Posted January 20th, 2013 - 1:56 am by 
from Vienna, Austria (Permalink)
from Vienna, Austria (Permalink)It depends how cheap you mean but in general I have to say that I during all my travels in China, there was always adequate bedding.
I do like to bring 2 other things though:
1. A powerbar as there are often not enough electric outlets or they might be in inconvenient locations, for charging camera batteries and plugging in laptop, etc. However, no problem to buy such if needed anywhere in China.
2. A pair of slippers as floors in particular wall-to-wall carpeting can be heavily stained and a bit disgusting, and bathroom floors can get very slippery. Most hotels do provide slippers but I prefer to walk in my own shoes. Again, no problem to purchase them in China.
I do like to bring 2 other things though:
1. A powerbar as there are often not enough electric outlets or they might be in inconvenient locations, for charging camera batteries and plugging in laptop, etc. However, no problem to buy such if needed anywhere in China.
2. A pair of slippers as floors in particular wall-to-wall carpeting can be heavily stained and a bit disgusting, and bathroom floors can get very slippery. Most hotels do provide slippers but I prefer to walk in my own shoes. Again, no problem to purchase them in China.
Posted January 28th, 2013 - 2:54 am by 
from Beijing, China (Permalink)
from Beijing, China (Permalink) very good advice
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Posted January 28th, 2013 - 10:57 pm by from Vienna, Austria (Permalink)
from Vienna, Austria (Permalink)Indeed, this can be very annoying. It won't happen in hostels with a young backbacker crowd but it does in regular Chinese hotels of about 3 stars and up.
It did not happen to me when I stayed at budget chains like Super8 or Home Inn, though.
Once they hear a female voice on the other end, they will hang up quickly as it is not the usual massage they are trying to sell here as you might figure.
I tried it once in Guilin City as the hotel had a massage place on the top floor and I thought I would get a real massage but the woman started from the first moment bugging me how much tip I would give her as the fee for the massage (some 60 RMB) would go to her workplace. As she didn't stop and the massage was no good either, I stopped the encounter and asked her to leave.
I have pretty much made it a habit unplugging the phone no matter what as often the reception calls for whatever strange reasons. If they really want to find me, they can try the door.
Home Inn and Super8 and a few others are pretty good chains offering budget accommodation. The rooms are not very large but functional and they usually have good and clean showers and clean bedding.
During the last few years more and more very decent hostels have popped up and many have learnt to cater to laowai travelers.
Noise is a general problem in China as the noise level in restaurants and other places is very often way above what we are used to in the West. Earplugs are quite easy to find in China, either at WalMart or at Watson drug stores and alike ... they are quite cheap too.
It did not happen to me when I stayed at budget chains like Super8 or Home Inn, though.
Once they hear a female voice on the other end, they will hang up quickly as it is not the usual massage they are trying to sell here as you might figure.
I tried it once in Guilin City as the hotel had a massage place on the top floor and I thought I would get a real massage but the woman started from the first moment bugging me how much tip I would give her as the fee for the massage (some 60 RMB) would go to her workplace. As she didn't stop and the massage was no good either, I stopped the encounter and asked her to leave.
I have pretty much made it a habit unplugging the phone no matter what as often the reception calls for whatever strange reasons. If they really want to find me, they can try the door.
Home Inn and Super8 and a few others are pretty good chains offering budget accommodation. The rooms are not very large but functional and they usually have good and clean showers and clean bedding.
During the last few years more and more very decent hostels have popped up and many have learnt to cater to laowai travelers.
Noise is a general problem in China as the noise level in restaurants and other places is very often way above what we are used to in the West. Earplugs are quite easy to find in China, either at WalMart or at Watson drug stores and alike ... they are quite cheap too.
Posted February 4th, 2013 - 11:32 am by 
from Hong Kong Island, China (Permalink)
from Hong Kong Island, China (Permalink)Funny enough, having lived in China for 6 years, I never managed to find ear plugs on the mainland. Always had to bring them from Hong Kong or overseas.
They do help out a lot in China!
They do help out a lot in China!
Posted February 5th, 2013 - 5:46 pm by from Vienna, Austria (Permalink)
from Vienna, Austria (Permalink)as far as I know they have earplugs made of foam material and in bright colors, mostly in orange, at WalMart and Watson or similar pharmacy stores ... usually they come packaged with a sleeping mask.
This applies to larger cities, they might be harder to find in smaller towns ...
This applies to larger cities, they might be harder to find in smaller towns ...
Posted February 6th, 2013 - 8:51 pm by from Hong Kong Island, China (Permalink)
from Hong Kong Island, China (Permalink)I lived in Shenzhen and travelled throughout most of China but never saw them. Perhaps it's a relatively new thing.
