China Accommodation

With the rapid growth in China tourism industry, various hotels are spring up all over the country, and it’s easy to find a satisfactory accommodation for you according to your budget. One thing should be noticed that foreign travellers can stay only in the hotels that have license to accommodate foreign travellers. As more and more foreign tourists visit China, theoretically, most of the hotels have the license, however, it’s not ruled out that some small inns are not qualified. It’s advised to check this out before booking.

China provides foreign tourists with all kinds of hotels, from luxurious hotels to economic hotels, from vacation resorts to youth hostels and home inns; such a full range covers all needs of the tourists. China hotel industry adopts Star Rating System to evaluate the facility, scale, service quality and management of a hotel. There are five levels, from 1-star to 5-star, and 5-star is divided into normal 5-star and Platinum 5-star, the latter one is the highest standard of the rating system. However, it’s not always accurate to judge a hotel from its star rating result, since the 5-star hotels in big cities may have better accommodation environment than that in small cities, or some 4-star hotels have the same service and facility with some 5-star hotels. For those who have a high requirement for accommodation, it’s advised to see hotel reviews before booking. Normally, international hotels and hotels beyond 3-star will be safer choices.

In the major cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Xian, and Chongqing, etc. it’s easy to find all kinds of brands of the international hotel groups: Luxury hotels like St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf, Conrad Hilton, Peninsula, Park Hyatt, Shangri-La, etc.; Upper Upscale hotels like W Hotels, JW Marriot, Westin, Grand Hyatt, InterContinental, etc.; Upscale hotels like Sheraton, Hilton, Indigo, Crown Plaza, etc.; upper midscale and midscale hotels like Four Points, Hilton Garden Inn, Hyatt Place, Holiday Inn, Ibis, etc. Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong have most luxury hotels in China as the economy centers.

In smaller cities and famous remote tourist site, like Jiuzhaigou, upscale hotels and midscale hotels are also easy to find. In general, the distribution of the international hotels follows the principle of economic development: eastern cities have more international hotels than western cities, while provincial cities are more than second-tier or third-tier cities, and tourist area are more than non-tourist area. As for hotel rates and hotel facility of the same brand, the small cities and remote tourist site may charge less than big cities, and the facility may not good as the big cities, too.

Price: ¥700 ~ 1500+ (US $100 ~ 200+), with 10% to 15% service charge

Normally, hotels beyond 4-star hotel (included) and luxury hotels are in this range. Expensive hotels often provide full facilities, like restaurants, bars, swimming pools, health clubs and spas. These hotels usually have English speaking staff, so it’s very convenient for foreign tourists. Hotels in this range are very alike, good service with full facility, so tourists can choose according to location, hotel rates and personal preference. Some of the luxurious hotels in major cities may charge over ¥3000, however, most of them are below ¥2000, and if you book in advance, you have a great chance to get a good deal.

Price: ¥150 ~ ¥350+ (US$20 ~ 50+)

Generally, starred hotels under 3-star hotel (included) are in this range. There are many hotels in China are in this range due to the huge market demand. Cheap price with a relatively full facilities: basic room with private bathroom, A/C, TV and some of them even have restaurant, these hotels are the primary choice for those who have limited budget, yet pursue a relatively good accommodation environment. One thing to notice: it’s not easy to find a competent English speaking staff in these hotels unless you’re in a tourist destination that’s popular with foreigners, like Yangshuo in Guilin. Some youth hostels can also be counted in this range. Nowadays, more and more youth hostels are labeled with local features with modern facilities and unique services, so it’s worth a try. A famous Chinese hotel chain in this range is Jinjiang Inn, where provides a clean and comfortable accommodation with competent price.

Price: ¥150 ~ ¥350+ (US$3 ~ 15)

Most youth hostels and family inns are in this category. These hostels normally provide several choices for tourists. You can find private room with a bathroom or an individual bed in a room while you need to share bathroom with others. Normally, people who share one room will be the same gender; however, if the hostels are short of beds, tourists may share room with the opposite sex. Despite for the low price, the biggest advantage of these hostels is tourists can meet other travelers and enrich the travel experiences here.

Notice: most youth hostels will provide a safe box for travelers to store valuables, make sure you lock up when you go out.