I travel a lot in China, usually staying in domestically-owned mid-priced hotels, not in top-tier international chain hotels. I generally have a look at Tripadvisor before choosing a hotel in larger cities here. But the reviews have to be evaluated as to their source.

Often one sees negative comments like "The beds were hard." Well, that's to be expected in China. Or one sees positive comments like "Wow, they furnished toothbrushes." Well, that's also to be expected in China.

The reviews posted by Chinese tourists (written in Chinese) are often more reliable and to the point than those of foreign newbies who don't know what the "norms" are here.