How to Choose a Hotel in China

If you are going to China on your own, you should at least book the first hotel in advance for your arrival. If you know your schedule or itinerary, then you should book your hotels in advance especially during the high seasons of April/May and September/October. Because of the high population in China and their prosperous economy; hotels, air and trains will be full during high seasons. Hotels should be located in central areas of the cities where you can walk around freely. Suburb hotels are less expensive however it isn't always easy to walk around especially in the evenings with few street lights. In Beijing you should be around Wangfujing Street and in Shanghai close to Nanjing Road area as examples. Both areas are close to tourist sites and within walking distance or short taxi rides which are inexpensive. For costs of the hotels be aware that there is a 15% service charge added on as well as a small city tax. Check to see if breakfast is included or not when comparing hotels. Obtaining a western breakfast outside the hotels is very difficult if not impossible in most cities. Most Chinese have a simple breakfast "on the run" as we say of rice gruel and fried bread sticks or some dumplings. Hotels are rated by stars. 3,4 or 5 star hotels are common for western people and there are levels within those stars. As an example 5 star hotels can range from $160 to $500 per night. I have always felt that 4 star hotels are the best value in China. For more information on travel in China keep watching for future stories or check some of the over 100 stories listed here on my blog. You can also email me for suggestions... interlak@eskimo.com Attn: ChinaDave  Click on the photo for full screen view