Can foreigners stay in any hotel in China?
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Short answer: officially yes, since 2024. In practice, almost always, with a few exceptions worth knowing about before you book a cheap room in a small town.
Why this was ever a problem
Every hotel in China has to register its guests with the local police. For Chinese guests that means swiping an ID card. For foreigners it means entering passport and visa details into a separate system and filing them within 24 hours. For years, many smaller hotels simply weren't set up for it, or believed they needed a special "foreign-related" license, and turned foreign guests away.
It wasn't rare. In May 2024, China Daily reported that travellers from Nigeria, the UK, Pakistan and other countries had been refused by hotels that said they lacked foreign-related qualifications or didn't know how to enter the details into the system. The paper said it happened most often in small cities and at budget hotels.
What changed in 2024
That same month, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Commerce and the National Immigration Administration told hotels nationwide that they may not refuse foreign guests on the grounds of lacking qualifications. Hotels were told to register foreign guests properly, check their documents and file the forms on time. The China Hospitality Association started staff training, and online platforms offered free hotel English courses covering check-in and registration.
So is it fixed? Mostly. International chains and the big domestic chains check foreigners in all day, every day. Most mid-range hotels in large cities do too. Where people still occasionally hit a wall:
- very small guesthouses and family-run inns, especially in rural or mountain areas;
- budget hotels in smaller cities, where the night shift may have never handled a foreign passport;
- some apartment-style rentals, which often aren't set up for passport registration at all.
My take: the policy is real and the direction is clear, but a front desk clerk at 11pm in a town of 200,000 isn't reading ministry notices. A two-minute check before you pay avoids the whole problem.
How I'd book
- Use a platform that shows foreigner policies. On Trip.com and other big booking sites, many listings note whether the property accepts foreign guests. A line saying it only accepts guests from mainland China is your warning sign. How the platforms compare.
- Read recent reviews from foreigners. Filter for English reviews. If people with foreign passports stayed there last month, you're fine.
- Not sure? Message the hotel before you pay. Through the booking app's chat: "Do you accept foreign passport holders?" (可以接待外国护照客人吗？). Screenshot the answer.
- Prefer free cancellation for anything small or off the main tourist routes, so a refusal doesn't cost you.
- Bring your passport to check-in. Always the physical passport, not a photo. Staff will scan it and the page with your visa or entry stamp.
If you're turned away at the desk
It's rare now, but here's what works:
- Stay calm and ask if they can call the local police station for registration help. Some clerks just don't know the procedure, and the police can walk them through it.
- Ask them to call a hotel nearby that takes foreign guests. They usually know which ones do.
- Contact the booking platform from the lobby. If the listing didn't say it only takes mainland guests, you have a strong case for a full refund and help finding another room. Do it there, not the next day.
- Fall back on a chain. In any city of size, a well-known domestic or international chain hotel is rarely more than a short taxi ride away.
Where to be more careful
In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu or Xi'an, I wouldn't think twice about a mid-range hotel. The extra checking pays off on the routes that are getting popular faster than their hotels are adapting: small ancient towns, mountain villages near hiking areas, and county towns you pass through on a long rail or road trip. Those are exactly the places where a family-run inn is the most charming option and also the one most likely to hesitate. Message first, and keep a chain hotel in the nearest bigger town as your backup.
Hotels vs other stays
| Type | Foreign guests? | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| International chain | Yes | Done by the hotel at check-in |
| Big domestic chain | Yes, nearly always | Done by the hotel |
| Independent mid-range hotel | Usually; check reviews | Done by the hotel |
| Small guesthouse or rural inn | Variable; message first | Usually done by the host; confirm |
| Friend's apartment or private rental | Yes | You or your host must register within 24 hours |
Note that Airbnb stopped domestic listings in mainland China in 2022, so short-term rentals now mostly come through local platforms. If you stay anywhere other than a hotel, registration becomes your job. Many cities let you do it online through the National Immigration Administration's services, and the steps are in the registration guide.
Quick answers
Will a hotel keep my passport?
No. They scan or photograph it and hand it straight back. Don't leave it at the desk.
Do I need to show my visa?
They'll scan the entry stamp or visa page. If you came in visa-free, the stamp is what they need.
Is a deposit normal?
Yes, many hotels take a refundable deposit, usually by Alipay or WeChat Pay. It's released at checkout. If you're still setting up Alipay, do it before you arrive.
Are cheaper hotels worse for foreigners?
Not necessarily. Plenty of budget chains handle foreign guests routinely. It's the very small independents where you're more likely to meet a clerk who's never done it.
I book most of my stays on Trip.com, mainly because the choice inside China is wider and recent reviews from foreign guests are easy to filter for.
Sources: China Daily via Shanghai government; China Briefing; CBBC.
If something here has changed, email me. I re-check every guide and update the date at the top.
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Written by David, who lives in China. About me