Sleep in Guangzhou

WARNING: The last two weeks of April and October (April 15-30 and October 15-30) coincide with the annual Guangzhou International Trade Fairs. Hotel room rates are unreasonably hiked up anything from 200% to 400%, including hostels! If you're not travelling to see the Trade Fair, you might want to consider another period of time.

Budget

• Guangdong Youth Hostel (广东省外事办招待所), 2 Shamian 4 Jie (沙面四街2号) (diagonally across the street from the landmark White Swan Hotel), ☎ +86 20 8121-8298, www.gzyhostel.com. It is clean, convenient and reasonably priced for Guangzhou. English is spoken. There are 8 dorm beds in each room, and it only costs ¥50 per bed. ¥200 to have your own room. Ask for a couple room in 5th floor on the river side, propably best quality-price ratio in town. Lounge with free computers/internet, TV, microwave oven, and refrigenerator. It is probably the cheapest western-style accommodation in Guangzhou. Reservations are accepted and encouraged, since the hostel is usually at its capacity. This hostel was featured on the Globe Trekker. [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

• Guangzhou Riverside Youth Hostel, No.15 Changdi Street, Luju Road, Liwan 510370 (Near Luju Road along Pearl River), ☎ 0086 20 22392500, Fax. 0086 20 22392548, info@rsyha.com, www.hihostels.com/dba/hostel024659.en.htm. Riverside Youth Hostel is very convenient and near to different establishments and attractions: Bank of China, metro station, eateries, Pearl River, and shopping centers. It costs around ¥160 for a double room. [Metro 1 Fangcun]

• Tielu Tong Tong Hotel, 101 Guangyuan Xi Lu. A few blocks down from the train station has rooms at ¥100 for the first night, ¥80 for subsequent nights. It's on their business cards in English only. That's hot water, toilet, air-conditioned, spacious and noisy. [Metro 2 Guangzhou HuoCheZhan]

• City Youth Hostel (广州国际青年旅舍), 179 Huanshi Xi Lu (环市西路179号), ☎ +86 20 8666-6889. This youth hostel offers tiny single rooms for about ¥80 (¥270 Oct.)per night (¥60 for members). Located close to the train station it does not provide the nicest environment. [Metro 2 Guangzhou HuoCheZhan]

• Bin Jiang Hostel (滨江青年旅舍), 405 Yanjiang Dong Lu (大沙头沿江东路405号), ☎ +86 20 8383-4110. A little far from the center of the city, but the dorm bed rate is very cheap at around ¥60 (¥180 Oct). Having your own room and shower will cost you ¥170. There is no close Metro access.

Mid range

• Bing Hua Hotel--Hooley's Irish Pub (冰花酒店), 2 Tian He Bei Lu(2号冰花酒店首层(广州大道转角处), ☎ +86 20 8750 2888 - 3315/3300. This hotel is conveniently located at the gateway to Tian He and features one of the city's finest pubs in its lobby. Pub features a foreign chef. Call Rob at 13560231914 for pub info.

• Hotel Landmark (华厦大酒店), 8 Qiaoguang Lu, Haizhu Square (海珠广场侨光路8号), ☎ +86 20 8335-5988, [47]. [Metro 2, Hai Zhu Guang Chang]

• Guangzhou Hotel (广州宾馆), 2 Qiyi Lu, Haizhu Square (海珠广场起义路2号), ☎ +86 20 8333-8168, [48]. Currently there are heavy constructions taking place outside the hotel for the next year (2007) or so. [Metro 2, Hai Zhu Guang Chang]

• Guangdong Victory Hotel (广东胜利宾馆), 53 Shamian Bei Jie (沙面北街53号), ☎ +86 20 8121-6688, [49]. This rather upmarket hotel on Shamian Island offers good value rooms and nice service. English is spoken. Small travel agency handles plane, train and other tickets. There is also a recently renovated Annex building nearby, which offers cheaper rooms than the main building. (From ¥320) [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

• Hotel Canton (广州大厦), 374 Beijing Lu (广州市北京路374号), ☎ +86 20 8318-9888, [50]. This once a glorious hotel is now a bit outdated, but is superbly located in the northern end of Beijing Lu pedestrian shopping street. Metro station for both lines 1 and 2 is nearby for easy access. (From ¥390) [Metro 1, 2 Gong Yuan Qian]

• Baiyun Hotel (白云宾馆), 367 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路367号) (across from Garden Hotel), ☎ +86 20 8333-3998, [51]. Baiyun hotel is a member of Best Western hotel chain.

• Liuhua Hotel, 194 Huanshi Xi Lu (across from main train station), ☎ +86 20 8666-8800, [52].

• Unotel (9 hotels throughout Guangzhou), [53]. Excellent service and room., around RMB 250 - RMB 300 / room / night.

Splurge

• White Swan Hotel (白天鹅宾馆), 1 Shamian Nan Jie (沙面南街1号), ☎ +86 20 8188-6968, [54]. Located on the banks of the Pearl River on the quiet Shamian Island, the White Swan is complimented by a charming park nearby where locals can be found doing Tai Chi along with various native dances. Surrounding the hotel are blocks of little shops run by locals willing to bargain. (Keep in mind that many of the shops carry identical items, so finding an item cheaper somewhere else is likely.) The White Swan offers a traditional Chinese restaurant and an American style restaurant to accommodate its visitors. (From ¥800) [Metro 1 Huang Sha]

• Holiday Inn City Centre Guangzhou (文化假日酒店), 28 Guangming Lu, Overseas Chinese Village, Huanshi Dong Lu(环市东路华侨新村光明路28号) (off Ouzhuang Intersection), ☎ +86 20 6128-6868, [55]. Not exactly the newest, biggest or cheapest hotel around, what the Holiday Inn offers is a convenient location and excellent staff service, thanks in part to its association with the Intercontinental Hotels Group, which places great emphasis on customer service. Rooms are clean, have comfortable beds and pillows, and a good selection of TV channels. Internet access is stable but costs ¥100 a day. Priority Club platinum members get automatic upgrades to executive rooms (based on availability) and access to the executive lounge. Airline ticketing office and Hertz car rental counter available. There's also another Holiday Inn at 188 Dishifu Lu.

• Garden Hotel (花园酒店), 368 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路368号), ☎ +86 20 8333-8989, [56]. Indisputably the most recognizable hotel in the heart of the city. It has both standard hotel rooms as well as apartments and offices for rent. Deluxe rooms are clean but basic. Elite rooms are newly renovated and attractive. Excellent dinner buffet at the revolving restaurant on the top level. This hotel is also complemented with shops and boutiques selling brand name goods, a HSBC branch, a Bank of China branch, and a bus station serving express buses to the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Hong Kong International Airport and nearby cities such as Zhuhai.

• Asia International Hotel (亚洲国际大酒店), 326 Huangshi Dong Lu, Sec 1 (环市东路326号), ☎ +86 20 6128-8888, [57]. This is one of a handful of hotels that feature separate bath and shower areas in a standard room. Internet access is free but slow. It also features Guangzhou's highest revolving restaurant on the top level.

• Guangdong International Hotel (广东国际大酒店), 339 Huanshi Dong Lu (环市东路339号), ☎ +86 20 8331-1888, [58].

• Dong Fang Hotel (东方宾馆), 120 Liuhua Lu (流花路120号), ☎ +86 20 8666-9900, [59]. [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]

• China Hotel (中国大酒店), 100 Liuhua Lu (流花路100号), ☎ +86 20 8666-6888, [60]. It is a Marriott hotel in the heart of Downtown. Its ground level has direct access to Guangzhou Metro. (From ¥650) [Metro 2 Yue Xiu Gong Yuan]

• Oriental Resort (广州鸣泉居), 1068 Baiyun Dadao Nan (白云大道南1068号), ☎ +86 20 8663-2888, [61]. The hotel is located on Baiyun Mountain, quiet and away from the city. (From ¥600)

• China Mayors Plaza (广州市长大厦), 189 Tianhe Bei Lu (天河北路189号), ☎ +86 20 8755-3838, [62]. (From ¥600)