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Where to stay in Datong
Separate Datong’s walled old city, the Yingbin Street area outside it and the newer Yudong district. An old-city stay brings morning and evening walks around Huayan Temple, the Drum Tower and Shanhua Temple into daily life. Larger properties outside the walls offer a different mix of pools, dining and facilities.
The Yungang Grottoes are a separate outing: Yungang in a hotel name does not mean accommodation at their entrance. The Hanging Temple and Hengshan require their own transport planning rather than treating Datong city and Hunyuan as the same overnight base.
The ten options below include old-city inns and larger Yudong hotels. Datong South and Datong are different railway stations, so use the full name on your ticket when booking a transfer. For two nights spent sightseeing and eating in the old city, we would start with a hotel inside the walls to cut down on evening rides.
For a longer multi-city trip, compare these related guides: Where to Stay in Beijing 2026 | Wangfujing, Qianmen & Dongzhimen Hotels; 10 Best Hotels in Xi’an 2026: Bell Tower, Metro Access & Family Rooms
Compare the ten hotels
| Hotel | Area | Best fit | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Datong | Yudong / 138 Heng’an Street | Pool time and new-district comfort | Transport to the old city |
| Datong Yungang Hotel | Yudong / Heng’an Street and Yonghe Road | Large-hotel and Yudong stays | Yungang name is not the grottoes location |
| Garden Hotel Datong | Old city / Yongtai Street | Old-city walks and established facilities | Some rooms face an internal courtyard |
| Yungang Jianguo Hotel | 199 Yingbin Street | Established hotel outside the walls | Not beside the grottoes |
| Great Palace Hotel | 843 Xiangyang Street | Family room formats and urban travel | Buildings and room layouts differ |
| Weidu International Hotel | 16 Yingbin Street | Urban hotel and leisure facilities | Distinct from other Yingbin hotels |
| Howard Johnson Plaza Jindi | 1 Jia Yuhe North Road | Pool and an outside-wall base | Plan the return from old-city evenings |
| Pipa Old Inn | East of Huayan Temple Square | Old-city walking and an inn stay | Some rooms are basement and windowless |
| Yungang Meigao Hotel | 209 Yingbin Street | Yongtai Gate side and practical stays | Different from Yungang Jianguo |
| Yunzhong Inn | Old city / Gulou West Street | Chinese courtyard and cultural walks | Consider courtyard-room access |
The hotel shortlist
1. Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Datong
Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale is at 138 Heng’an Street in Yudong. Consider it if you want a larger hotel where you can eat and relax after sightseeing. If you plan to spend every evening in the old city, allow for the ride back instead.
An indoor pool, sauna, tea room, restaurant and café support slower hours. For repeated early and late walks around Huayan Temple and the Drum Tower, weigh the journeys against an old-city address.
2. Datong Yungang Hotel
Datong Yungang Hotel is southeast of the Heng’an Street and Yonghe Road junction in Yudong. It is distinct from Yungang Jianguo and Yungang Meigao on Yingbin Street.
An indoor pool, two restaurants and café support time on site. Choose it for the Yudong location and facilities; a visit to the Yungang Grottoes still needs separate transport.
3. Garden Hotel Datong
Garden Hotel is at 93 Yongtai Street, convenient for a stay built around the Drum Tower, Shanhua Temple and old-city streets. Compare it with inns when an established hotel format inside the walls appeals.
A gym, spa, bar and dining support downtime. Some rooms overlook an internal courtyard or atrium, a meaningful distinction for travellers who prefer an outward view and daylight.
4. Yungang Jianguo Hotel
Yungang Jianguo is at 199 Yingbin Street, a base outside the walls for outings across the city. It is neither Yudong’s Datong Yungang Hotel nor accommodation at the grottoes.
A gym, spa, sauna, restaurants and café offer a fuller hotel routine. It fits days out followed by dinner or rest on site, a different rhythm from an old-city inn.
5. Great Palace Hotel
Great Palace is at 843 Xiangyang Street and is also known as Wangfu Zhizun. It suits travellers comparing family rooms and suites while using transport for the old city and other outings.
Dining, a gym and billiards add downtime. Different buildings, two-bedroom suites and windowless categories make the actual layout especially important; the room inventory is not uniform.
6. Weidu International Hotel
Weidu is at 16 Yingbin Street, suitable for transport-based city sightseeing. Compare its daily routes with Jianguo at No. 199 and Meigao at No. 209 rather than treating the street as one location.
A spa, gym, billiards, table tennis, tea room and restaurant support hotel time. For walks straight into the lanes around Huayan Temple every day, compare a property inside the walls.
7. Howard Johnson Plaza Jindi
Howard Johnson Plaza Jindi is at 1 Jia Yuhe North Road, combining old-city outings with a fuller hotel experience. It suits travellers who do not need to sleep within the lanes themselves.
An indoor pool, gym, billiards, table tennis and tea room add leisure time, alongside varied dining. Plan the actual street and entrance for the return after old-city dinners and walks.
8. Pipa Old Inn
Pipa Old Inn is east of Huayan Temple Square, fitting a walking-led stay around temples, the bell tower and old-city dining. Its appeal is the location and inn format rather than resort-scale facilities.
A library, tea room and bar create places to pause. Some bunk-bed room categories are windowless and on a basement level, important for guests prioritising daylight, access or space.
9. Yungang Meigao Hotel
Yungang Meigao is at 209 Yingbin Street, with Yongtai Gate Square a useful reference for the southern old-city side. Compare it with nearby Yingbin Street hotels if sleeping inside the walls is unnecessary.
A restaurant, parking and vehicle charging support a practical city stay. Meigao, Jianguo and Yudong’s Yungang Hotel have different addresses, so use the full name for bookings and rides.
10. Yunzhong Inn
Yunzhong occupies Courtyard No. 1 west of Chunyang Palace on Gulou West Street. Its courtyard, carved wood and Chinese-style interiors make accommodation part of the old-city experience.
Rooms vary in colour and furnishings, while the shared courtyard provides seating and the property offers tea and dining options. With large luggage or older relatives, check the route between the chosen room and entrance.
Frequently asked questions
Old city or Yudong for a first stay?
Choose the old city for temple-area walks, or Yudong for larger hotels and new-district activity. Consider how much hotel time you will use.
Are Yungang-named hotels beside the grottoes?
No. The three Yungang-named properties here are city hotels; the grottoes require separate transport.
Are Datong South and Datong stations the same?
No. Use the full station name on the ticket for transfers.
Can I visit the Hanging Temple from Datong city?
Compare a car service or other available transport, allowing for the full return journey and visit rather than treating it as a nearby old-city sight.
Which listed hotels have indoor pools?
Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale, Datong Yungang and Howard Johnson Plaza Jindi list indoor pools. Check opening and children’s rules.
Do all old-city rooms have outward windows?
No. Pipa has basement windowless categories, while Garden has internal-courtyard or atrium-facing rooms. Select for the daylight you need.
Can older relatives stay in a courtyard inn?
Consider it after checking entrances, steps and the room-to-restaurant route, not just courtyard photographs.
Is the old city convenient for drivers?
Check the parking location, vehicle drop-off and final luggage approach rather than relying on a parking label alone.
How do I distinguish the Yingbin Street hotels?
Weidu is No. 16, Jianguo No. 199 and Meigao No. 209. Keep the complete name and street number.
Should I change hotels during two nights?
A single city base usually deserves consideration first, unless a separate out-of-city stay has a clear purpose.
Making the final choice
Start with Garden, Pipa or Yunzhong for a walking-led old-city stay. Compare Yingbin Street, Howard Johnson and the two Yudong properties when fuller facilities matter. Wherever you stay, plan the grottoes, Hanging Temple and actual railway station separately.