Chinese Hotels

Let's start by saying that we don't stay in five star hotels when we visit China. There are of course world-class hotels that are no different in China than, say, Paris. I've been in the lobby of a couple. I think you could find a Holiday Inn in most cities that you could not tell from the one in Pittsburgh. And, of course, the rates are world-class, too.

When I am with Henry (who, as I am sure you have figured out, was born and grew up in China), we stay in in mid-range business hotels. I am writing this from a Motel 168 in ShenZhen. Motel 168 is a chain with about 35 locations in China. I can't stay in a hotel like this on my own because no one here speaks English.

When Henry booked the rooms here, he asked me if I wanted to upgrade to a larger room. As the upgrade added about $10.00 a day, I said yes. My room is almost 3 times as large as Henry's and includes the computer I am using. Pretty good value in my book, as Henry has trouble moving around the bed in his room.

There is about as much room this side of the bed as shown. A very spacious room by Chinese standards. Did I mention that, with the upgrade, this room will cost me about $45 a day?

OK, so we are in a room. Recognizable as a hotel room anywhere in the world. Always has all the required elements (including a western toilet). Maybe not as clean as in the US, but passable.

So check the bed. The Chinese have taken "firm" to a whole new meaning. Somewhere between brass and aluminum on the Rockwell B scale. The bed in my Beijing hotel room actually hurt when you sat down. Think of a piece of plywood with about a quarter inch of cotton padding on top.

I have a couple of strategies for dealing with the hard beds. If there are twin beds, I strip one bed of all the bedding and put it under the bottom sheet of the other bed. I also carry a Therma-Rest Z-seat, which is a 13" x 16" seating cushion for outdoor use. I use it under my hip, which suffers the most from the hard beds.

Bedding is always a thick comforter inside a big bag made of sheets. Since it is usually way too hot to use it, I sometimes take the comforter out of the bag. I put the comforter under me, and use the bag as a cover.

This room has a rather complicated shower valve. There are two shower heads (one fixed, one on a hose) plus a bottom outlet to fill a non-existent tub.

So they helpfully provide instructions on the use of this monstrosity.

At first glance, my room (shown above) looks pretty nice. Lots of up-scale amenities, and lots of glass. Architectural glass is used all over China. Scares me the most when they use it for floors, since I figure I am pretty well out of the design range for loading.

The reality is that the drawers don't work very well. The cabinet doors don't work very well. The shower door may or may not latch. There is always crud or mold in the corners of the showers. And we don't think that any hotel owns a vacuum cleaner. At least they don't use it in the guest rooms. Oh well.