Clear skies are brilliant canvas for stargazers at desert hotel

The stunning scene of a hotel in the desert in Zhongwei, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, has attracted growing attention via pictures from a photographer.

When the Desert Star Hotel, which is in the hinterland of the Tengger Desert, turned off its lights at midnight recently, the starry sky became more brilliant and could be seen reflected in a small lake.

Ningxia is regarded as an ideal place for gazing at the stars with its clear skies, dry climate and other environmental advantages.

The construction of the hotel in Shapotou, a national five-A level tourism site and desert reserve, cost 140 million yuan ($19.8 million). It has 24 rooms, including 20 tents and wooden houses and four desert viewing rooms.