--- title: "Which hotel chains should you stay at in China?" url: https://popularinchina.com/trip/best-hotel-chains-in-china section: "Travel tools" type: answer updated: 2026-10-26 next_review: 2027-01-26 status: checked author: "The Popular in China desk" publisher: Popular in China (https://popularinchina.com) license: Quote with attribution and a link to https://popularinchina.com/trip/best-hotel-chains-in-china --- # Which hotel chains should you stay at in China? _Most visitors book an international brand by default. China’s own mid-range chains are often newer, cheaper and better run, and since 2024 no hotel may turn away a foreign guest._ **Verdict: Atour or Ji Hotel** (亚朵 · 全季) — Our pick for comfort and value; international brands for luxury ## Short answer For most visitors, a Chinese mid-range chain is the best value: Atour (亚朵) and Ji Hotel (全季) are our picks, with clean, modern rooms and good breakfasts. Budget chains such as HanTing (汉庭) and Home Inn (如家) are fine for a night. For luxury, international and Chinese five-star brands are both reliable. Every hotel must accept foreign guests. ## At a glance - **Our pick:** Atour 亚朵 or Ji Hotel 全季 - **Budget:** HanTing 汉庭, Home Inn 如家 - **Biggest hotel groups:** Jin Jiang, H World, BTG Homeinns - **Can foreigners stay anywhere?:** Yes: hotels may not refuse foreign guests (2024) - **At check-in:** Show your passport; the hotel registers you with the police ## How we know - **Scale** (strong): H World, owner of Ji Hotel and HanTing, ran 13,539 hotels with 1.34 million rooms at the end of June 2026, almost all in China. [1] - **Growth** (strong): Atour ran 2,175 hotels at the end of June 2026, up 19.2% in a year, and sold ¥1.58 billion of its own bedding and other goods in that quarter. [2] - **Rules for foreigners** (strong): In May 2024 the Ministry of Public Security and others said hotels must not refuse foreign guests by claiming they lack “foreign-related qualifications”. [5] ## China’s big hotel chains, compared Hotel counts and tiers are the groups’ own: Atour labels its main brand upper midscale, and H World puts Ji Hotel in its midscale and upper-midscale segment. Chinese travellers see Atour and Ji Hotel as the same tier. [1][2][3][4][6] | Chain | Chinese | Tier | Owner | Owner’s size | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Atour | 亚朵 | Upper midscale | Atour Group | 2,175 hotels (Jun 2026) | | Ji Hotel | 全季 | Midscale / upper midscale | H World | 13,539 hotels across all brands (Jun 2026) | | HanTing | 汉庭 | Economy | H World | 4,710 HanTing hotels (Jun 2026) | | Home Inn | 如家 | Economy | BTG Homeinns | About 7,870 hotels across all brands (Mar 2026) | | Jin Jiang brands (e.g. Vienna, 7 Days) | 锦江（维也纳、7天等） | Varies by brand | Jin Jiang | 14,132 hotels worldwide (Dec 2025) | | International brands (Marriott, Hilton, IHG and others) | 国际品牌 | Midscale to luxury | Various | IHG alone: 1,400+ open and planned hotels in Greater China | Jin Jiang’s count includes hotels outside China. H World’s count includes about 120 hotels outside China. > **Note: From our editor** > > “Besides the international chains, I’d recommend Atour and Ji Hotel. The rooms are comfortable and the breakfasts are good. China’s own five-star chains are also very good.” — Alex Liu ## Why Chinese chains are worth a look Chinese mid-range chains have grown fast in the past decade, and many of their hotels are new or recently renovated. Atour is known for its beds and sells its own bedding: its retail arm took ¥1.58 billion in the second quarter of 2026 alone. The trade-off is English. Staff at international brands are more likely to speak it, and Chinese chains’ apps are mostly in Chinese. Booking through an English-language travel app and using a translation app at the desk solves most problems. Sources: [2] > **Official regulation (Ministry of Public Security): Every hotel must accept foreign guests** > > Hotels must register foreign guests with the local police within 24 hours, using your passport, and may not refuse you by saying they lack “foreign-related qualifications”. If a front desk says it cannot take foreigners, you can point to this rule. Sources: [5] ## Questions **Can foreigners stay in any hotel in China?** Yes. Since May 2024 hotels may not refuse foreign guests by claiming they lack foreign-related qualifications. They must register you with the local police using your passport. **What is the best Chinese hotel chain?** For value and comfort our editor recommends Atour (亚朵) and Ji Hotel (全季), both upper mid-range or mid-range chains with clean, modern rooms. **Are budget hotels in China OK?** Chains such as HanTing (汉庭) and Home Inn (如家) are basic but generally clean and fine for a night or two. **What is the biggest hotel company in China?** By hotel count, Jin Jiang (14,132 hotels worldwide at the end of 2025) and H World (13,539 at the end of June 2026) are the largest. **Do I need my passport to check in?** Yes. Hotels must register foreign guests with the police, so bring your passport to the front desk. ## Sources 1. [H World Group, Second quarter and interim 2026 results](https://chinalodginggrouplimited.gcs-web.com/node/13626) — accessed 2026-10-26 2. [Atour Lifestyle Holdings, Second quarter 2026 results (via Finviz)](https://finviz.com/news/383959/atour-lifestyle-holdings-limited-reports-second-quarter-2026-unaudited-financial-results) — accessed 2026-10-26 3. [The Paper, Jin Jiang Hotels 2025 results (1 April 2026, in Chinese)](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_32868776) — accessed 2026-10-26 4. [Gelonghui, BTG Homeinns: 7,870 hotels at the end of Q1 2026 (10 July 2026, in Chinese)](https://m.gelonghui.com/news/5267208) — accessed 2026-10-26 5. [Shanghai government, Hotels told not to turn away foreign guests (29 May 2024)](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20240529/6ff842313deb45e1b14cf5fd2a01d065.html) — accessed 2026-10-26 6. [IHG, Hotel openings in the first half of 2026 in Greater China (19 January 2026)](https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media/news-releases/2026/ihg-hotels-and-resorts-highlights-hotel-openings-in-the-first-half-of-2026-in-greater-china) — accessed 2026-10-26 ## Related - https://popularinchina.com/trip/china-apps-for-visitors - https://popularinchina.com/trip/china-entry-guide - https://popularinchina.com/cities/shanghai --- Canonical page: https://popularinchina.com/trip/best-hotel-chains-in-china