China's luxurious & futuristic accommodation opportunities: finding the right place to stay!
- sinjahaag
- 30. Juli 2024
- 5 Min. Lesezeit
Aktualisiert: 11. Mai
Looking for a place to sleep? China has it all- from basic to high-class luxury, there is almost nothing one cannot not find. Learn about where and how to book your accommodations best, what to expect, look forward- and pay attention to.
China offers some of the very best accommodations I have come across traveling. From standard basics up to luxury interiors, there is almost nothing you cannot not find and/or expect. From friendly staff, spacious (likewise tiny) rooms with- and without windows, first-class breakfast buffets, universal connectors to all-inclusive washing and hygiene equipment- you name, you'll find it!
Are you worried about language barriers? Then I need to be honest by saying that these do exist. However, simply handing over your passport will be sufficient to get you checked-in. And using your Alipay translation app (or any other translation tool) will get you settled easily.
Let's find out more about accommodation options, interiors and booking possibilities together to get you started!
Hotel Accommodation China Content Table
Finding your best-possible stay
Booking hotels in advance is best to be done via the website trip.com. Simply choose “mainland China” for your destination and go for accommodation-, flight- or tourist activity hunting. Have a look onto the map to see where hotels are situated and read through the hotel ratings from former guests. If you already know the area you would like to live in, use the filter function to narrow down your options. You will be able to find everything from budget-friendly up to high-priced options with- and without breakfast, fitness- and laundry rooms, even airport shuttle services.
The charming thing about trip.com is that most bookings can easily be cancelled/adjusted at short-notice without any additional fees (please consider booking terms & conditions up front!). However, pay attention to whether your room includes a window or not! Many times, I have found myself in a closed- up bunker. Not too bad for a couple of nights but certainly not recommendable for a longer period of time.
English-speaking Staff?
The more international the hotel, the more likely the chance having people on-site speaking English? Wrong. Independent on the size and popularity of hotel chains, most people will barely and/or not at all speak English, even you have booked at room in a Hilton, Radisson, or similar facility. The best chances of having English speaking counterparts will most likely be situated in the cities of Shanghai and Beijing. However, using translation apps, such as WeChat and Alipay, are part of common practice. So do not be afraid to use them in order to communicate, you will be fine!
All-round carefree Package: hotel goodies and what to expect
If you are used to the European hotel facilities, such as I am, you might be very happy when entering a hotel room, finding a bottle of water free of charge and some welcome snacks. Not the typical standard though. China, in contrast, is a bit different.
Each hotel has a variety of different goodies you receive upon arrival. Always included are several packs of fresh tooth brushes + tooth paste, slippers to walk around your room and hallway, sometimes even a hair comb, a sleeping mask, eye pads and ear buds. You will also be surprised to find shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion in most bathrooms. Tea (sometimes also coffee) and fresh water bottles are provided for free and will be refilled daily. If you run out of any of the above listed utensils, you can of course always ask for replacements. Usually though, the daily room service ensures for you to be fully equipped.
Futuristic Charm: hotel delivery robots
In most hotels you will be able to spot robots moving around the lobby, in between hallways or silently waiting in a corner. These little cuties mainly focus upon delivery services, such as bringing ordered foods to your room, also mail or further amenities.
Laundry Rooms
Worried about washing your clothes while travelling? No need. Most hotels are equipped with laundry rooms you are able to use 24/7. The coolest thing? Free of charge! Yes, you heard me right.
Usually, laundry rooms include several washing machines, next to tumble dryers. Seating chairs to wait for your machine to finish are also in place, especially purposeful if you are waiting in line for catching the next machine. Be quick, sometimes the onrush on laundry can be quite wild!
Laundry detergents, clothes hangers and laundry bags to neatly fold and transport your clothes, are also available and free of charge.
It might make sense to bring your phone to translate the different washing cycles up front to not over wash your clothes with heat to a point where your initial sweater shrinks down to the size of a hand glove.
Hotel Breakfast: a variety of flavours for the senses!
If you have the chance to include breakfast, I highly recommend trying it out at least for one to two times, you will most likely not be disappointed!
Compared to European breakfast, the Chinese cuisine offers a great variety to pick- and choose from. I love eating my way though, trying out different foods I am not yet familiar with every day! So what to expect?
Starting from egg variations, such as scrambled, hard boiled, sunny side-up, tea eggs, up to noodle- and fried rice variations with/without meat and vegetables, you will find salad bars, cereal corners, fresh fruit, pastry- and cake sections to eat your way through. Also, freshly made dumplings with different savory & sweet fillings are available. Different soup variations, such as pumpkin-, tomato- or rice soup, can also be found. Steamed vegetables, e.g. potatoes, roots, corn, a variety of sauces and meats are also in place. Some places do offer American toast as well, however, as you can imagine, the usage of these breads usually remain untouched.
As for most hotels, you also have the chance to order noodle soups freshly made from a cook close to the breakfast buffet. Simply walk up front and choose your desired ingredients of choice, also the kind of broth and sauce. Wait for a couple of minutes and enjoy your individualized breakfast soup, just like a local!
Of course, your meal can be topped with a cup of hot coffee, tea or juice.
By the way: have you ever had Chinese bread? Look out for a white, marshmallow-looking-alike square. Quite tasteless, yet interesting to try!
Cannot find plates and/or chopsticks?
Have a look around the buffet. Bowls are usually placed in a fridge nearby, whereas chopsticks are mostly hold in a chopstick disinfection machine for hygiene measures. Simply pull out a pair and you are ready to go! Not too familiar with using chopsticks? Most hotels hold cutlery as well. If not found on the tables, simply ask for it.
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