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Posts: 132

Governor

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Q: Why so many hotels in china don't accept foreigners?

yes, you must have a chinese ID to check in the hotel. but that doesn't explain this question at all.

 

there is no way that you have a chinese ID unless you are chinese.

 

but even if you are a couple and only one person is chinese, you cannot stay in the same hotel unless it is an international hotel or a crappy hostel.

 

This fucking stupid regulation makes life for foreigners so hard.

 

my understanding is the income level in china is comparative low...so the government is trying to prevent people who make more money from developed countries to spend in china as that might influence the price for chinese market...

 

or maybe, luxurious international hotels can gain face for china..?

 

or maybe, they are afraid of terrorist attack..? which means regular hotels are not advanced enough to read passports and to tell if the person is dangerous...

 

still, i hate this regulation. life is already pretty challenging for a foreigner...why do they do this to make things more complicated?

 

who can put some more insights into my question? and what are your solutions?

 

 

8 years 50 weeks ago in  General  - China

 
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Shifu

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This practice, a nationwide CCP policy for lower end hotels dates back to as early as the 1970s, it has nothing to do with police/foreigner registration (that applied to home stay, true). Ask anyone who frequents 5 star hotels, you walk in, hand them your passport, fill in the registration form, within 3 minutes you are in your room. Lower end hotels' refusal to entertain foreigners are invariably the result of two things, money and face.

 

Money, they were so poor that all they wanted was money, foreign dollars.  Foreigners were loaded with cash (the vast majority of chinese were earning RMB 36 per month then). Even the most stupid of robbers and extortionists know who to rob or extort.....

 

Face, they (the handful within the CCP who had traveled outside china to 'see the world') fully knew (upon their return) how unhygienic and nasty (smoke, spit, yell, beg, con, steal ....etc) were, to allow foreigners to see them at extremely close distance (staying within the same hotel) meant letting them witness and experience this ugliness first hand. Big loss of face, huge shame. Hearing about something and experiencing it were two completely different things .

 

In a way, if you think about it this practice was a compliment to tourists or business people from developed, civilized countries. Earned money and kept their face, a 'win-win' solution, the chinese version of. Smile

Tazuya:

this being the highest voted comment is just the proof of how retarded people here are. it's a policy of foreigner registration. it's an annoying procedure many hotels have no interest in. saying hotels that don't have this option are dirty. well, obviously you've never been in one you shit headed elitist.

2 years 10 weeks ago
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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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Posts: 928

Shifu

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I think this is realistically one of those situations in which you either put up with it or get out. That or don't travel.  Or couch surf / make friends with locals in the region you are traveling so you can crash at their place. 

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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So - what's your problem? Have you met a foreigner you want to take to a hotel, and they wouldn't let him/her in??

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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The point is that each foreigner in China must be registered with the local police (this rule is by the way common in majority of the countries around the world). As there are not that many foreigners in China in proportion to population so usually the lower class hotels are not implementing the system enabling them to register the foreigner in the local police station.

Such hotels are then not able to legally accommodate foreigner and therefore reject him.

ambivalentmace:

registering as a foreigner is not a normal practice, i have traveled to over 200 countries and this is the only country where i have had to go to a police station to register.

 

the law is to watch for foreigners for spying and living with locals and expressing beliefs that might mess the harmony of the people and let people know that china is not the center of the world, all this brainwashing can not be replaced by foreign gossip

 

also china is all about face, china is a terrible place but we dont want anybody else to know about this terrible place, the rest of the world thinks we are a great country because we say so, so you cant stay in a hotel rated below 4 stars, you might see bed bugs or prostitutes and tell stories about how bad china is when you go back to the west. this is not acceptable. i have no faith in the star system for ranking here, i did a movie this summer and the four star hotel had no coffee, and in the heat of august had no cold drinks of any kind for purchase, but was rated for foreigners, i guess anything rated 3 stars and below is squat toilets and nothing else is considered for rankings.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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gouxiong:

Then apparently your over 200 countries did not include Europe ...

Try to check that. By the way the trick is exactly that you do not have to go to local police when sleeping in the hotel. The hotel does that for you. And simply some hotels in here do not implement the system which would allow them to register you - that's it.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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Strawberry66:

Agree with that. I was told the same by the hotel while helpping my Candian teacher booking hotel in Shanghai.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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sunderlandt:

Most countries of the world only require your identity so in case of mishap or loss they can find you. Only silly willy dictator countries want to spy on your every move.
Don't act like this stupid racist act is common practice around the world. It's not.

I went to a hotel once and they didn't want me to stay there. I asked why and they didn't even know why. "Boss said so." I asked "where is the boss" and they replied "He hasn't been here for years" Great!

In any reasonable place you would be given reasoning for an action like this or in the more likely case it wouldn't happen at all.

 

8 years 50 weeks ago
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nashboroguy:

Considering that there are only 195 recognized countries with national capitals in the current world we live in, I find it remarkable that you have been to 200 countries. Outstanding.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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ambivalentmace:

listofcountriesintheworld.com would have given you an alphabetical listing of 257 and i do intend to see every one of them before i die, the exact count for me currently is 217. the eastern block that split from russia and some out of the way island countries in africa and 2 in the south pacific and im done.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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expatlife26:

what the fuck nashboroguy? So what even if he had been to 195 you gotta call him out on it like that invalidates his whole story? 

 

Hell if he said he'd been to 50 countries and this was the only one you had to register in the point would still be well taken.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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nicholasba:

is a big step forward ambivalentmace, if u consider that back in the 80s chinese had to register at police station every contact they had with us aliens..

 

 

8 years 33 weeks ago
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Zethe:

Don't take offense to nashbororguy.
Nationalist apologetics' only intent is to tear down others who criticize the mainland via any means necessary.
This includes using logical fallacies to discredit 'disharmonious suspects'

6 years 40 weeks ago
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Zethe:

As for guoxiong, his statement "the rule is by the way common in majority of the countries around the world" is a blatant lie, but he probably doesn't know any better.

>It's classic misinformation to keep the citizens believing the world runs the same as China.

6 years 40 weeks ago
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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
Posts: 860

Shifu

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It actually stems from a time when foreigners did not want Chinese to stay in the same hotel. Ambive s answer above is more than a bit cynical. Foreigners would not accept bad conditions whereas most Chinese still don't earn that much and need cheap hotels. Imagine the outrage though if a Chinese person turned up to a hotel in the uk and we said "nope natives only I'm afraid".

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Emperor

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ID01, hotels won't let us stay in their rooms because you told them they can't. You brought a feng shui master to almost every hotel in China, and scared the staff so much about foreigners.

But China is lucky with a guy/girl like you. You can help them read the passports, to find the part where it says if the foreigner is dangerous. It's somewhere between the Date of Birth and Validity/Expiry Date, I believe.

You alone are the beacon of hope, making hotels advanced enough to protect against terrorist attacks. Turning away visitors will help prevent terrorism, because being rejected makes people so happy.

coineineagh:

i've just been on the phone for nine and a half hours straight, with the China National Hotelmanagers' Union, and they confirmed everything I said to be accurate. They don't like you scaring them, but they need your help finding where exactly on the passport it says that a person is a terrorist.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

Did they tell you where it is?? I need to know, so I can cross it out...

8 years 50 weeks ago
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As someone said before, the reason for not allowing foreigners to stay in some hotels in China is because the must be linked electronocally with the local PSB, and be able to scan your passport photo page, visa page and last entry stamp, save it electronically and submit on a daily basis to PSB. Once they can do this, they are authorized to receive foreign guests. As simple as that, unless owner dislikes laowais and does not want their money.
And to Gouxiong and Ambivalentmace: you are both partially right. The truth is that in western democratic countries, hotels are not required by law to report foreign tourists staying with them. But in communist controlled countries, this requirement is a very common rule and all abide by it, makes no difference of the geographical location of the country.

ambivalentmace:

four communists countries makes it common in most of the world, guess there using population as the measurement and not countries.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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HappyExPat:

As I count the so-called communist (or "socialist" countries), I come up with one hell of a lot more than four. I have visited, and found registration a requirement, in China, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, Crimea, Hungary, and a few others. But if you read and understand what I wrote, I said it is not a rule in Western democratic countries, but a rule in communist oriented ones. I did not say at all that it was a common rule in all countries at all.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
Posts: 86

Governor

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Same thing I experienced a lot.Soviet era law
Which need to be change.unfortunately government doesn't care. even if you go to some internet cafe, u will experience the same thing.they won't allow u unless u have Chinese ID.

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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ok, I'll take a guess...

 

because North Korea is a dystopic shit-hole of a country ?

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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
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Because 5 Star hotels make China look good, and we are the extra guys that can keep them up and running. So the city Gov like Hainan forces us to stay in a Y3000 hotel in Sanya because it keeps it looking high class. Without us, tourist and rich Chinese these 5 star hotels would be gone.

estern:

As someone who used to work in one of these 4,000 RMB + hotels in Sanya, I can tell you're wrong.  Foreigners generally have more sense than to spend that amount on just 1 night.  Almost all our customers were Chinese, more often than not young ones spending their dads money.

8 years 50 weeks ago
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Hotwater:

I've stayed in 250rmb/night hotels in Sanya with no problem. In fact one of them was superb. Basic but super clean & 100 metres from the south end of Dadonghai bay. 

8 years 50 weeks ago
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8 years 50 weeks ago
 
Posts: 448

Shifu

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I have never encountered this issue in my time in China, but then again I never try and stay in shit hole hotels and wouldn't consider staying in anything less than a four star hotel and prefer to stay in a five star or better.

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4 star, 5 star....HARR!!

 

ScotsAlan:

With Chinese charactaristics :)

8 years 50 weeks ago
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Governor

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they just don't know how to read the passport. And if they let you stay in hotel without reading you. ID or didn't register in the computer. Once police find out, they will be fined a lot of money, same for chinese people who don't have an ID. Not just for foreigners.

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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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Because most of these high class hotels are NOT making enough money off us visiting folks, so the Gov took measures to force us foreigners to stay at hotels that are 4 to 5 stars class.. I had this issue is Sanya, Hainan (Y3800 3 nights)..I asked why to everyone until the hotel manager spilled the beans... So to make a city look nice you need nice hotels but the nice hotels can only remain if enough people stay there and in our case we must. Buttttttt you can let your chinese friends,wife or husband check in first than just follow in after they are checked in...

Hotwater:

I've stayed in Sanya twice.....first time in a 250/night guest house (100 meters from the beach), the second time in a 1000/night place. No issues checking into the cheap place. 

 

Main fact I've never had a problem, yet, staying in cheap Chinese hotels. 80/night in Yangshou, 150/night in hot spring town. Neither of which asked for my passport. Only last week I stayed in Huangyao old town & wasn't asked for my passport. They checked in the room under my wife's name. 

8 years 33 weeks ago
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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
Posts: 2231

Shifu

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This practice, a nationwide CCP policy for lower end hotels dates back to as early as the 1970s, it has nothing to do with police/foreigner registration (that applied to home stay, true). Ask anyone who frequents 5 star hotels, you walk in, hand them your passport, fill in the registration form, within 3 minutes you are in your room. Lower end hotels' refusal to entertain foreigners are invariably the result of two things, money and face.

 

Money, they were so poor that all they wanted was money, foreign dollars.  Foreigners were loaded with cash (the vast majority of chinese were earning RMB 36 per month then). Even the most stupid of robbers and extortionists know who to rob or extort.....

 

Face, they (the handful within the CCP who had traveled outside china to 'see the world') fully knew (upon their return) how unhygienic and nasty (smoke, spit, yell, beg, con, steal ....etc) were, to allow foreigners to see them at extremely close distance (staying within the same hotel) meant letting them witness and experience this ugliness first hand. Big loss of face, huge shame. Hearing about something and experiencing it were two completely different things .

 

In a way, if you think about it this practice was a compliment to tourists or business people from developed, civilized countries. Earned money and kept their face, a 'win-win' solution, the chinese version of. Smile

Tazuya:

this being the highest voted comment is just the proof of how retarded people here are. it's a policy of foreigner registration. it's an annoying procedure many hotels have no interest in. saying hotels that don't have this option are dirty. well, obviously you've never been in one you shit headed elitist.

2 years 10 weeks ago
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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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I've just returned from 3-days trip to Beijing, and first Hotel in Dongzhimen asked 480 Rmb for overnight stay. I tried few more, but none would check me in. I didn't even hear the price. Just 'mei you'.

I returned to the West Railway Station, and the same thing happened there: none of the hotels would even tell me the price, 'cause laowai.

After two hours walking the hotels doors, I get into the Green Tree Inn for 320 Rmb.

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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Is this something new? I spent a year in China and did extensive travel and never had a problem booking into a hotel.

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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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I think it's because it's Beijing . In the 90s there were more places where foreigners couldn't stay than now .

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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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I think it's because it's Beijing . In the 90s there were more places where foreigners couldn't stay than now .

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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Many of the smaller mom and pop hotels do not want to pay for the certification that is required. And, they must file a report within 24 hours to the police every time a foreigner stays. Most larger hotel chains (Home Inn excluded) and higher priced hotels accept foreigners. But, if you find yourself in a rural city, hotels might be more difficult to find.

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8 years 33 weeks ago
 
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General

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Fast forward 8 years. I have been in China 2008 - 2019. I am Canadian and have had no trouble getting into a hotel (4 or 5 star) anywhere in China. However, I did find out that most hotels will not accept foreigners because my Chinese friends told me the hotels need licences. I could also assume that it is unlikely a foreigner with a good job is unlikely to stay in a hotel that is less than 4 star, but I wouldn't know.

icnif77:

You can get room as laowai in lower priced hotels ... or boarding private houses. I was in one in Beijing for couple of nights.

If you ask a taxi driver, he/she will take you to such place.

The other option is "wait-at-the-railway-station" ...

2 years 10 weeks ago
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