Lonely Star Hotel Review

Is It Really Worth Staying One Night in the Gobi Desert?

If there is one night on the Qinghai–Gansu Grand Loop that travelers hesitate over the most—but also book impulsively—it’s Lonely Star Hotel.

With prices reaching RMB 2,000–3,000+ per night in peak season, cinematic promotional photos, and a location deep in the Gobi Desert, this hotel feels less like accommodation and more like a concept.
So the real question isn’t “Is it good?” but rather:

Is it worth planning your route around just to stay one night here?

This is not a filtered recommendation. It’s a realistic, experience-based review—especially for travelers on a tight loop itinerary.

Lonely Planet Gobi Hotel Review: Is It Worth Staying One Night on the Qinghai–Gansu Loop?

Lonely Star Hotel

Why We Chose Lonely Star Hotel

The reason was simple: location.

Our route included Water Yadan Geological Park and East Tai’er Lake, and accommodation options in this area are extremely limited.

Main alternatives were:

Wusute Water Yadan Scenic Area Hotel
Price: RMB 1,000–1,500 in peak season
Downsides: basic facilities, mosquitoes at night, mediocre service
Starship Yadan Future Camp (budget alternative)
Price: RMB 700–1,000
Similar glass domes and RVs, but visually and structurally simpler
Lonely Star Hotel
The most expensive—and most talked-about option

Out of curiosity (and honestly, once-in-a-lifetime mentality), we chose Lonely Star, despite the price.

Room Types & Pricing

🏠 Room types:
- Glass Dome “Stargazing Room”
- Yadan Villa Rooms
- RV units & luxury tents
💰 Price:
- Peak season: RMB 2,000–3,000+
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Our stay:
- Family villa (4 people, with sofa bed)

This is important to say upfront:
You are paying for the setting, not hotel-level comfort.

Lonely Star Hotel

First Impression: Like Landing on Another Planet

The hotel is scattered across a vast Gobi plain, surrounded by towering Yadan landforms.
Straight highways disappear into the distance, with only occasional cars passing by.

At sunset, wind lifts the sand, the sky turns copper-red, and the silence becomes almost unsettling.
The tents, domes, villas, and RVs look like a human outpost on an alien planet.

Standing on the viewing platform, you feel something rare in modern travel:
complete isolation and scale.

👉 This sense of awe comes from nature—not architecture.

What the Hotel Does Well

1️⃣ Unbeatable Location

10-minute drive to Water Yadan and East Tai’er Lake
Perfect after photographing sunset—no long night drives
Seamlessly fits into a tight Grand Loop itinerary

2️⃣ Thoughtful Butler Service

Staff contact you before arrival via WeChat
You can drive directly to your room door
Extremely helpful when traveling with large luggage

3️⃣ Decent Facilities—Considering the Environment

Dry–wet separated bathrooms
Working air conditioning (cooling & heating)
L’Occitane toiletries (large refill bottles)

In the Gobi Desert, a hot shower alone feels like a luxury.

4️⃣ Night Atmosphere Is Truly Photogenic

The six-point star layout lights up after dark
Blue and red lighting around the RV area gives a sci-fi vibe
📸 Excellent for photography and social media content

The Downsides You Must Know

❌ 1️⃣ Harsh Desert Reality

Glass rooms get extremely hot in the afternoon
Nights become very cold—heating is essential
Wind noise + poor sound insulation
👉 Bring earplugs

❌ 2️⃣ Unstable Hot Water & Power

Hot water is stored and limited (20-minute intervals)
On our arrival night, there was no hot water
We were moved to another room just to shower
Some guests had to shower cold
Heating and power cut out overnight—we woke up freezing

❌ 3️⃣ Breakfast Is a Weak Point

Small dining area, limited options
Noodles and rice noodles were overcooked and bland
Crowded with tour groups, tables not cleaned promptly
👉 One of the worst breakfasts we had on the entire route

❌ 4️⃣ Terrible Access Road

From Dunhuang, part of the road is full of potholes
Extremely bumpy, especially exhausting at night

Lonely Star Hotel

Activities: Are They Worth It?

🔥 Bonfire & Fireworks (Free)
Around 9–10 PM, lively atmosphere—but many travelers miss it due to tight schedules
⭐ Stargazing
Dome skylights are small; visibility depends heavily on weather
Real stargazing is better outside, after midnight when lights are off
🚙 Off-road driving & sand slides
All paid activities
Fun, but expensive and not the core reason to stay

Who Is This Hotel Actually For?

✅ Good fit if you:

Want to experience one night in the Gobi Desert
Love photography, landscapes, and dramatic environments
Already plan to visit Water Yadan and don’t want long detours

❌ Not ideal if you:

Expect luxury-hotel-level comfort and stability
Care deeply about service details and breakfast quality
Just need a place to sleep and leave early

Worth It or Not?

Would I stay again?
👉 Probably not.

Would I recommend staying once?
👉 Yes—at the right price and with realistic expectations.

Lonely Star Hotel isn’t about comfort.
It’s about spending one night in a place where humans don’t naturally belong—
lying in bed, surrounded by silence, and looking up at a sky that feels endless.

At RMB 3,000+, expectations should be lowered.
At around RMB 1,000 in off-season, it becomes a memorable, worthwhile experience.

Because in the middle of the Gobi Desert,
even a temporary shelter under the stars is already a kind of luxury.