Leo Hostel

This was a great hostel. I stayed in the single room which was about $25 american. There are also beds in a men's or women's dorm which are about $7 a night. The staff is great. There is a common room to sit and meet people. They serve food at a decent price also. Some of the staff speaks decent English which was great for me. This place is in one of the Hutongs and is around a 5-10 minute walk to Tianamen square and the subway.

Leo Hostel in Beijing is one of the best hostels ive been to. It's a walking distance to train station, Tianenmen square, Forbidden Palace an the Bell tower (although abt 2km away). The bed prices range from 60yuan per bed on a dorm type accomodation, to 200yuan per room on private ones. The hostel has a great lounge area, where you can play DVD's of your choice all day from the wide selection they have there, free Wi-fi everywhere in the hostel, a billiard table, and computers (for free too). They also offer great tour packages like the one I got when i went to Mutianyu pass. (go see my blog), a secret great wall package, etc. Theyre also one of the only 2 hostels in Beijing i think who process permits for Tibet. In the evening, the lounge/dining area becomes a semi bar venue where travellers meet, drink and discuss their travels. Great place if you want to make new friends, I highly recommend the place when in Beijing!

I had the pleasure of staying in a great little hostel in the Dazhalan area outside of Tianamen Square when I went to Beijing. The staff were absolutely fantastic to me and were really receptive to ideas of the visitors. They are extremely organized in the tours and shows they offer and have a Secret Wall hike to an unrestored part of the Wall. Overall, I met great people here and the bar vibe and food were excellent. Rooms were cheap and I somehow got a 3-bed room for the price of a 10-bed dorm. Not too shabby! Private rooms are also cheap and there is an inner courtyard that expands to the back of the hostel. There's also an in-residence artist and a tv/video game room. Leo Hostel is owned by a foreigner and they all know how to treat people well with exceptional standards for an incredible price.

One anecdote I have. When I arrived in Beijing and was hopelessly lost, I called the hostel to explain where I am. Being of Asian-background, I told them it might be different to spot a Chinese-looking girl in the streets of Beijing. However, they assured me that someone was going to physically find me and 5 minutes later, I am greeted by one of the hostel managers. You cannot top service like that considering this is a hostel and not a luxury 5-star hotel!

Visit http://www.leohostel.com/

I would recommend this place for a backpacker.
Perfect point to meet some other traveler and share the experience.
Also located on downtown ear the underground so it's quite easy to get around.
The hostel staff also very friendly and helpful during my stay there.
Can't wait to go back soon!