Accommodation in China is generally convenient, and it is not difficult to find a hotel. Hotels range from five-star to one star-rated, inexpensive hostels, local guesthouses and roadside inns. Some hotels offer typical Chinese or local features and architecture, while others are completely modern.
Not all hotels can accommodate foreign visitors, but three, four and five star-rated hotels certainly can. There are both domestically run hotels and international hotel chain hotels, especially in highly developed tourist cities. Price is not a good guide to quality. Eastern China, for instance, is far more expensive than western China. Large cities are more expensive than small cities. Tourist cities are more expensive than non-tourist cities. Most hotels charge much higher rates during major holiday periods, particularly around Chinese New Year, the first week of May and the first week of October. Even within a major city, a more expensive hotel is not necessarily the best.
Five-star hotels are usually palatial with huge lobbies, their standards matching the best of Paris or New York. Service should be better than four-star hotels. There are many hotels in China of five-star international standard. Some of the five-star hotels have their own fleets of Mercedes limousines or Toyota vans that make regular runs to the airport or city center. Some also have executive floors with Concierges and free continental breakfasts; the best food and probably the best Chinese food in town, and the most luxurious breakfast buffets. Many have magnificent ball rooms and lobbies and cater to foreign business people on expense accounts.
Also there is usually a business center as well as a ticket agency with city tours and babysitting services. A clinic should be on-site. The restaurants usually provide two kinds of Chinese cuisine, with last order no earlier than 9 pm. Bar service should be available to one am, and there would be a 24-hour coffee shop, a breakfast and dinner buffet.
It is not difficult to reserve a hotel by phone, fax or on the internet. However, hotels of less than three stars may not have staff with good English speaking skills, which makes phone or even e-mail reservations difficult and unreliable at times. Many travel agencies, tourism or transportation companies offer reservation services, and there are many on-line reservation centers who offer very fast and good service.
Travel agents often get special deals with hotels, and they may therefore be able to offer you a room at a lower price than the one shown on the hotel website. The published rates on the hotel website are generally the highest rates a hotel charges for a room and by contacting the hotel directly you may be able not only to get a better rate, but also to agree the location of the room.
If you book through an agency you have the comfort that the agency confirms your booking, and normally helps you if anything goes wrong with your reservation. If you book directly with the hotel remember to make sure you get a confirmation in writing. Hotels have their own cancellation rules, make sure you know these.
Be aware of service charges and taxes. If you book directly or through a hotel search engine, ask for them. Usually service charges and taxes are not included in the price you are being quoted, but added on at checkout on departure. If you book a package tour it is usually all inclusive.
