Having an English as the "lingua franca" is certainly convenient, especially to native English speakers. However it is pretty rude to not even learn a few polite phrases in the local language. How would you like it if a rude demanding Chinese person visited your hometown and shouted at you in Chinese?

That said, the airport hotel described sounds pretty bad. I guess that is just what you get in China outside of city center. It sounds like you've learned a lesson. The lesson I learned long ago is to never trust anyone in the travel business when they recommend a hotel. I trust Flyertalkers to a large degree, but not too many others.