The Beijing Olympic Games are only one year away from us. It is expected that during the Beijing Olympic Games, about 1 million domestic visitors and 500,000 foreign tourists will come to Beijing. Right now, star-graded hotels in Beijing have made a lot of reservations. Family hotels, which might not be comparable to star-graded hotels for in luxury services, might remain appealing to some visitors for their comfort and cheap price.

 

Ms. Hu, a Shanghai lady in her thirties, has already reserved a ticket for the Olympic opening ceremony. She has planned to come to Beijing to watch the opening ceremony together with her husband and her parents. The couple have decided that they will let their friends in Beijing to find an apartment with either two or three bedrooms for them to have a short stay in Beijing in 2008.

 

"We prefer residential houses to hotels. The price will surely be cheaper and residential houses are usually located in quiet places and are comfortable to live in," Ms. Hu said.

 

The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee promised that 113 hotels had signed contracts as the Olympic partners in Beijing, the price of their guest rooms would be lower than the price of hotel rooms at the Athens Olympic Games and the Toronto Olympic Winter Games. Even so, some experts predict that the price of hotel rooms might still reach 1,500-2,000 yuan per night during the Games.

 

As hotel prices will become intolerably high, wage earners like Ms. Hu plans to rent an ordinary residential apartment for her short stay.

 

As Ms. Hu said, they can do the washing and cooking in these places and the price will be a lot cheaper than equivalent services in hotels. The money thus saved can be spent in touring more scenic spots in Beijing or buying more souvenirs. The trip will surely become economical and pleasant.

 

At present, an ordinary apartment with one bedroom located in the downtown area of Beijing usually costs around 1,500-2,000 yuan per month. During the Olympic Games, many of these vacant rooms will be rented out. If such room charges at 1,000 yuan per night, it will mean that in less than one month during the Olympic period, the room can make money that is otherwise equal to total rental fees of a whole year.

 

Although family hotels might become a good way to solve the accommodation problem during the Olympic Games, experts predict that they will not become the main form of hotels during the Olympics.

 

(Chinanews.cn July 16, 2007)