Within Xiahe there is a large selection of hotels, especially good for those on a budget. The place can basically be sectioned off into the eastern section of town, around the railway station, which houses the standard Chinese accommodation, and the western section of town, around the monastery, that houses the lower budget, Tibetan rooms. The western section is certainly more convenient for sights, more interesting and cheaper, so unless most of the places there are booked out, we recommend that you try these first.
Heading west from the railway station, possibly on a motor-cab if you are weighed down by baggage, although it is not a long walk, you will come to the Tibetan Guesthouse (Xizang lushe), on the left. This has clean dorms, well maintained for the cheapest price in town: RMB 7. Carrying on you will come to the nicest of the western section hotels, the Tara Guesthouse (Zhuoma lushe), on an alley to the left. This place has many things going for it, including an owner fluent in English who can organise trips to the Grasslands, rooms with warmed beds (Kangs), rooms with stoves, and hot showers (a little down the road). The other main option in this area, within the heart of the monastery, is the Labrang Monastery Guesthouse (Labuleng si zhaodaisuo), that is run by monks. This is not the best of places, with no showers, barley equipped rooms, and an 11pm curfew, however it is convenient and maybe a little more in fitting with the town’s customs. Rooms will cost you a small RMB 12 and all lead out onto a little courtyard.
For those after something a little quieter, from the railway station you should hire a motor-cab to drive westward along the main street to the large Labrang Hotel (Labuleng binguan). You need to cross a bridge over the gurgling Daxia River that seems to mark the western end of the town and carry along the road for around 300-400 meters. A path leads down to the left here, in between two fields of oilseed rape (when in season) and, heading down it, you will cross over another bridge to arrive at the gate of the hotel. This is a nice place with a good mix of room types (and prices!). Tibetan style rooms in a courtyard to the right of reception are probably the nicest, although the triples are brighter lit. Prices range here from RMB 15 for dorms out of season, to RMB 350 for Tibetan tents in the popular summer months.
In the Chinese Quarter, there are some pricey but clean hotels. The Friendship Hotel (Youyi binguan), a little west from the bus station on the left, is the best of the lot, with ordinary doubles for around RMB 15. The Daxia Hotel (Daxia binguan), a little further west on the right, also has cheap, although dirty, dorms (RMB 16), and fairly decent doubles for RMB 52.
Xiahe Labrang Hotel
Xiahe TARA GUESTHOUSE
Xiahe Snowland hotel
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