An increasing number of young adults in China is opting to live in hotels full-time because it is more cost-effective and more convenient than renting or buying a home.
Last year, we wrote about a family of eight living full-time in a luxury hotel in Nanyang, China’s Henan Province. Their story made international news headlines at the time, but it was anything but unique. In reality, a growing number of people are negotiating long-term stays in hotels all across the country because it is not only cheaper than renting or buying a home, but it beats having to deal with landlords, signing dodgy contracts, and even having to pay utilities or do any kind of cleaning. The biggest drawbacks are not being able to redecorate or cook, but for many young adults in China, those are not deal-breakers at all.
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“For someone with social anxiety like me, dealing with landlords is the worst part, it’s a nightmare,” Hu Weiwei, a 24-year-old professional gamer, recently told Sixth Tone. It’s more cost-effective — no deposit, no agency fees, and utilities are included. I don’t have to clean, the air-conditioning runs 24/7, and right outside there are stores, restaurants, and a subway station.”
After crunching the numbers, Hu figured that a shared apartment in Tianjin would cost about 1,000 yuan ($140) a month, while a place all to herself would be 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. But negotiating a long-term stay with a hotel would only cost her 2,500 yuan per month, and taking into consideration the huge advantages and minor setbacks, the decision was easy. She has lived in hotels in Shanghai and Suzhou for a long time, and now lives in a hotel in her hometown in the northeastern Jilin province. She doesn’t see herself giving up on hotels anytime soon.
Others, like 22-year-old university student Tang Miaomiao, appreciate the hospitality of hotel staffs and the benefits of short-term stays. “With traditional rentals, you need to pay a full month’s rent as an agency fee. It’s not worth it for short stays,” she said. “The hotel staff specially made dumplings for us on New Year’s Eve, and the breakfast team remembered that I liked noodles.”
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Budget hotels have been affecting the average rents for residential properties in tens of major Chinese cities, with many young adults preferring the convenience of living in a hotel full-time to dealing with landlords and signing shady lease contracts. The trend apparently began during the pandemic, when many hotels adjusted their business model to cater to long-term residents during a time when tourism and business travel were at an all-time low.
“During mobility restrictions, budget hotels became incredibly affordable, often cheaper than traditional apartments,” said Wu Ben, an associate professor of tourism at Shanghai’s Fudan University. For hotels, “operationally, long-term guests are ideal. They’re less demanding about room upkeep.”
Even living in a luxury hotel like Marriott Shanghai for 10,000 yuan ($1,370), while more expensive than apartment rentals at first glance, rivals the price of an apartment in the Chinese metropolis when you factor in parking, utilities, and amenities. Not to mention that as a Marriott member, you get perks like 24-hour gym access and breathtaking views.
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