Heating and air-conditioning in China depend on the region and the building, not the star rating. Ask each hotel one plain question: can we control the temperature in our own room, and is the heating on? Then pack layers for the gap between the hotel and the street.
If you travel with a parent who feels the cold, or one who cannot sleep when the room is stuffy, this is a fair thing to check before paying.
How different is the climate across China?
Very different, and the hotel has to cope with it. Beijing averages about -3.7 C in January and about 26 C in July[1]. Kunming is mild, roughly 9 C in January and roughly 19 to 21 C in July[2].
Shangri-La has cold but sunny winters[3]. China’s typhoon season runs from July to September, with Hainan and Guangdong rated high risk[4][5].
What to do: look up the month you travel for each city before you choose a hotel.
What should you ask in each region?
The table gives a starting question for each type of place.
| Where | Main worry | Question to ask the hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing and the cold north | Winter cold | Is the heating on, and can we set the room? |
| Shanghai and the east coast | Damp cold, hot summers | Does the room have both heating and cooling? |
| Kunming and Dali | Cool nights, strong sun | Is there a heater or extra blanket? |
| Shangri-La and high plateaus | Cold at altitude | Is heating on all night, and is oxygen available? |
| Guangzhou, Sanya and the south | Heat and humidity | Does the air-conditioning cool the room quickly? |
Our guide to high-altitude hotels in Shangri-La goes deeper on the plateau, where Shangri-La sits at roughly 3,160 m[6].
Who needs to check more carefully?
Seniors, young children and anyone with a chest or heart condition. Ask for a room away from a noisy lift or ice-cold corridor window, and check that the controls are easy to read.
Some room controls are labelled in Chinese only. Ask the desk to set the unit for you at check-in, then photograph the panel so a family member can reset it. If your parents need step-free access as well, our accessible room checks cover that.
What if the room feels wrong at night?
Call the front desk straight away and be specific: too cold, too hot, or too stuffy. Ask for another setting, a blanket, a fan or a different room.
Do not pull the unit apart or leave windows open on a winter night. Small fixes are normal, and a calm request usually gets a fast answer.
What should you do next?
Check the month against your list of cities and send each hotel the temperature question. For summer trips to Hainan, the Sanya season and typhoon guide explains pricing and cover. For everything else on the room, see the stays topic page.