Sichuan
Organised by the Khampa Nomad Ecolodge, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stay with a genuine nomad family in their tent. Don't expect anything about…
Sichuan
Organised by the Khampa Nomad Ecolodge, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stay with a genuine nomad family in their tent. Don't expect anything about…
The Bund & People's Square
If anywhere in town fully conveys swish 1930s Shanghai, it’s the old Cathay, rising imperiously from the Bund. One of the city’s most iconic hotels, the…
Anhui
There is no better way to experience the extravagant villas of the Huizhou merchants than to spend a few days living in one, waking for breakfast…
Lhasa
Lhasa's most stylish accommodation comes thanks to the Songtsam chain, which runs seven boutique lodges in the Tibetan area of Yunnan. The 50 rooms here…
New Territories
Fabulous hostel for university students that also entertains backpackers when rooms are available, but especially during the summer months. The 48 rooms…
Kowloon
Lording it over the southern tip of Kowloon, the throne-like Peninsula (c 1928) is one of the world’s great hotels. It was once called ‘the finest hotel…
Lhasa
The renovated Kyichu is a friendly and well-run choice that’s very popular with repeat travellers to Tibet. Rooms are comfortable and pleasant, with…
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
For ultraluxe living in designer style, there is no finer Hong Kong hotel – provided you're willing to forgo a pool. Piggybacking on to the top floors of…
The Bund & People's Square
Grandly marking the southern end of the Bund is the former Shanghai Club (1910), once the Bund’s most exclusive gentlemen’s hangout. The 20 original rooms…
The Bund & People's Square
Dating from the 1930s, this art deco beauty was a famous hangout for the glitterati in the swinging 1930s. Splendidly refurbished, it features a sumptuous…
Eastern Tibet
Set on a slope above the Parlung Tsangpo beside Bakha Gompa, this family-run guesthouse is one of the most scenically placed in all of Kham, overlooking…
Beijing
A garden sanctuary in the hutong, the Orchid is Beijing's best-run boutique hotel, going the extra mile with memory-foam mattresses, mobile phones,…
Shanghai
Within a former post office, China’s first carbon-neutral hotel not only incorporates recyclable materials and low-energy products where possible, but…
Yangshuo
One of Yangshuo's most memorable stays is this old, Chinese sugarbeet factory – complete with Cultural Revolution slogans – that's been converted into a…
Anhui
When Shanghai artist Li Guoyu discovered this Ming dynasty home it was being used as a pigsty (hence the name). She painstakingly restored it, adding an…
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Opened in 2019, the PuXuan (sister hotel to Shanghai's acclaimed Puli) is Beijing's most stylish sanctuary, made for grown-ups who demand the finer things…
Tianjin
China's oldest foreign-run hotel, the Astor dates back to 1863, when it was opened by British missionary John Innocent. Although it's not as luxurious as…
Shanghai
Spanning the 79th to 93rd floors of the towering Shanghai World Financial Center, this soaring hotel sees Pudong’s huge buildings dwarfing into Lego…
Sichuan
This peaceful guesthouse is part of a renowned art centre and is run by a fluent English-speaking Tibetan woman and her family. At the time of research,…
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
An updated classic, this Wan Chai boutique hotel evokes the golden age of travel, with 66 clubby rooms bedecked in colonial whites, bottle greens,…
InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland
Shanghai
The world's first underground hotel, this architectural feat transformed an abandoned quarry lake into a luxury resort. Everything overlooks the water…
Khampa Nomad Ecolodge & Arts Center
Sichuan
Tibetan/American couple Djarga and Angela run this superb ecolodge way out in the grasslands. There are only four cosy rooms (one of them can just about…
Guangxi
At the far end of town near the river is this popular hostel with a lovely backpacker vibe. Split over two buildings, rooms are really pleasant; the south…
Hong Kong
We've seen glasses of wine in ritzy Central more expensive than this budget hotel. Of course for this price there has to be a trade-off, and in Mini Hotel…
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Ten years in the making (the first MO burnt down in 2009), the Mandarin Oriental was worth the wait. Palatial rooms (at least 55 sq metres) have luxurious…
Macau
MGM Cotai has 1400 impeccable rooms, including duplex sky-lofts and studios, all in a light and refreshing palette. There's also a gym with panoramic…
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
From the dungeon-like entrance to the brass-and-concrete slab of a front desk, everything here spells design. Industrial glam continues in the rooms where…
Sichuan
This traditionally styled, large and bright American-owned hostel has some of the most luxurious private rooms you could hope to find in a hostel, all…
Nanjing
Situated in Nanjing's former legation quarters, Yihe Mansions is a collection of magnificently restored former embassies and homes of military generals…
Xinjiang
It's quite extraordinary to find this great hostel in fairly remote Kuqa. Run by a young, friendly English-speaking team, it's inside a converted…
Beijing
Beijing's most glamorous hotel, the Rosewood seduces with serene public spaces, innovative restaurants and guest rooms of designer furniture, arty curios,…
Shanghai
Slightly tucked away from the Lujiazui five-star hotel melee in a sheltered riverside spot, the 362-room Mandarin Oriental is a visual feast, from the…
The Bund & People's Square
One of Shanghai's best youth hostels, E-Tour has fine feng shui, a historic alleyway setting and pleasant rooms. But it’s the tranquil courtyard with fish…
Pingyao
This impeccable Qing dynasty courtyard house once belonging to a banker and is over 280 years old. As you walk up to the entrance, you'll see the original…
Turpan
To call it boutique might be a slight stretch, but the Silk Road is definitely one of the most atmospheric and charming accommodation options in Xīnjiāng…
Chengdu
Currently the ciy's best hostel, this lively place offers travellers all the usual services plus a few rare gifts – a pool table, a rooftop terrace, and…
Lhasa
The ever-popular Yak has matured in recent years from backpacker hang-out to tour-group favourite, upgrading to a range of comfortable en-suite rooms. The…
Hong Kong
Now part of the Shangri-La group, Hotel Jen feels more luxurious than its price tag suggests. The high-ceilinged, modern rooms are supercomfy with plump…
Lhasa
Hidden in the old town in a historic Tibetan building, the romantic, boutique-style Shambhala mixes the neighbourhood's earthy charm with buckets of style…
Shanghai
Not your typical generic backpackers, this friendly and atmospheric hostel is set within a century-old house full of character. Its common area in the…