LostinChina

Since they are restrictive as to luggage on internal flights, is there any way to do laundry in the hotel other than the expensive way of piece by piece?

Thanks!

thursdaysd

Yes. Do it yourself! Take clothes that drip dry and don't wrinkle (try places that specialize in travel clothes like travelsmith.com) and take liquid detergent. Shampoo works too. Also take a travel clothesline - if it has twisted strands you won't need clothespins.

LynnieD

On my 2 previous trips to China I found that hotel laundry services were efficient and DIRT CHEAP and I do mean dirt cheap. I cannot remember exact details but remember getting way more laundry done way more often that I planned.

Kathie

It is inexpensive at some hotels, at others you are better off taking it half a block away or so to a laundry. Typically, if you bring in your clothes in the morning, they'll be ready for you to pick up by 5 pm or so.

LostinChina

Wow, I'm really surprised. When I looked into this 2 yrs ago, most said there is no way to do laundry there. The hotels were just as expensive as the US to do it piece by piece. Good to know that!! I don't look forward to doing it by hand.

tonguetied

I agree with some of the others. Buy a bottle of soap or use hotel soap, hand wash clothes in tub and hang to dry. Otherwise, the cost of the hotel doing your laundry is astronomical!

LostinChina

Silly question. Since we will be handwashing our clothes in the hotel, someone mentioned bringing a sink stopper. Are the sink drains the same size as US? So our stoppers will fit China's sink drains?

KimJapan

I would guess that the size of the drain in the sink varies in China just as much as anywhere else. But, I would also guess that there is a way to fill the sink with water. No need to bring a stopper that may not work anyway. In a pinch, a plastic bag over the hole works for long enough to wash an item of clothing.

thursdaysd

LostinChina - you need a universal sink plug, which is large round piece of plastic. Check your local travel store, or take a look online. It takes up very little room. Before I got one I used the top of a film container, but I don't carry them anymore, and it didn't always fit.

lynclarke

Lostinchina- I second the motion for the flat sink stopper- infact one lives in my suitcase along with other "in case of emergency" items like small flashlight (I have been in a hotel when the power went out), large plastic wire ties, a smoke detector, safety pins,strapping tape, and large rubber bands. These items can fit into other packed items but if your suitcase handle suddenly falls off, or the sun peeks in your room at 3AM, or the myriad of other things that can happen do happen - you can smile and fix the problem with ease.

lynclarke

I forget- that new concentrated detergent All small and mighty works well. I have a 4 0z Nalgene bottle which is indestructible that I use for the detergent. We can easily do all of our laundry for 3 weeks for 2 people- I usually throw some away on the way home.

JerryS

Our experience during 3 weeks in China was that most, if not, all, hotel laundries were ridiculously expensive. In fact, that was true of most hotels in Asia, including those in India and Thailand. We found it very easy to go to a local laundry, usually within a block or two of the hotel to have our laundry done. We would drop it off upon arriving at the hotel and pick it up the next afternoon. Communicating with the laundry person(usually a lady) was quite an interesting and fun experience.

LostinChina

Thanks for all of your input. '

thursdaysd-I actually just went to the biggest hardware store around her and asked for a universal sink stopper. He had no clue what I wanted. Maybe I need to describe it to him from what you said. Thanks!

LostinChina

You mean it's like a round plastic thing like you use for gripping and bottle top to open it, right?

thursdaysd

Not exactly. See http://www.simplyscuba.com/ProductDe...x?StockID=8676

pippy4tao

In every hostel there is a laundromat for you to wash your clothes. Only selective ones have the dryer as well. Although you might want to take a look at the hostels doing it since it can be quit cheap.

Good Luck

Theresa

www.nomadwannabe.com

scotchman9

My experience with hotel laundry is if you are staying at a western chain hotel you will get ripped on the prices, (for laundry and everything else) If you stay at most any other hotel the laundry is cheap and good.

LostinChina

Thanks for your input.thursdaysd-your link to the picture really helped a lot. I actually went to Walmart and just looked and found a generic looking "sink Stopper". It's a round, flat rubber disk with a little rubber handle in the middle to grip it with, not exactly like the picture, but very close idea.

While in the travel section, I bought the International Converter Set with one plug labelled for AUstralia, China, Fiji and New Zealand. it says for overseas use with single 110 voltage products. IS that all I need? Is one converter sufficient?

Also looking for the money pouch you wear. I would think in the hot summer, nothing is going to be comfortable and will stick to your skin. Which do you all think is better, the ones that go over your neck and hang or the money belts that go around your waist?

Aleta

A new kind of money pouch that is an improvement:
Having hated the one around my neck and waist, I was pleasantly surprised to find one that has a clip. You place it on the inside of your slacks and only this little black clip shows on the outuside, which would be covered by a blouse or belt. It's easy to pull out, but not so that it would be stolen. Brand is Austin House.
Eagle Creek makes one with 2 loops for your belt, then it flips inside your slacks.
Reminds me to post this as a general travel comment

guenovnd

I know that many western hotels have very overpriced laundry services, but you can actually get a deal even in those cases. Before you book your hotel (before travel to China) ask the hotel you are planning to stay in to throw in some laundry services for "free" as part of your rate. Just recently a friend of mine had that in the Holiday Inn at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. RMB810 rate included breakfast, access to executive floor lounge and $10 per day of laundry services. Pretty good deal. For information on China take a look at my blog at http://travel.chinafinds.com