Tianyuankui kezhan (Tianyuankui Folk Guesthouse; Tel: 0354-5680069 ; www.pytyk.com; 73 Nan Dajie; double room 298, d/tr from Y380;

) This topnotch guesthouse is a rare place catering to budget travelers and foreign ambassadors with equal verve. You can find basic shared dorm rooms, as well as spotless standard rooms in a variety of sizes and configurations, the bigger ones with nice touches like sparkling new bathtubs, hair dryers, and even Internet hook-ups. The gracious owners have even gone the extra mile, setting up their own power/water supply and hauling in a real espresso machine! The inevitable downside is that it might be booked out. There are discounts in the low season.