Chinese hotels may ask for a deposit at check-in. The safest plan is to carry three ways to pay: a foreign card, a set-up Alipay or WeChat account, and some cash. Ask the hotel before you arrive how much it holds and how it refunds.
It is stressful to be at the desk with a long flight behind you and a payment that will not go through. A little preparation takes that moment away.
What do hotels ask for?
A deposit is a held amount that covers extras or damage, and it is returned at check-out if nothing is owed. The sum and the method depend on the hotel, so ask in writing when you book.
Send the hotel three questions: how much is the deposit, which payment methods does it accept for foreign guests, and when is it returned.
Which payment methods should you prepare?
Prepare all three, because one can fail on the night:
- Cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club cards can be bound to Alipay and Weixin Pay without a Chinese bank account[1].
- Mobile payment: use the same name as your passport in both apps, since verification needs the passport name and a live selfie[2].
- Cash: renminbi in any form is legal tender, and merchants are urged to accept it[3].
Set up the apps before you fly. Our hotel booking apps guide lists which ones work for Malaysians.
What about fees and cash limits?
Travel guides report a 3% fee on foreign-card payments over 200 yuan through Alipay, with no fee at or below 200 yuan[4]. Treat this as a guide and confirm in the app.
If you carry cash, declare any amount above RMB 20,000 (renminbi) or foreign currency above US$5,000 equivalent[5]. Know the rule even if you carry far less.
What to do at the desk
Hand over the passport first, because the desk registers you at the same time. Our passport registration guide walks through the steps, and our foreign guest registration guide adds the detail.
Then pay the deposit, keep the slip, and photograph it. Ask for the refund method and write down the date you expect it.
What if you arrive late?
Message the hotel with your arrival time and ask whether a deposit can be taken on arrival. Read late check-in and room hold rules for the rest.
What should you do next?
Put hotel deposits into the budget planner, so the held amount does not squeeze your daily money. More guides on lodging sit on the stays topic page.