For our first night in Dunhuang, we definitely opted for a desert stay (Dunhuang Shazhou Wild Luxury Camp Hotel). For the second night, however, we needed something a little less rugged. Staying in the desert means sand everywhere, constantly – on your head, on your face, even packed into your ears! But the kids absolutely loved playing in the sand; they could spend the entire day there, even under the blazing sun. Be sure to apply plenty of sun protection; the desert sun is incredibly intense. Guesthouses are better than regular star hotels because star hotels have high foot traffic, and it's important to be mindful of protection against common illnesses like flu and respiratory infections. So, we completely skipped the Huaxia, Guoji, Tianhe, and Shazhou hotels in the city center. If your budget is tight, the Mumei Kachi Desert Camping Base is also a viable option, though it's not actually at Mingsha Mountain. If you're staying a third day in Dunhuang, you might consider some of the larger, standard hotels in the city center that have swimming pools. Also, the Sheraton in the city center is a stripped-down Four Points by Sheraton, and it doesn't have a pool.
"For our first night in Dunhuang, we definitely opted for a desert stay (Dunhuang Shazhou Wild Luxury Camp Hotel). For the second night, however, we needed something a little less rugged. Staying in the desert means sand everywhere, constantly – on your head, on your face, even packed into your ears! But the kids absolutely loved playing in the sand; they could spend the entire day there, even under the blazing sun. Be sure to apply plenty of sun protection; the desert sun is incredibly intense. Guesthouses are better than regular star hotels because star hotels have high foot traffic, and it's important to be mindful of protection against common illnesses like flu and respiratory infections. So, we completely skipped the Huaxia, Guoji, Tianhe, and Shazhou hotels in the city center. If your budget is tight, the Mumei Kachi Desert Camping Base is also a viable option, though it's not actually at Mingsha Mountain. If you're staying a third day in Dunhuang, you might consider some of the larger, standard hotels in the city center that have swimming pools. Also, the Sheraton in the city center is a stripped-down Four Points by Sheraton, and it doesn't have a pool."