The Far East International Youth Hostel was the perfect place for us to stay in Beijing. Established by the Far East Hotel in 2001, its dormitories and private rooms are lower-cost alternatives to the rest of the hotel, but share a very pretty lobby and a helpful staff.

Our two rooms, #110 and #111, were a double and a triple on the first floor, and were about US$15 dollars per person per night. They were air-conditioned and included TVs, bureaus, chairs, and comfortable twin beds. Each also had a perfectly adequate private bathroom with a shower, and we received fresh towels each day. Our toilet had to be fixed twice while we were there, but the front desk was quick to send help.

There were two computers with free Internet in the dining room (a.k.a. Taste of Home Restaurant) where we ate breakfast each day. At 35 yuan per person, it was a little pricier than outside options, but the buffet was expansive and featured both Asian and Western choices (tempura is a surprisingly good addition to cereal and eggs). The hostel restaurant serves food and drinks all day long, or you can order a brown-bag lunch to take out. There’s an outdoor section, too, and an indoor TV and movie area. If you’re in need of something the restaurant doesn’t have, there is a convenience stand off the main lobby that sells everything from medicine to ice cream.

The hostel offers events such as beer nights, and while we didn’t partake in any of these, we did take full advantage of its tourism desk. We signed up for our transportation to the Great Wall there, as well as our night at an acrobatics show. There were countless tour options, and all were reasonably priced. If I had been staying there alone, the organized outings would have been a good way to meet other travelers. The desk also arranged our early-morning van pick-up when we were leaving for the airport.

The hostel’s rooms, amenities, and service were enhanced by its location in a traditional, centrally located hutong. Just a 20-minute walk from Tiananmen Square, its small alleyways and community feel seemed far away from the massive plaza and tourist hub. The Hepingmen subway station is about a 15-minute walk away, and hutong residents literally pointed us in the direction of the hostel as they deduced where we were headed.

I would recommend this hotel-like hostel to anyone.