Hotels

What's the standard for classifying hotels?

3 Star: hotels must have guest rooms with dressing table, desk, drawers, and closet; carpet or wood floor; telephones in every room with international direct dial(IDD); mini-bar and refrigerator; color television sets, in-house movies, music; writing materials; sunproof curtains; and bed turn-down service. They must have single rooms and suites, western and Chinese dinning rooms(with English-speaking attendants, and the last order no earlier than 8:30pm),16-hour coffee shop, banquet hall or function room, buffet breakfast and bar service(until midnight), and 18-hour room service. They must also have elevator service, public telephone and washroom, equipment and service for disabled people, disco or karaoke, foreign exchange, safe deposit boxes, store, camera film developing, fax and telex service, luggage storage, 24-hour laundry and dry cleaning, wake-up calls, shoe polishing, and taxis. They should be able to mend articles of everyday use for guests. They should accept major credit cards. They must have an emergency electricity supply for public areas, medical services, 16-hour a day doorman, and message service, guest reception, and managers on call. An assistant manager should be in the lobby 18 hours and railroad timetables available. China Daily and China Tourism News should be on sale(or free)

4 Star: hotels should have luxurious and spacious sound-proof rooms, low-noise toilets, and hair dryers. They should have guests and service elevators, background music, health club, swimming pool, sauna, business center, greenhouse, 24-hour doorman, reservations accepted through fax/telex, 24-hour room service, and onward reservations in China for guests. A guest reception and assistant manager should be available in the lobby 24 hours a day. Laundry should be returned by next day. The restaurants in four-star hotels should provide two kinds of Chinese food with the last order no earlier than 9pm. Bar service should be available to one am. There should be a 24-hur coffee shop and a breakfast and dinner buffet. A clinic should be on-site. A business center with photocopying, typing and translation services should be available, as should a ticketing agency with city tours and babysitting services.

5-Star: hotels are usually palatial with huge lobbies. Service should be better than the four-star hotels described above. See Top hotels section below. There are many hotels of five-star international standard, just as good as hotels in Washington or Ottawa except for the standard of English. Some hotels have their own fleets of Mercedes limousines of Toyata vans that make regular runs to the airport or city center. At least two hotels have Rolls Royces. Many have executive floors with concierges, free continental breakfasts, and fast check-in. Many have magnificent ball rooms and lobbies and cater to foreign business people on expense accounts. They have the best western food and probably the best Chinese food in town, and the most luxurious breakfast buffets. Some leave chocolates on your pillow, or a rubber ducky on your bathtub, nice litter touches that bring a smile.

What is the time of check-in & check-out in China?

Usually, time of Check-in is from 14: 00 p.m. (noon), and time of Check-out is before 12.00 p.m. (noon).
Notes: The check-in and check-out time are subject to the management of the specific hotel. It is advisable to contact the a href="/china-hotels-flights/#china-hotel"> hotels if you need earlier check-in or later check-out. Earlier Check-in or later Check-out sometimes results in an extra charge.

What should I do when checking in hotels in China?

When check in, you have to present your passport and fill in a check-in form. The hotels normally require a small amount of deposit even though you pre-paid for your room to the travel agency.

What are the details when checking out hotels in China?

Check out always take some time as the hotel will check the room and perform a few administrative tasks. When check out, the hotel will deduct the deposit you have paid from the unpaid personal expense and return it to you.

Is Internet access available in hotels in China?

Yes, most major hotels provide convenient Internet service with reasonable fees.

Chinese hotels ask for a large deposit when I check in, is this normal?

All Chinese hotels will ask for a deposit upon check in. The amount required will vary depending on the hotel. The deposit should range from RMB 100 a night to RMB 800 per night. Hotels in Beijing demand the highest deposits. The deposit can be paid in cash or by credit card.

The hotel will process the credit card transaction and then process a credit at check out. A receipt is issued for cash deposits and it is necessary to present the receipt to obtain the refund of the deposit. The deposit is to cover mini bar usage or similar usage of chargeable item in the room or damage to the room.