There was no heating in the whole hostel, and in the dorms not even electronic blankets.

However, there was not a a/c in our room, meaning it was cold at night.

but with no air conditioning this meant we baked alive!

it was cold and there was no hot shower in our room, only in other building,

When we were there it got really cold and the only heating option was a fire  they lit up in the lounge that we sat around it.

The room I stayed in had tiled floors and felt quite cold and bare.

Only downside is that in winter it's very cold, the room had an electric blanket

It's cold the few nights in Dali, and with a erratic shower is kinda frustrating,

During that time it was very cold in Dali and raining so we appreciated a hot shower.

This problem with no cold water continued for the whole five days we were there.

When that other hotel told them it would be difficult for their driver to find us, she convinced them over the phone that it would be easy if they had their driver stand there with our name on the sign.

There's not a lot of traffic and generally drivers are aware of people crossing the street,

The directions they send may not be very clear, as our taxi driver showed us the wrong way.

8 - a very crowded line - from the train station, and get off at the last station (about 40-50 minutes drive).

We left a day before because we were fed up and asked for the driver to dropped us at the east gate to take the bus, the first lady at the front desk asked 15 to 20 yuans to do that and we tried again the day after and an other very sympathic lady offered us 10 yuans which is most fair.

Pros: great location, helpful and friendly staff, clean room, near restaurants, walking distance to 3 pagodas (bout 20 to 25mins).

We had a 3 sleeper room which was clean and included a heated blanket.

We stayed in a standard double - the room was clean and modern and housekeeping staff cleaned it each day providing new towels etc.

Hot showers, clean rooms, perfect location, just away from the over touristy centre of Dali
would definitely return

It’s a very good hostel in Dali.it’s very near to the old town，just cross the high way.I like enjoy the sunshine in the backyard，very comfortable.They crop kinds of vegetables.There are lettuces,broccoli and so on.The room is clean and quiet ，the paintings on the wall are very beautiful and literary.The staffs are very friendly and useful in English，especially Floral .By the way the two dogs are very lovely,we love them.Certainly 5elements is the best choice for you in Dali.

by the way ,the rooms were very clean and price was quiet cheap.

Rooms are clean and big, cleaned everyday.

this hostel is fantastic.fair Price with good clean rooms.

Thanks to all staff for the lovely meals, nice tidy rooms and a home away from home.

Clean room, organized tour would benefit an interpreter, and remember that it's located outside the walls.

The rooms are clean, very spacious and incredible value for money - we stayed in a double bed ensuite for 120 yuan a night (around £12 a night).

-The staff had great English skills
-Room was clean, spacious and well decorated.

Rooms are clean yet simple with a good matress on the floor.

Their room is clean and warm, which makes me feel like home.

The room was clean and the staff very helpful.

nice clean rooms only when u stay down near the garden they need to put curtains there as every body can see u .

The room was very clean and nice, as was the communal bathroom.

Dali Five Elements Hostel

cold

location: short drive

You can't beat the value this hostel provides for all their levels of hospitality.

The hostel is superbly clean and there is an lovely bookshop and the food looks good

Looking back, I would probably try to look for other hostel with good recommendations.

In addition we reserved transportation through the hostel to the next city

Also I left my passport at the hostel and they made sure I recovered it immediately.

One of the nicest hostels I’ve stayed in.

I finally found this hostel,very near to the ancient town of Dali.

I have lived in Jade Emu for two different periods of my life times-one was in early 2013 when I was renting a hostel bed as long term guest.

While Jade Emu is a hostel, it has several compounds, one of which caters to flashpackers.

After reading the reviews for this hostel, we were really looking forward to our stay, we had even been in touch with one of the owners and they seemed lovely.

I have been several times to Dali and I always stayed in this hostel.

It is hard to say exactly what it was about this hostel

There is a hostel restaurant which provides both Chinese and Western food, I didn't try

Also, when approaching the hostel you get the most awe inspiring backdrop of the mountains of Yunnan.

The hostel is very well designed, the communal areas/bar is great.

Literally pushing and being pushed by hordes of Chinese people, we arrived to this amazing Hostel.

I travelled around China and stayed in many hostels on my trip

It cost about 11 euro a night (I always think in Euro) which is absolutely amazing value.

We ate perfectly cooked  pasta in the stunningly designed garden restaurant and drank a very good bottle of wine which was reasonably priced.

The restaurant serves very good food at reasonable prices.

Lovely shared erae and coffee place where you can also get a good western food, with fair prices.

It was the best we found in Dali within their price range.

We found prices ok, typical of western cafes in town.

Overall I rate the Jade Emu a solid 9/10.

Owned and managed by an Expat, affordable price in a lovely Chinese style design building.

Coffee and other drinks in the inhouse lounge area are resonably priced, food quality is 3/5, i therefore recommend eating outside.

I would give this place a higher rating if the staff were a bit more helpful and the menu was a fair price.

The prices are super reasonable, even for higher luxury rooms type.

The food is wonderful and definitely worth the prices.

Staff was very nice, and Nancy was wonderful at arranging a tour with a local driver at a reasonable price for us.

The bookshop even bought back books that we'd read for a fair price.

but if you pay a little more you get the equivalent of the best rooms any chinese hotel can offer, their top end room is a penthouse with windows on 3 sides with views across the mountains and pagodas of Dali, a 3 room suite with a 4poster bed and standlone bathtub, the middle end rooms all have rainforest showers.

Nice and well organised hotel with reasonably priced rooms.

good place to meet fellow travellers 
Only concern was price of food and drinks, not local prices for sure,

for a fees, spread not gorgeous yet enough & tasty.

The coffee was good, the rooms were clean, the beds were comfortable, the staff was friendly.

Good Location, just near the Ancient City, staff talking in English, helpful and friendly, nice clean room with big and functional bathroom, 24 hour hot water and OK wifi.

We booked a double private room while backpacking and were realistically expecting just a clean room with somewhere to wash before exploring the town.

The staff is extremely friendly and well trained, there are tons of fun activities (including western Buffet on Thursday nights) and the rooms are clean.

Very friendly and helpful staff, clean rooms with the best showers I have had while traveling.

It's one of the best hostels I've stayed in with a great common area, cafe, restaurant and large, clean rooms with hot showers.

Rooms are clean and very nice, everything is well kept.

The rooms are clean, relatively new, spacious, even equipped with flat screen TV and DVD player (what helps when the raining season comes).

Rooms were very clean with comfortable beds.

Big, clean rooms with lovely homely touches (throws, pictures).

Was really impressed with the cleanliness of the room 302 and the bathroom.

The rooms are clean, comfortable and good value.

Got all the comfort you need, going from nice spacious clean rooms.

The rooms are kept to an immaculate standard and the quality of the amenities is top notch.

What's good:
- Helpful staff who speak a slightly better English than in general in Chinese hostels;
- Nice and reasonably cheap food at the restaurant;
- A lot of international travellers, may be a good spot to meet people
- Basic and clean rooms, with wifi working extremely well.

Clean rooms, friendly helpful service and good advice about the area, social areas, as well as space for a bit of quiet time, great food and good Internet access.

Rooms a bit old with dirty and staind sheets.

They passed me the sheets, pillow, comforter and all in the lobby, and I carried them back and set them up myself.

Rooms are small and the sheets are not changed.

The staff did changed the sheets when we asked them

for us we stuck to a table in a corner away from the lobby whenever someone started smoking.

You are allowed to smoke everywhere apparently (even around the restaurant area) which kinda sucks if you don't wanna spend your time breathing in smoke!

There should be a non smoking area in the bar/restaurant so that people can eat, drink and chat without the fog of countless puffers.

Despite no smoking signs throughout, lots of people smoke in the common areas.

The bus is smelly,old and not comfy at all.

It was a truly disgusting waste of time and near the end I was told by the lady that if I can't find the place its nothing they can do about it.

( beautiful ) If it hadn't been for the smelly bathroom which was manageable with the window left open ( drains or sewage ) Jade Emu would score a perfect 10.

But we stayed there twice and during our staying the bathrooms had a terrible smell- and we stayed in twodifferent rooms, and they both smell!!!!!

but the ones with a bathroom might smell a little, as our did.

Because it's listed as a hostel, it is mostly overlooked as a hotel-alternative and this worked very well for us.

We asked for a quiet room and got one overlooking the communal courtyard - hardly quiet.

You are looking for the gate to the city that is uphill, towards the mountains.

trekking up the mountain, visiting the lake, the three pagodas and the temple.

but from a westerner's point of view, it's probably the most all round best and most well run place in Dali, whether you're staying a night or not.

A very good place to rest after hiking the mountains just behind.

After they left dali, i waited for my flight for four more days and moved back to Jade emu, i had a single room on the terrace, very reasonable price and very good view, i could see the lake from a distance on one side and mountain on the other side.

I bought a tour to Changsa mountain 110 CNY and a taxi picked me up at the hostel and there was a girl arranged the ticket  for me.

The double bed is king size and in our room there was a DVD player ( you could rent DVDs from the Song Sister's across the road), flat-screen TV and free view box.

Clean and friendly, just outside of the western gate of old Dali with good views from the roof of the mountain to one side and the lake to the other.

We had a private room with the best views I've had in a hostel.

Located just outside the old town and within easy reach of the mountain to do a bit of trekking, something I loved in fact!

the double on the 3rd storey offered a great view of CangShan too!

Plus, it is right at the base of the mountains, making hiking an easy event any day.

The Jade Emu International Guesthouse

smell

sheet

hostel

price

view

We were very disappointed in the general cleanliness of the hotel, the rooms were not clean and the bathroom was awful.

Bathroom ok. Breakfast is 40 yuan with choice of egg +toast, pancake, coffee/tea, juice.

Overall, I cannot recommend this property because of the state of the bathroom.

I dreaded going in there and taking a shower.

The bedlinen was filthy, and so was the toilet.

The bathroom was okay with and older shower that didn't work as I wished (just not enough pressure).

The shower was a bit grim with a nasty plastic strip door.

although the reviews suggest that the bathrooms are better than some other places.

A double room with a toilet was about 80rmb.

but they didn't clean the bathroom very well during our stay.

the rooms needs more cleaning under the beds and on the shells were full of dust ,and it was not possible to close the door of the bathroom !

The bathroom needs a thorough renovation and the water from the shower was cold.

The main drawback for us was the cleanliness of the bathrooms- they just needed a bit more of a scrub.

so a heater was at the ready , the shower just the  ticket at the end of a  long day .

My only cons were that the bathroom was quite dated, and the staff could have been more attentive.

The only comment I might have is that they could pay more attention the cleaning, our (bath)room wasn't the cleanest.

When she took us to the room, she couldn't open the door because there was a problem with the lock.

Unfortunately you couldn't really close the bathroom door

I see someone said that the hotel next door was so much cheaper

Some reviews talk about the hotel next door being cheaper.

Sam's, next door with no English website, was 120RMB/night and equivalent.

His rate was 350 rmb when the identical room immediately next door was 60 rmb.

We really enjoy the view from the roof top from where you can see all Dali, Erhai Lake and the mountains.

The view of the Old Town from the rooftop terrace is amazing.

It has a nice rooftop terrace and a restaurant in the top floor (which seemed permanently closed).

Also, there are spaces on the balconies to sit, relax and socialise and a roof top bar.

They have a rooftop where you can relax and look at the stars (and giant Cang Shan mountain range) and have a nice beverage.

There are great views from the rooftop bar of the mountains in the distance- stunning in the evening after a long day walking.. especially with a cold beer!

Yes the Hotel  is one to be enjoyed with all the ornate balconies etc ..the roof top bar with beautiful views over the mountains and the lake would be a must in the warmer months . !

but  the best is the roof top patio with a panoramic view of the Himalaya "foothills", Dali and Lake Erhai.

The view every evening from the roof top bar and garden was the best view I have had in China.

enjoyed the rooftop terrace (great sunsets) and their garden (beautiful flowers and trees), the food and last

what I liked about this hotel
1) location: close enough to the south gate and on a quiet street
2) never had to sign a piece of paper, there was no check in process--they just took me directly to my room, there was also nothing to sign after a meal or taking a beer out of the fridge
3) the Tibetan decor and photos of the owner's travels around the region makes the place very cosy (even had these photos in the individual rooms)
4) food was pretty good
5) saw an amazing sunrise from their rooftop terrace

Rooms are clean, have comfortable beds as well as airconditioning (hot/cold).

The staff let feel you home directly and the rooms are clean and the food is excellent.

Rooms are clean, and there is a great view from the roof viewing platform.

A very clean room with all facilities you could want.

Great location, clean rooms and wonderful breakfast.

The room was clean and a good size, the bed comfortable.

All the rooms are clean and the decor is lovely.

The rooms are clean and are equipped with everything you need for your comfort, including all the toiletries.

Rooms were ok clean, pretty dusty on the floor.

The nicely decorated and very clean rooms are spacious and Jim and his team are lovely hosts!

Rooms are clean, and are set-up very nicely for families traveling together, or two couples could share one of the double rooms.

We checked in at Jim’s Tibetan hotel and found peace, beautiful colours everywhere and a spotless great room and an extra plus: the rooftopterrace and garden.

The rooms were clean and comfortable (beds less hard than normal in China!

the rooms were clean,very colorful and well appointed.

There was mold everywhere in the bathroom, the wardrobe was covered in dust.

but everything worked (it had a very new big tv though, which was only Chinese) - in the smaller room only the main light worked, the 4 smaller ones were all broken (not only burned through).

The bathroom was the worst: the bathroom door was hanging of it's hinges and couldn't be closed, there was mold everywhere, it took ages to get warm water, there was icky brown stuff on the floor around the toilet and sink, and worst of all: the last guest's diarrhoeah stains were still all over the toilet bowl, it hadn't been checked and cleaned!!

I just wish Jim would cut down on the smoking a bit.

Although there is a sign "No Smoking", he smokes cigarrettes one after the other while drinking beer and whiskey.

The first room we got was on the ground floor, and smelled of mouth balls, so I went and asked for another room, which we got on the 1 floor,

3-The shower is weak, bathroom had a mouldy smell, towels weren't terribly clean.

although the room was beautifully funished, it was terribly cold and damp.

You may enjoy the sunshine on the roof terrace at the top floor where you can also enjoy the view over the whole city.

Jim took us on an outstanding tour of the Yi villages in the mountains outside the city.

Jim and his partner run a touring business as well; We opted for the tour of the minority regions in the mountains and we were so thankful to Jim for a wonderful day and an amazing lunch at a local restaurant.

And don't forget to visit the roof terrace for a fabulous view at Dali and the lake!

There is also a fourth-floor roof-top terrace with a beautiful 360 degree view of the city, mountains, and lake.

but beautiful garden and ohhh,, the view point at the terrace with the breathtaking view of lake Erhai and the surrounding hills.

but if you do smoke you can sit just outside on the balcony, or roof terrace which has a great view of the mountains and city.

Dali itself is a nice little and cozy town with its old town, the lake and the mountains surrounding the scenery.

We went to the market in the mountains and it was fantastic!..I am sure you will enjoy the wonderful hospitality that Jim offers!

Our room was spacious and clean and it also had many Tibetan touches, it was nice to sit outside, overlooking the garden to play cards and have a drink.

The hotel is in a great location, a few minutes walking distance from the old city and in the awe inspiring shadow of the mountains which means the views are amazing.

Big advantage of the hotel: own homepage on the internet so that it can be found/contacted directly (only view guesthouses in Dali have this).

Jim's Tibetan Hotel

bathroom

door

rooftop

rooftop view

As they have a well-developed network around Dali, you could also get amenities (e-bike rental) or entrance tickets (for certain attractions) at a discount.

The lodge is a nice walk from the main tourist attractions in Dali,

Overall, the staff was knowledgeable and helped us to arrange outings to the various attractions in the area.

However, the real star attraction of the guesthouse was the two dogs that were happy to put up with my crazy sister.

Old town Dali is about half mile up the street, and #8 bus (2 blocks away) runs regularly to the downtown modern Dali and the train station, and there are buses (with stops within walking distance) to the university and other attractions as well.

It is near the East Gate of Dali Old City, and this makes it very convenient to visit the Erhai Lake or to take a stroll in the Old City, or even to the other attractions around Dali such as the Three Pagodas Park and the Cangshan .

Nothing outstanding, nothing special, just a hotel like many others, and the staff is not even knowledgeable about busses going to other cities, like the bus to Shaxi.

I have stayed in many inns and hotels, and I will guarantee you that you will not find a better inn to stay in if you ever visit the Old City of Dali.

Dali is a beautiful city in China and I cannot wait to go there again.

In the old city, just outside of the tourist streets.

Dec, 9, 2019

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