Ask the front desk to connect you. When hotel Wi-Fi demands an SMS code to a Chinese number, reception can usually link your room to the network or give you a password. It takes about a minute. The harder problem is the app and bank codes that still need to reach your Malaysian number.
It is tiring to arrive and find the very first thing, a simple login, does not work. This is a set-up quirk, not a sign you did something wrong.
Why does it ask for a code?
Some hotel systems confirm each device with an SMS code and expect a Chinese mobile number. A visitor with a foreign number can be locked out of the login screen.
Reception can bypass this. Show them your phone and say the line below, or show it on your screen.
- English: “Please connect my phone to the Wi-Fi. I do not have a Chinese number.”
- Chinese: 请帮我连上 Wi-Fi，我没有中国手机号。
If the lobby is busy, ask again at the room phone. Staff handle this request regularly.
What about codes for banks and apps?
These are a different matter. Payment and booking apps send a code to the number you registered, and that is your Malaysian one.
To keep those codes arriving, do three things before you fly.
- Switch on roaming and keep your Malaysian SIM in the phone.
- Ask your bank whether it offers an app approval instead of SMS.
- Send yourself a test message from a friend and check that it lands.
Alipay and WeChat Pay verification needs your passport name and a live selfie, so set both up at home[1]. Our Alipay setup guide walks through it.
What does the hotel need from you?
Foreign visitors must be registered with the local police within 24 hours of arrival at their lodging, and hotels file this for guests using the passport[2]. Hotels copy the passport, so carry the original when you check in[3].
That is why the front desk asks for your passport first. Hand it over calmly, and ask for it back after copying. Our guide to foreign guest registration explains what to expect.
Which apps still work on hotel Wi-Fi?
The firewall applies on hotel networks as well. Google services, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X, Telegram and ChatGPT are blocked in mainland China[4].
Tell your family which messaging app to use. Read what works for WhatsApp and Google and sort out the plan before you leave.
What should you do before you go?
Pick your connection first. A roaming pass, an eSIM or a local SIM each handle codes differently, and our comparison guide lays them side by side. Put the hotel name and address in Chinese on your bilingual info sheet, and find the rest of the checklist on the preparation topic page.