Our Beijing Hostel: Sitting on the City Walls

When we booked our hostel back in 2011, we relied on no other site but the very trusty, very helpful TripAdvisor.com 

The top hostel that popped up on the Specialty Lodging section of the site was Sitting on the City Walls. The reviews were positively glowing -- great location, clean rooms, very helpful, English-speaking staff -- and best of all, affordable room rates. Clearly, it was the best among the cheap hotels in Beijing, perfect for budget travellers like us.

photo by maltman23 at flickr.com

So how did our own experience compare to the reviews on TripAdvisor?

Beijing Day 1: Highlights

1. The Planning Stage 

Even before, it was never China, it was always Beijing. We were going to the sprawling capital, of an even more sprawling country, and we had only three days to do it. We had in mind an ambitious itinerary -- one that would include all the must-see tourist spots, plus an activity or two that had more of a backpacker feel to it. 

But upon closer study, we found out that the Summer Palace would take an entire day all by itself, and there was also the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube to squeeze in --which to be honest, I never really considered. Then there were the either/ors. Houhai Lake or the Drum Tower? Jinghshan or Beihai Park?