Best hotels and hostels in Jilin

Top ChoiceLodging in Changchun

The Chunyi is a classic early-20th-century Chinese hotel with a hint of historical glamour. Lit up on a busy intersection on Renmin Dajie, its marble staircase ascends from a gaudy, Party-approved lobby. Period furniture and photographs remind guests of Changchun's once-booming film industry and the many foreign dignitaries who have graced the halls since it opened in 1909.

Lodging in Yanji

This ostentatious hotel is a lot of fun for the kitsch hunters who have made it to Yanji and are happy to while away some time among heavy oil paintings, a faux-German brewery, and cavernous lobby and sitting rooms that appear to expect a military parade at any moment.

Lodging in Changchun

Nestled within its own park grounds, about 8km from downtown, the Songyuan was a former army commander's residence. Today its heritage buildings host tourists in slightly stained, yet clean and well-decorated rooms. The on-site restaurant serves overpriced Chinese fare, but the included breakfast is delicious. A taxi from the train station costs ¥7.

Lodging in Yanji

New management have kept up the pace at this busy small hotel in the heart of the commercial district, surrounded by Yanji's few malls and plenty of good restaurants. For early risers, the compact, clean rooms make a good choice for nearby places to eat and the north bus station. A taxi from the train station is just a couple yuan above minimum fare.

Top ChoiceLodging in Baihe

Yiran is a well-maintained apartment belonging to Jeremy, a friendly and professional host who will put your travelling party quickly at ease. The double-storey interior can sleep four adults and a couple of kids. Tours can be arranged, including a free sweep of the town's dining scene.

Lodging in Baihe

In an outer neighbourhood, the friendly Woodland is the pick of the admittedly limited budget offerings around Changbaishan. It has same-sex dorms, clean twins and the usual hostel amenities such as a restaurant (dishes from ¥18 to ¥88), laundry, wi-fi and travel information. The hostel runs its own return shuttle to the north and western slopes (¥30 and ¥70 respectively).

Lodging in Yanji

Just a stone's throw away from the river, the Baishan Hotel is an imposing piece of utilitarian architecture with large, comfortable rooms and friendly, efficient staff. The attached ground-floor restaurant has a large selection of excellent Korean and Chinese dishes (from ¥10). Ask for a river-facing room. Discounts knock prices in half more or less.

Lodging in Changchun

This oval block is a just a few hundred metres south of the station and a step up in quality from the budget chains, while only costing marginally more. They certainly overdid it on the marble in the lobby, but the rooms are pleasant enough, and come with extras like complimentary fruit. The breakfast buffet, mostly Chinese, is bountiful.

Lodging in Baihe

The newest Wanda-stamped hotel on the mountain – or at least at the base of the ski lift – is decent value and very friendly to travellers. Freshly carpeted rooms fall in the upper midrange, with all the facilities (gym, playground, huge restaurant) and the sweetly-scented accoutrements. Ideal for a family ski trip.

Lodging in Yanji

If Motel 268 is full, then try this reliable business hotel branch squirrelled away inside a shopping area. Dearer rooms have small sitting rooms, newer furnishings and feel more professional. Avoid the bottom of the range as they are in dire need of attention.

Lodging in Changchun

This branch of the popular hotel chain is just a block from Renmin Dajie and a short walk from good eating and drinking around Tongzhi Jie, yet the small rooms are extremely quiet thanks to double glazing and being nestled back from the road.