Hotel Booking Guide for China
How to find and book hotels in China as an international traveller. Payment, check-in, cancellation, and what to expect.
Booking a hotel in China is different. International platforms list a fraction of what is available. The best prices and widest selection are on local platforms — and most work fine with foreign cards.
First, the foreign-guest rule
The one thing that decides whether you get a room.
⚠️ Not every hotel can take you. By law, a hotel must register every foreign guest with the local police within 24 hours of check-in — and not all hotels hold the licence to do it. Book one that cannot, and you will be turned away at the desk, even with a paid reservation. Before booking, confirm the listing accepts foreign guests (外宾可接待 / “Allow foreign guests”). As a rule of thumb, at ¥400/night and below always check the foreigner policy; at ¥800 and above most hotels handle registration automatically.
Verify these four things before you pay
- ✓ Foreigner policy: Does the listing say 外宾可接待 (accepts foreign guests)? If unsure, message the hotel through the platform or call ahead
- ✓ Registration licence: Small guesthouses, residential Airbnbs and some budget chains cannot register foreigners. When in doubt, stay 3-star and above
- ✓ Real room photos: Listings often use heavily edited images. Check the real guest photos (实拍图) and recent reviews with pictures
- ✓ Breakfast & inclusions: 含早 means breakfast is included. Some low base prices hide surcharges in the fine print — read the full breakdown
Where to book
International vs local platforms.
Trip.com (携程 — English interface)
- ✓ The best platform for international travellers. Full English website and app
- ✓ Foreign credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) accepted
- ✓ Supports bookings for foreign travellers — most hotels accept foreign passports
- ✓ Customer service in English available. Price match if you find a lower rate elsewhere
Booking.com / Agoda
- ✓ Both work in China but show limited inventory — only hotels that market to foreigners
- ✓ Prices are typically 15–30% higher than local platforms for the same room
- ✓ Pay with your usual card — no WeChat/Alipay needed. Good backup option
Meituan (美团) & Ctrip (携程旅行 — Chinese interface)
- ✓ Significantly wider selection and better prices
- ✓ Chinese interface only — use Google Translate camera mode
- ✓ Payment requires WeChat Pay or Alipay (no foreign card option)
- ✓ Best use: Find a hotel on Meituan, then book the same hotel on Trip.com's English site
Fliggy (飞猪 — Chinese interface)
- ✓ Alibaba's travel platform. Often cheaper than international sites
- ✓ Mandarin only, and foreign-card support is patchy — pay with Alipay where possible
- ✓ Best use: cross-check a price you found elsewhere, then book on whichever platform takes your card
Booking directly with the hotel
- ✓ International chains (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG) take direct bookings via their own apps
- ✓ Often the best choice for consistent quality — same points, same cancellation terms
- ✓ Foreign cards accepted. Check-in is seamless at 4- and 5-star properties
Understanding China's hotel star system
Chinese stars are not the same as international stars.
| Chinese Rating | Equiv. Int'l | Example Chains | Expected Quality | ¥/night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-star (五星) | Upper-upscale | Shangri-La, JW Marriott | Excellent service, English-speaking staff, multiple restaurants | ¥800–2,500 |
| 4-star (四星) | Upscale | Holiday Inn, Courtyard | Good service, some English, decent breakfast | ¥400–900 |
| 3-star (三星) | Midscale | Hanting (汉庭), Home Inn (如家) | Basic but clean, limited English, Chinese-only breakfast | ¥150–400 |
| 2-star (二星) | Economy | Pod hotels, guesthouses | Bare minimum, shared bathroom possible | ¥80–200 |
⚠️ 5-star ≠ 5-star: A Chinese 5-star hotel is usually comparable to a 4-star in Europe or the US. A Chinese 3-star is closer to a 2-star by Western standards. Always check recent guest photos on Dianping or Trip.com — not the official photos.
💡 Sweet spot: 4-star Chinese hotels offer the best value. Clean rooms, good service, breakfast — typically ¥300–700 per night. International brand 4-star hotels (Holiday Inn, Courtyard) are consistent but more expensive.
Booking on Trip.com — step by step
The safest way for first-time visitors.
7 steps to a smooth booking
- Search — Enter your destination city, dates, number of guests
- Filter — Use "Allow foreign guests" filter. This is crucial — some hotels do not accept foreign passports
- Compare — Sort by "Distance from city centre" and "Guest rating". Avoid anything below 4.0
- Read reviews — Filter by "English reviews" to see what other travellers say. Check "check-in smoothness" and "English level"
- Check cancellation — Choose "Free cancellation" whenever possible. Non-refundable rates are only ¥20–50 cheaper — not worth the risk
- Book — Enter your full name as it appears on your passport, and your passport number. The hotel will verify these at check-in
- Confirmation — Save the confirmation email or screenshot. You'll need your booking reference and passport at reception
Check-in: what every foreigner should know
Expect extra paperwork.
Required documents
- ✓ Passport — must be the same one used during booking
- ✓ Visa — the hotel is legally required to photocopy your visa page. This is normal
- ✓ Registration form — brief form with name, nationality, passport number, room number. For PSB registration
- ✓ Deposit — some hotels ask for ¥200–1,000 deposit at check-in. Usually returned at checkout
What to expect by hotel tier
- ✓ 5-star international chains: Full English service, international breakfast buffets, gym/pool
- ✓ Chinese 5-star: Luxurious but limited English, confusing light switches, Chinese-only TV
- ✓ 3-star / budget: Staff may not speak English. Have booking confirmation ready. Bring own toilet paper
- ✗ Some budget hotels (如家 / Hanting) in smaller cities may refuse foreign guests. Always use Trip.com's "foreign guest" filter
Things to check in your room
- ✓ WiFi: Ask "WiFi mì mǎ?" (WiFi 密码?). The password is often on a card at the desk
- ✓ Slippers: Most Chinese hotels provide disposable slippers. Shoes may be asked off in the room
- ✓ Kettle: Every room has an electric kettle. Check if bottled water is complimentary
- ✓ Toiletries: 3-star+ provide toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, razor, shower cap, toilet paper
Staying in an apartment or with friends?
- ✓ A hotel registers you automatically. A private apartment or unregistered Airbnb does not
- ✓ If you stay in one, you must register at the nearest police station within 24 hours of arrival
- ✓ Your host should help with this. If they cannot, treat that as a reason not to stay there
Cancellation policies
Not all cancellations are equal.
Three common policy types
- ✓ Free cancellation (免费取消): Cancel up to 24–48 hours before check-in. Full refund. Always select this option
- ✓ Non-refundable (不可取消): No refund. Typically ¥20–100 cheaper. Only book if itinerary is 100% confirmed
- ✓ Partial refund: Cancel by a certain date (3–7 days before) for 50–70% refund. Check exact terms
How to cancel
- ✓ Trip.com: My Bookings → Cancel → Refund processed in 3–7 business days
- ✓ Chinese platforms: May need to call or chat with customer service for cancellations
- ✗ Late cancellation (same day): Usually charged 1 night. No-show always charged
Pricing & payment
What you see is usually what you pay.
Pricing
- ✓ Hotel prices in China usually include tax and service fees. The listed price is the final price
- ✓ Breakfast is often NOT included for Chinese hotels. Add ¥30–100 per person at booking
- ✓ Peak pricing: National Day (Oct 1–7), Chinese New Year (Jan–Feb), May Day (May 1–5) — prices double or triple. Book 2–3 months ahead
Payment methods
- ✓ Trip.com: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, PayPal — all work
- ✓ Booking.com: Your usual card works
- ✓ Chinese platforms: WeChat Pay or Alipay only
- ✓ At the hotel: Credit card accepted at most 4-star+ hotels. Budget hotels may ask for cash deposit
- ✓ UnionPay: Universal acceptance across all Chinese hotels. Safest fallback if you have one
Hotel types in China
From luxury resorts to capsule beds.
Full-service hotels
International chains (Marriott, Hilton, Shangri-La, IHG) and Chinese 5-star chains (Jin Jiang). Best for business travellers and families wanting consistency. Expect English, western breakfast, gym, meeting rooms. ¥500–2,000/night.
Boutique & design hotels
Growing fast in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou. Often in restored lane houses (弄堂), old factories, or heritage buildings. Best for couples and design lovers. Many have excellent English. ¥400–1,200/night.
Economy chains
Hanting (汉庭), Home Inn (如家), 7 Days Inn (7天), Lavande (丽枫). Basic but clean. Prices ¥100–250/night. Limited English — Google Translate essential. Widely available even in small cities.
Hostels & guesthouses
International hostels in tourist cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshuo). Dorm beds ¥50–120. Most have English-speaking staff, free walking tours, and social events. Find on Hostelworld or Trip.com.
Common scams & pitfalls
Three to recognise before they cost you.
“This hotel is full — I know a better one.” A common taxi-driver line at stations and airports; the driver earns a commission for the redirect. Never change a confirmed booking mid-ride.
“Foreigner price” at the desk. One rate online, a higher one quoted at the counter “because you are a foreigner.” Book online and show the confirmed reservation.
Fake listings. Photos lifted from a nicer property. Be wary of listings with very few reviews but only 5-star ratings — check the review count and read the most recent ones.
Need to pay for your booking? → WeChat Pay & Alipay Guide