Zhangjiajie Cloud Youth Hostel

[Parks info below] I'm glad that I checked out this hostel, good value for money. Room was nice and tidy, lots of electricity sources in bed and common area, curtains, hot shower. I shared the 6 beds dorm with just another girl, and you make your own bed. No toilet paper, no free water refill, no light in bed. It's worth the price. If you extend your stay directly in the hostel it's cheaper than the app. The reception area is more cramped but you can socialize there. Most of the people are Chinese but I also met some foreigners. The guy in the reception speaks English and can give you information, in addition to that I recommend you to do your own research. There are two baby cats playing around, and an adult one. You can get to the hostel from the west railway station by bus line 17 for 2 yuan - last bus at 8:40pm + 15 minutes walk. Location is close to the main avenue where there's a lot of restaurants, and a 24-hour convenience store close to the corner with this same avenue. There are two night markets in the city, one on the avenue like 10 min distance walking to downtown direction, more local, and another one on the street in front of the tianmen mountain cable car, more touristy. The hostel is 15 minutes walking to the central bus station where you can get the bus to zhangjiajie park and 15-20 to the tianmen mountain cable car station. [ATTRACTIONS] Zhangjiajie (avatar), tianmen (heaven's gate) and canyon (glass bridge) are 3 different parks in different locations. The entrance to zhangjiajie gives you access for 4 days. I went the 4 days and enjoyed it very properly. If you're short on time, 2 days will do, but plan it wisely based on your priorities. Gates are 1 hour trip distance from the central bus station - 1h30 at weekends. Also, note that before entering the park with passport and face scan, you need to do an APPOINTMENT for that hour. You usually do it there at the gate, but for a saturday all appointments for that hour were sold out in advance and I had to wait for 45 minutes to go in. Recommended to check in advance especially on weekends. There are 2 types of tickets you can get: including all cable cars and elevator for unlimited time for 450 yuan; or just the entrance (including only free shuttles) for 215 yuan - you still have the option of buying each transport at the park (75 yuan cablecar one-way, 65 elevator one-way). At first, I had understood that to see the avatar mountains, the ONLY way was through the elevator, so I bought the all-inclusive. Turns out you CAN go by free shuttle + hike + free shuttle if you start in the east gate. My favorite part was the huangshi village. For tianmen, the entrance is 260 yuan. Choose the route in advance because some sell out fast. Gold advice: go at least one hour or more BEFORE the hour that you have the tickets for. The hour of your ticket just matters before the very last point before boarding the cable car. The line was MASSIVE and it took me 2h30 waiting on a Monday - ended up getting in 2 hours late than my ticket time and couldn't finish the whole loop: took only the red trail and went down to the heaven's gate. About the Canyon, I can't say much because I decided to skip it and save the 210 yuan ticket - note that this price DOESN'T include the activities, you must pay separately. The package that includes almost* everything is 360 yuan. Last but not least, if you go to the 72 Wonders, there's also an entrance of 88 yuan. You can go/come back with the bus 17 - same line that serves to the west railway station, last bus 8:40pm.

It was a bad experience, I really don't recommend it. First of all, the hostel is very dirty and there is no maintenance at all. The bed is hard, although I know this is standard in hostels all over China. The air conditioning can only be turned on at night. There are no amenities like toilet paper or liquid soap. Also, it is far from the bus stop that comes from the West Railway Station, so you have to take a taxi or walk about 15 minutes, and it’s also the same distance from the cable car station to go to Tianmen Mountain. There are some hotel options with private rooms near the bus stop and the cable car station, for similar or slightly more expensive prices but believe me, it’s worth it. The only positive point is that the guy who welcomed me speaks English and is friendly.

Host was really nice and helpful. Gave good advice about the attractions and how to get to them and helped with booking where wanted/needed. Showers could've been cleaner but at least they had Hot water at all times. Overall nice stay for the price.

The host speaks english and is extremely helpful with booking things and explaining how to get around to places etc. Cant recommend this place enough.

For this money maybe it’s okey. Host was trying to help and consult with attractions, he speaks English, and was organizing dinners at the evening for guests. But he is not giving me back the money for one night which I wasn’t there(even though I noticed him since at advanced, and asked to give money for several times. He still didn’t give, and was telling that I will do it once u come, once the date will be close, later later and etc…). It’s not big amount of money, but still that money is enough to go to one of the attraction somewhere in touristic places. Location is good 20 min away from Tianmen Mountain, 1 hour from Zhangjiajie west station, and 15 min away from bus station from where u could go to touristic areas. But exactly near to the hostel, there are no light in the night time. But there are main and very important things was missing. -In toilet there is no flash water, you have to flash it by the water which was stored there by using big jar. Only one toilet with shower which could lock inside. Other two toilets with shower u couldn’t lock, and close properly without leaving holes, and that toilet located in the stairs area where every male guests could pass and walk in easily. -Doesn’t have a locker for your belongings, and even though they have small storage; host didn’t even ask do I need or no, and u couldn’t put there smth big. And other your stuff, language and etc will be also outside, without any locker. Since it’s in China, it’s okey, but anyways. -Door for girls room doesn’t close. And the host was entering in any time. (I mean without knocking, or asking permission to enter) While I was sleeping alone in the room he entered also, which made feel uncomfortable. -Matrres is dirty. -In the reception have specific smell. -Host has three cats, about them he didn’t mention anywhere, what if someone has strong allergy to cats or they are scared from them? I don’t think it’s okey to do not let know people about this important things. (Cats was going everywhere, even they were jumping on beds) -THEY DONT HAVE any amenity, not shampoo, gel, toilet paper or even soap to wash hands! But they have slippers.

The host was very forthcoming, helped to plan the route and connected travellers. You should bring your own amenities, like towels, slippers and toiletries.