Silk Road Travel Information - Accommodation and Hotels

Lodging along the Silk Road ranges from international joint-venture hotels, like the Hyatt in Xi'an and the Holiday Inn in Urumqi, to stark guesthouses where the sheets are rarely changed. The four basic types of accommodation available can be categorized as follows:

Lushe/Luguan (travellers' hostel)--the smallest, cheapest and probably the dirtiest lodging, patronized by truck drivers and overnighting bus passengers; toilets are communal and there are no showers; many do not have the necessary licence to accept foreigners.

Zhaodaisuo (guesthouse) often the only place for foreigners to stay in the small- er cities and towns; inexpensive dormitory accommodation is available; communal toilets and public showers, but they tend to be cleaner than a hshe. binguan (hotel)--the high end of Chinese accommodation; rooms are air-condi- tioned, clean and comfortable; receptionists often speak some English; patronized by high-level cadres, Overseas Chinese and foreigners; many have restaurants that serve Chinese, Muslim and Western cuisine.

Fandian (hotel or restaurant)---covers the entire range from hshe to binguan, usually at the lower end of Chinese accommodation.
Receptionists assume all foreigners are wealthy and require only top-quality rooms. They will explain that the cheaper rooms are unavailable or inadequate, and it may take a little time and patience to get the room you want. Regardless of the type of accommodation, there is the ubiquitous thermos of kai shui (boiled water) in every room and every floor has a fuwuyuan (attendant) who looks after your needs and holds the keys to your room. Location and prices of accommodation are contained in the Practical Information section for each city. Please note that the prices quoted are from January 1992 and should only be used as reference.