On the ground
Where to Stay in China: Booking and Registration
Choose a practical neighbourhood, confirm passport check-in and payment, and understand hotel versus private-stay registration.
Travel task · Quick answer
The answer first, then the steps
Hotels register foreign guests with local authorities. A special foreign-guest licence is not a general requirement; confirm the property's check-in process, accepted documents and payment before booking. Private stays have a separate registration process.
- 01
Choose a location
Compare neighbourhoods by your actual arrival point and daily route.
- 02
Confirm check-in
Ask the property about passport check-in, arrival time and payment methods.
- 03
Know registration
Hotels handle registration; non-hotel stays require you or your host to follow local rules.
Which hotels take foreign guests, what the booking sites are good for, and how to pick a neighbourhood.
The one rule
Hotels in China register foreign guests with local authorities. Current national guidance says accommodation providers should not be restricted from receiving foreign guests merely by a special qualification requirement. Still confirm passport check-in, arrival time and payment directly with the property before booking.
Check before you book
On Trip.com, tick the China travel essentials filter at the top of the list: it keeps only properties with English-speaking staff, foreign card payments or similar, and a guest rating of 8 or higher. The hotel links on our city pages have it applied already. On Booking.com, read the property notes for a line about foreign guests. International chains, hostels that advertise in English, and most four-star hotels and above are fine. If in doubt, message the property.
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.
Trip.com links on this site are affiliate links: if you book through one we earn a small commission, at no cost to you. It does not change which sites we recommend, and we explain how it works. Every city page also links straight to that city’s hotel list.
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.
Rules and apps change. Get one email when this guide is re-checked or updated, nothing else.
- ✓2026-09 — First published. Trip.com links are now affiliate links, disclosed on the page.