Where to stay

The one rule

Not every hotel in China can host foreigners. Hotels need a licence to register foreign guests with the police, and many budget and mid-range places don’t have one. Booking a room you cannot check into is the most common accommodation problem visitors hit.

Booking sites

• Trip.com has the widest Chinese inventory, English support, and accepts foreign cards. Our default.
• Booking.com works and is familiar, with a smaller selection in smaller cities.
• Agoda is strong for Hong Kong and Macau, thinner on the mainland.
• Airbnb left the mainland in 2022. Local equivalents exist but are Chinese-only and registration is your problem.

Types of place

International chains are predictable and used to foreigners. Chinese chains (Atour, Ji Hotel, Hyatt’s local brands) are good value and modern, but check the foreign-guest rule. Courtyard guesthouses in Beijing, Pingyao and Suzhou give you the old town; expect small rooms and stairs. Hostels are cheap, social, and excellent sources of local advice; the good ones are listed on Trip.com and Hostelworld.

Choosing a neighbourhood

Every city page on this site has a Where to stay section with two or three areas and who they suit. The general rule: stay where you want to walk in the evening, and check the metro is within ten minutes. Being near the main station is convenient for one night, dull for three.

Checking in

You will hand over your passport, which the hotel photographs and registers with the police. This is normal. You may be asked for a deposit, taken from a card or paid through Alipay. Breakfast is usually a buffet with Chinese and Western options.

Registration if you stay in a home

Hosts of private homes must register you at the local police station within 24 hours. Take your passport and the address. It is a form and a stamp; some stations do it online now. Skipping it can cause trouble when you leave, so don’t.