Room Categories
Upon arrival, bear in mind that advertised rates are often open to negotiation, especially out of season. First you'll need to tell the receptionist the kind of room you're after, which is not always as simple as it sounds. Upscale hotels have rooms similar to those found in Europe and North America, but in some mid-range and most budget places there are a bewildering array of standards and sizes, so if you're not happy with what you see first, it's worth asking about other types. As a single traveler you'll usually be shown rooms with one single bed (danrenfang), while couples might also initially be offered twin rooms (shuangrenfang). In either case, for a double bed request a dachuang (for accommodation terms see Language at the end of this guide). There are also sometimes larger rooms with as many as eight beds. If you're traveling in a group and want to economize, ask about these. As a single traveler it's also possible to share a room with strangers to save money (as the Chinese frequently do), although this isn't an option commonly presented to foreigners except where dorms (duorenjia) are involved.
Checking in & Practicalities
When you check-in you'll need your passport and will have to fill in a registration form. In cheaper places this form will be in Chinese, so you may need some assistance and the staff might need help deciphering your passport. You have to pay in advance and more expensive places may also request a credit card imprint as security, while those of a lower standard will need the equivalent of an extra night (or sometimes two) as deposit. At the bottom end of the spectrum (probably anything below $100), you may not be given a key, just a slip of paper to hand to the floor attendant who will open your room for you. But if you want a key it's often possible to pay another few yuan for this. Fear of damage, loss and theft runs high and in the room you'll find a "price list” in the event of guests breaking or stealing hotel property! Although hotels are generally fairly secure it's never worth testing this by leaving valuables lying around – more upscale rooms might have a safe, while others have one at reception. You should get a receipt for exactly what you deposit.
Escaping the Ordinary Hotel
After the beauty and character of some lodgings in other Asian countries, China's accommodation comes as a bit of a let down, but all is not lost – there are hotels that are more than just places to stay, at all levels of the price spectrum. Indeed some of the best are simple, but tastefully styled small hotels. While top hotels can certainly offer luxury, you often get the feeling you could be in any city anywhere in the world. The expensive options in the list below escape this uniformity and are decidedly unique.
Lusongyuan, Beijing $$-$$$$
Red Capital Ranch, Great Wall, Beijing $$$$$
The Commune, Great Wall, Beijing $$$$$
Grand Hyatt, Shanghai $$$$$
Number 9, Shanghai $$$$
Pingjiang Lodge, Suzhou $$$$
Old Street Hotel, Tunxi $$$
The Hotel of Modern Art, Guilin $$$$$
Mountain Retreat, Yangshuo $$
Jia, Hong Kong $$$$-$$$$$
The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong $$$$
Pousada de Sao Tiago, Macau $$$$
Pousada de Coloane, Macau $$$
Homestays
Staying in someone's home is a great way to really experience Chinese life and can be inexpensive as well. Host families often speak some English, but if they don't it's a sure way to develop your Chinese. For more information, check American International Homestays (www.commerce.com/homestays), or www.chinahomestay.org, who can also arrange longer stays.
Food & Drink
Noodle-making
Eating and drinking is something taken very seriously in China and, while you may feel you know what to expect, based on Chinese restaurants around the globe, think again. Most overseas Chinese restaurant dishes are only loosely based on Cantonese cooking, one of the four major styles, and specialization in each one of these runs deeper than you could imagine, with some chefs spending decades perfecting just one dish. Thus part of exploring China should definitely involve exploring its cuisine; not only is it mouth-wateringly tasty, but it is such a fundamental part of life here that it gives real insight into the nature of the country. Food is such an important facet of the culture that a basic greeting like "ni chi baole ma?” which is used to mean "how are you?” translates as "have you eaten yet?” China's new economy is based on business deals cut over extravagant banquets and all the major festivals have associated snacks or dishes.
What is also striking, especially in the south, is the incredible variety of food available and its freshness. In this region live animals such as bamboo rats, dogs and snakes can be seen caged outside restaurants, just waiting to be ordered! This can be most shocking to Western eyes.
Price Codes
The price codes are based on a standard meal for one (meaning a single dish at the cheapest end of the scale, with rice and a beer or soft drink).
While cheap meals can be found in Hong Kong and Macau, eating out is generally a more expensive proposition than on the mainland and both of these destinations have their own price codes.
Chopsticks
Chinese restaurants are so ubiquitous that chopsticks are hardly a new thing in the West, but do you know how they came into being 3,000 years ago? Originally much larger versions were used to stir and remove food during cooking (and these can still be seen), but over time they were refined into the chopsticks we know today. The Chinese name, kuaizi, translates as quick (or nimble) sticks and that's exactly what they are, enabling the diner to eat comfortably using only one hand. It is normal to hold them with your right hand, which avoids clashing elbows at circular tables, and the best leverage is gained from holding them two-thirds of the way up. The bottom stick should remain immobile while the top one is held like a pen to manipulate the food. Don't worry too much about your ability (or lack thereof) with chopsticks as you'll be forgiven your faux pas. But there are a couple of things you should avoid doing. Passing food with chopsticks or sticking them vertically into your bowl will cause offence as these actions are associated with funeral rites. To indicate that you've finished eating, simply rest your chopsticks horizontally across the top of your bowl.
Restaurants tend to offer plastic, metal or ceramic chopsticks, and most canteens will provide disposable wooden ones, which causes hundreds of trees to be cut down daily. The cheapest places might only have washed wooden versions, so if you plan on eating in a lot of these places (and want to help the environment) it's worth carrying your own pair.