like it's been used for many years, has many holes, and the metal frame has detached from the edge!
9. I booked a 6-person room on Ctrip about 10 days in advance, but it wasn't available when I checked in, which was the most complicated part of my stay. First, I arrived around 12:00 PM and couldn't check in, so I left my luggage at the hostel and went out for two hours. When I returned after 2:00 PM to check in, the front desk told me my reserved room type had been extended by a long-term guest! They offered to change my room, but why was my room type, booked so far in advance, given to another guest without informing me? What's the point of booking on Ctrip then? Does Ctrip allow this? Clearly, this is a violation. Then they moved me to a 4-person room (fewer people, but smaller room; I booked a 6-person room for the larger space). After being moved to the 4-person room, I suspect the air conditioner filter was blocked because it wasn't cool at all, even at 20 degrees, it felt slightly warm. Then, the guest in the lower bunk snored incredibly loudly from 4-5 PM, even in the daytime! What about at night? When he wasn't sleeping and playing on his phone, I noticed his breathing was much louder and more rapid than normal. So, I requested another room change. Initially, the front desk staff wanted to charge me a fee for the room change (because I had already used my bed), but after I explained the situation, they didn't charge me, and I was moved to an 8-person room.
👍Summary:
1. I think Qingyou is famous, and I wanted to experience it. I believe the owner was a very insightful and capable entrepreneur when they started, but perhaps with the expansion of branches nationwide, the owner might not be aware of many detailed issues, and the management staff might not be diligent enough. With more and more good new hostels appearing in Chengdu and across the country, if they don't optimize and improve, and let problems accumulate, their reputation will certainly decline. I genuinely hope the management of this hostel (hotel) takes this seriously!
2. Please don't reply with 'expecting too much from a hostel that costs tens of yuan' because I regularly stay at both hotels and hostels and have experienced various types. I've stayed at hostels for 20 yuan and hotels for over 1000 yuan. I have experience with hotels/hostels of varying prices! I believe I have the right to speak up! I haven't just stayed at hostels in Chengdu but also in other cities!
3. I originally intended to give a five-star review and then write some suggestions, but there are too many positive reviews. If I were to give a five-star review and then suggestions, it might be a gentle approach but might not attract the owner's attention. Perhaps only by writing a negative review can this store's management and even the owner see this advice. So, I apologize for giving a negative review. However, regarding the situation where my bed, booked so far in advance on Ctrip, was unavailable upon check-in because another guest was already in it, I will temporarily refrain from giving feedback to Ctrip. I know this is a serious violation, and I'm giving the hostel a temporary pass on this. I sincerely hope the hostel makes some improvements. If the hostel's response attitude is inappropriate or if there are any further negative handling attitudes, I reserve the right to report this to Ctrip's official channels!
Original TextTranslation provided by AI
