Price Codes
The price codes used in this book are based on the cheapest double room a hotel has in the high season (May to October). Thus, where two codes are mentioned, it means the range of rooms is such as to encompass different price brackets. Note that there's a 15% luxury tax added to room prices in upscale hotels (although this is often offset by a discounted rate). Discounts on advertised rates are almost standard and you should always try to strike a bargain. For dormitories the prices per bed are individually listed.
Note that hotels in Hong Kong and Macau are significantly more expensive than on the mainland and these chapters have their own price codes.
Hotel Categories
Hotels in China are awarded stars according to their facilities and a good deal can also be ascertained from their Chinese name categories (binguan, dajiudian, dajiulou, fandian, zhaodaisuo, luguan, in descending order of quality), although the divide between these can be blurry. While these categories imply certain standards, you're better off making your own judgment on the room rate. To see hotel classifications in this book, look at the hotel's pinyin name in the language box. Regardless of price, in your room you'll find some source of hot drinking water for making tea and a pair of plastic slippers, along with other any other amenities afforded. Almost all upscale and some mid-range hotels offer fitness centers (FC), swimming pools (SW) and in-room Internet access (@), but only a few have rooms with facilities for disabled people (DA) – see individual hotels for symbols.
Expensive ($$$$-$$$$$; binguan, dajiudian, dajiulou, fandian). In the big cities, international chains offer the same high standards and (sometimes) service as they do worldwide, with prices to match (US$100 and upwards), and some of them even manage to inject a dose of flavor along with the luxury. These hotels are often well-located in the heart of the city, have all amenities, including countless restaurants, health facilities, swimming pools, Internet connection and, sometimes, a computer in the room, and front desk staff will generally speak some English. Chinese chains can offer similar services and facilities, although some of the finer points may be lacking.
Mid-range ($$-$$$; binguan, dajiudian, dajiulou, fandian). Almost every town of any size will have a hotel that falls into this category and, while standards and prices can vary enormously, you should at least be able to find a decent room in such a place. Rates for a double room in such hotels can start from 150 Yen (US$20), although 300 Yen (US$40) and upwards is more normal, especially in larger cities. If the room is too rich (or poor) for your taste, then ask at reception as many mid-range places have recently renovated smarter floors, and older, more decrepit, cheaper ones. Mid-range establishments should have rooms with attached bathrooms, TV and air conditioning, though they might be threadbare. There will also be laundry service, a restaurant, a travel desk of some sort and maybe a business center. Again, in these places you'll probably find someone who has a smattering of English.
Budget ($). Below 150 Yen (US$20) zhaodaisuo, luguan, university rooms and hostels (see below) form the bulk of the options, but seemingly mid-range places can creep into this category.
In luguan and zhaodaisuo dorm beds go for as little as $20 a night and there are rooms for $40, but these will be very basic and maybe not that clean. For a little more you can usually get a dirt-free, comfortable and secure room, possibly with a TV and attached bathroom, though you might have to look around in a few places. In the cheapest lodgings the toilets are invariably of the squat variety. Almost all places have some kind of canteen or restaurant, usually serving cheap, local fare, and the floor attendants also often have a cabinet of snacks and drinks for sale.
Budget accommodation is often clustered around transport hubs such as the bus or railway station, which is convenient for travel, but may be a long way from the town center, and not as pleasant a locale to stay in. This said, some hostels can be quite central and university lodgings, while often in the suburbs, usually have parks, gardens and trendy cafés or nightspots nearby. In some provincial cities and rural settlements budget options are still limited, since many places may not be authorized to let foreigners' stay. In such situations speaking a little Chinese can ease your path.
Hostels
As the backpacking scene heats up in China there are also increasing numbers of hostels, affiliated with HI (Hostelling International) or otherwise. HI places offer a slight discount to card-carrying members. You can become a member online at www.hiusa.org (US), www.hihostels.ca (Canada), www.yha.org.uk (UK), www.yha.com.au (Australia), www.yha.co.nz (New Zealand), which costs around US$30 per year.
Rooms in HI places are generally clean but cramped and cheap, and they always have dorms (duorenjia; 50 Yen/US$6 or less) and sometimes an Internet café and bar, but some places with the name hostel might be more like mid-range hotels. Hostels are often centrally located and, for solo travelers, they make amenable places to meet other backpackers. The better HI hostels and linked U-Tel Hotels generally offer organized tours to points of interest and may run more adventurous pursuits such as hiking or cultural experiences like dumpling-making. They can also book hostels in other cities for you and can arrange bus, train and plane tickets for a small commission. Hostels also often have bicycles for rent and are good places to share experiences and pick up tips for destinations farther along your route. To book hostels in advance, either look up the individual websites listed in the relevant accommodation section, or check out one of the hostel booking sites: www.hostels.com, www.hostelbookers.com or www.hostelworld.com.
Booking & Finding a Room
While those on a budget may prefer to check out a few places before deciding where to stay, in the busiest times, such as holidays, or if you're arriving late or have only a little time to spend in a place, booking ahead is advisable. Almost all hotels listed in this book have at least a telephone number and many have e-mail or web addresses, but, outside of the better hotels or most tourist-friendly towns, you'll be lucky to find anyone who speaks any English on the telephone and websites may be Chinese-only. Therefore, if possible, have a Chinese speaker make the call (maybe someone from the hotel you're staying in), or get all your bookings made in advance through an agent such as Choice Travel (www.choicetravel.cn) or CITS (www.cits.net) – or on the Internet, which might also yield healthy discounts. Some useful accommodation booking websites include:
www.ase.net
www.chinatravel.com
www.ctrip.com
www.elong.com
www.travelchinaguide.com
But, if you decide to check out a few places before committing, it's a good idea to store your bag in one of the luggage lockers or offices at the bus or train station and then head out, unencumbered, to look at some rooms. This can save you from a wild goose chase where you end up accepting any old room because you're too tired to carry your bag. Of course, if you're after a budget deal, it may well be very close to the station, but, if it's an isolated place miles away (as is sometimes the case with university accommodation), then it's worth calling ahead to check if they're open and have availability.