Hotels are opening across China with alarming frequency meaning there is no shortage of accommodation, even in peak season. There is a good range of hotels from budget to luxury. International-standard hotels can be found in cities throughout China, many of them joint ventures managed by international hotel chains. That, and the expansion of high-end Far East groups, has helped raise standards to the point where top hotels more than match the quality of other Asian destinations. Star ratings for domestically-run hotels can be somewhat generous.

Overall hotels are of a reasonable standard and good value for money, but those in major cities in the east are much more expensive. Facilities generally include restaurants, coffee shops, bars, swimming pools and massage rooms. Some include executive floors and lounges, spas, shopping and business malls, banks and post offices. 

Boutique Hotels
A fast-growing sector, boutique hotels are springing up across China, from city locations to tourist towns and rural settings near major attractions or tourist centres. They range from stylish properties in local architectural style to luxurious havens of tranquillity, some with spas.

Resort Hotels
Another burgeoning phenomenon, these self-contained properties are proliferating in major leisure destinations such as the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jiuzhaigou, as part of golf complexes, beside hot springs, and in beach resorts like Sanya.

Grading: Accommodation is rated from 1 to 5 stars.

These are found in most tourist centres and provide cheaper accommodation for budget travellers. Standards range from poor to adequate.

Good progress has been made in the construction of a network of hostels, covering, in particular, Beijing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shanghai and Yunnan.

China Tourism Hotel Association
9A Jianguomennei Avenue, Beijing 100740, People's Republic of China
Tel: (10) 6520 1441.
Website: www.ctha.com.cn, in Chinese only

China Hotel Association
25 Yuetan Beijie, Xicheng District, Beijing 100834, People's Republic of China
Tel: (10) 6839 1448.
Website: www.ch-ra.com, in Chinese only

YHA China (Information on Youth Hostels)
Room 204, 463 Huangpu Dadao Xi, Guangzhou 510630, People's Republic of China
Tel: (20) 8751 3731.
Website: www.yhachina.com