What is the deposit for hotel room in China

In China, when you check-in the hotel, the reception desk may charge a kind of fee as a hotel room deposit. This is no common in most countries in the world, but it is a common situation in most hotels in China.

So what is the hotel room deposit? how to charge it? And also how much will be charged? Here I would like to list some tips for your reference.

What is the hotel room deposit?

The hotel room deposit is a kind of fee functioned as a security deposit. Most hotels in China will charge this fee when you do the check-in procedure at the reception desk. Guests can pay by cash or credit card to the reception. After you offer this deposit, the hotel will give you a receipt immediately.

This deposit will be refunded to you when you check-out the hotel. When check-out, the hotel service staff (generally 1 person is enough) will do a checking procedure of the room you used when you take all of your luggage to the lobby and give back the room card to the reception desk.

The staff will check whether you used expense which is excluded in the room price such as the toll charge, the drinks in the fridge, the laundry, the internet expense, or something else. If you used this kind of service, the expense will be deducted from your hotel room deposit. The charge fee is based on the principle of returning the overcharge and demanding payment of the shortage. If you didn’t use any of them, the deposit would give you back fully.

After the checking work, the check-out procedure will be finished.

How to charge the hotel room deposit?

Most hotels in China will charge this fee when you do the check-in procedure at the reception desk. Guests can pay by cash or credit card to the reception. After you offer this deposit, the hotel will give you a receipt immediately.

How much will be charged?

It depends on the regulation of hotels you choose. It may be from CNY 200 to CNY 500 or much more. You can discuss with the reception desk about this amount as well.

Tips for check-in & check-out

► Because the hotel room deposit procedure is undertaken in check-out period may need some time, we suggest you to prepare for the check-out procedure as early as possible if you need to catch the morning flight.
► It is better to keep the deposit receipt well to avoiding any trouble caused by the receipt losing.