Originally Posted by
Jenbel
we're not using points, we're earning them and retaining status - added to that I believe our accommodation is already booked on a pre-paid rate - it's certainly booked, but I'm not sure whether it's refundable or not. Added to that, I have to say, my experience of Chinese accommodation (with the exception of the White Swan in Guangzhou) does not make me want to hurry to stay in Chinese hotels without some very clear recommendations as to what are good four and five star properties - I've always preferred staying at international chains in the hinterlands of China, in part because they are more used to catering to western, non-putonghua speaking visitors. Call me a wuss, while I love visiting China, but it is not the easiest tourist destination so I want an easy and comfortable hotel experience wherever possible, and not be struggling to find menus in english, staff who speak english and english language tv channels so I can relax when I am in the hotel. If that means my choice of holiday destination is not quite what you would recommend - and I do appreciate your thoughts on the subject, even though you chose to answer a different question from the question I originally asked, then so be it.
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You're the one who asked for "thoughts and advice" and that is what you got. Given the brevity of your original question and the information we had to go on at the time, your question was answered fairly clearly--set things up locally. Sorry if it wasn't the answer you wanted.
On the China forum, many of the regular contributors have found that other readers have similar questions and concerns to those of the Original Poster. However, experience in China of these readers varies all over the map. So in an effort to get additional information and context out there, China threads often are answered rather expansively rather than narrowly focused to just suit the Original Poster. Again, sorry if this offends you. Have fun in Guilin.