Compared to previous decades, there are definitely more options for non-Chinese citizens to book accommodation thanks to the internet. However, not all hotels in China have a license to lodge foreigners, and the choices are still limited, especially for a trip with kids. Besides expensive hotels or Airbnbs, some other good options with cheaper prices are only in Chinese. Here we have some advice on how to book family-friendly accommodation in China using a cheaper method.
What are the online portals to book accommodations in China?
Airbnb, Agoda, Booking.com, and Trip.com are the probably the most commonly used English booking portals in China. For hotels, Agoda, Booking.com, and Trip.com are featured by the majority of multiple-comparison websites and usually offer exclusive deals for their users.
For those who prefer a more hospitable and personal service, Airbnb is often their choice. There are many Chinese homeowners who provide amazing accommodation that’s also family-friendly. Unfortunately, some of these hosts only use Chinese portals, which limits the options for those who cannot speak Chinese.
If you want to challenge your Chinese, or you have a Chinese friend who can help you, Tujia, the Chinese version of Airbnb, could be a good choice to find family-friendly accommodations with cheaper prices.
How to book a family room on Tujia？
Step 1: Choose the location, the date, the number of people, and the specific details of where you want to stay. You can search 亲子房 (“Qīnzǐfáng“) in the search area to find a family room.
Words
City, 城市 Chéngshì
District, 区域 Qūyù
Location, 位置 Wèizhi
Number of people, 人数 Rénshù
Check-in date, 入住日期 Rùzhù rìqī
Check-out date, 离店日期 Lídiàn rìqī
Search, 搜索 Sōusuǒ
A family room, 亲子房 Qīnzǐfáng
Step 2: You can review the options now. Click the one you like and check more information.
Words
Entire apartment, 整套公寓 Zhěngtào gōngyù
Private room, 一居室/单间 Yìjūshì/ Dānjiān
One bed, 一床 Yìchuáng
RMB_/night, _元/晚 _yuān/wǎn
Step 3: Check the details of the accommodation.
Words
65 square meters, 65 平方米 65 píngfāngmǐ
King bed 大床 Dàchuáng
Sofa bed 沙发床 Shāfāchuáng
Private bathroom 私人卫浴 Sīrén wèiyù
Shared bathroom 公共卫浴 Gōnggòng wèiyù
Step 4: Book it now, confirm your information, and submit. Click the “更换” button to enter your passport information.
Words
Room number, 房间数量 Fángjiān shùliàng
Number of guests, 入住人数 Rùzhù rénshù
Guest, 入住人 Rùzhùrén
Phone number, 手机号 Shǒujīhào
Passport, 护照 Hùzhào
Email address, 邮箱 Yóuxiāng
Gender, 性别 Xìngbié
Date of birth, 出生日期 Chūshēng rìqī
Photos: Wendy Xu, tujia.com
