Very late review considering I stayed here a couple of years ago, though I can confirm after years of traveling that this was one of the best hostels I have ever been to. To start off with, I was a little sorry I wasn't staying in Lijiang as I was driven through it. The old town looked beautiful, as did the setting. I foresaw myself arriving in some shady suburb. I was relieved to discover that Shuhe was smaller, more consistently beautiful and really quite magical, with a stunning mountainous backdrop. The hostel itself is in an ex-monastery, like many of the pricier hotels in the area there is a beautiful inner courtyard, there are a couple of turtles living in the fountain. In the courtyard are some comfortable beds. The owner is a kind Dutch guy who ended up here having met his Taiwanese girlfriend in Tibet after an overland cycling trip from the Netherlands. He showed us to our room, which was above and beyond our expectations considering the very reasonable hostel price. It was a clean and spacious room with a lovely bathroom and nice little finishing touches such as ecological soap. There was wifi. Upstairs from our room there was an area to meditate, though this is not a preachy place, it is just available to use. What sold the place originally to me however was the cafe, an all-vegetarian cafe serving both Asian and Western food. The breakfasts we had here were quite phenomenal and it was good to get safe vegetarian food in large portions. Fresh juice is also available, this is where I first learned that I love the combination of carrot, apple and ginger. It is a bit of a charity project too, some of the profit going towards various local organisations. I was very sad to leave this place and the friendly and helpful people who run it. If I ever go back to this part of the world I will most definitely return to the Nomad hostel.…
we did not stay or eat here. in fact, they weren't even open when we were visiting. however, we needed help with bus tickets to the Tiger Leaping gorge and they were kind enough to help us out. i knocked on the door without realizing that they were closed for renovations. surprisingly, they opened the door and helped me arrange to get bus tickets to the gorge. we ended up having a nice conversation with Peter for maybe half an hour, discussing our travels and different views on China (my wife grew up there and left when she was young). very friendly and helpful people. more than i could hope for in a hostel/travel business operator. highly recommended.
Over the course of our past 9 months of travel in Asia, New Zealand and South America, we can reflect on The Nomad being on of our favorite places of accommodation. The location is great - quiet, but within the quaint walking center of Shuhe and a quick taxi to the Disneyfied Lijiang center. The rooms are small, but smartly and war my decorated ringing an absolutely tranquil and quiet courtyard. There is also oodles of comfy common space to sit back and take in the peaceful vibe. Peter is a wonderful host. He is friendly, warm helpful and accommodating. Congratulations to The Nomad for perfecting small scale and affordable hospitality.
You know ... we didn't sleep at Nomad, we slept at another local B&B run by expats. But we did eat at Nomad almost every day during our 8 day stay in Shuhe. We met Peter at a small party, and were somehow drawn to his place. Nomad only serves vegetarian, and even me, as a meat eater, I really enjoyed it. We were warned about the meat on a stick in Shuhe and we didn't take any chances by eating it. I am sure it's no problem for the locals, but for expats like us, a vegetarian diet was the safest bet. At Nomad, the cooking staff did an awesome job. The food was tasty. The music was excellent, and all the little touches in the dining area, on the wall, ceiling, it was just great! Peter set us up with transportation to the Tiger Leaping Gorge on a expat bus. On the way back we arranged our own transportation on a mini bus. Stay off the mini bus (6 people). It's too bumpy and you might get sick. I did. While this place is listed as a hostel, they do have rooms with private washrooms, and knowing that, we might have considered staying here instead. We ate @ Nomad everyday, so sleeping there too would have been more convenient. Peter, the maple syrup is on the way. Be careful when serving it to Canadians though. Give them a measured portion, they put maple syrup on everything!…
We loved the Nomad Hostel! Wonderful atmosphere, great location in Shuhe and Peter - the owner - is super friendly and helpful. The place is quiet and quaint with lots of charme. The vegetarian buffet was a great change to the Chinese food we've been eating for the last couple of months and the breakfast options - if somewhat pricy - are delicious and filling. We stayed in the twin room which is a bit dark, but could have changed to one of the brighter doubles with their own little veranda without hassle. As these rooms were vacant at the time, we had breakfast outside on the veranda, catching the first rays of sun, warming us up (actually getting slightly sunburnt) and enjoyed it very much!
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