I pass through Kunming at least twice a year. I normally stay at either the Hanting or the HomeInn hotel during this time. They are both popular Chinese hotel chains.

However, this time is different. Now both claim they are unable to accept foreign guests. Is there some kind of crackdown going on at the moment?

They probably aren't registered to register foreigners and probably been caught out.

I always use the Jinjiang chain. Never a problem with them.

I'll give jinjiang a try.

Hanting and HomeInn (RuJia) are very large hotel chains in China. I am pretty certain in the past they have been able to accept foreign guests, because they normally take my passport and register it in their system each time I stay.

I think every single hotel has to have its own permit, even if it is part of a chain. I was in Chengdu 2 years ago, and we tried to stay at one HomeInn Rujia hotel, but they told me they couldn't have foreign guests, and gave me the address of another HomeInn hotel which had the permit.

Best way I've found of finding hotels that will take foreigners is to search on the English versions of ctrip or Elong. They only list hotels that can take us. When I've used the Chinese versions there are a lot more hotels listed.

I had this problem last summer - the Kunming hotel I was booked into couldn't take me. Normally hotels turn a blind eye to me being a foreigner and just register my wife who is Chinese.

@Haali. I've had that before. Hotel has taken my wife's ID card and refused my passport! We've stayed in some great, small, guesthouse before. I think a lot depends on whether city or countryside but enforcement here, as we know, is not consistent

I was able to book a room in the Jinjiang hotel. It's owned by the HomeInn (RuJia) company, which is right across the damn street. It's also considerably more expensive. Bastards.

Jinjiang expensive? I've just checked out of one this morning near Shanghai and without breakfast it was about 160/night. I thought Home Inns were similar prices?

I have always thought that the refusal to take foreign guests at some Chinese hotels was an ugly business.