22 Best Hotels in The Silk Road, China

This cross between a Chinese fortress and an alpine lodge is the most interesting place to stay in Dunhuang, and possibly in the whole of the province. The large, spacious rooms have historical touches like Ming reproduction furniture and traditional wooden shower buckets. The hotel arranges some great tours, including a sunrise camel ride to the sand dunes of Singing Sand Mountain. The fourth-floor café is the perfect spot to appreciate the dunes from a distance. The hotel's only drawback is its location 3 km (2 miles) south of the town center.

Overlooking People's Square in bustling downtown Ürümqi, this hotel offers tastefully appointed rooms that would satisfy those seeking a higher level of comfort. For the best views, request a room on the east side. Standard rooms are not huge but offer ample closet space and clean bathrooms. The lobby bar, while straight out of the '70s, makes surprisingly good cocktails. Western options are lacking in the breakfast buffet, but at the very least you should be able to find eggs and fresh fruit.

The older of the two Shangri-La's in Xi'an, this remains one of the city's most luxurious hotels with English-speaking staff, an indoor swimming pool and gym facilities. The hotel is 10–15 minutes northeast of the city center, and easily accessible by subway. Get off at Tong Hua Men station on Line 1 and take Exit B.

Make sure your cab driver knows you're going to the Golden Flower Hotel, and not the Shangri-La, or else you many find yourself at the newer Shangri-La all the way across town to the east.

Directly across from the Bell Tower, this comfortable and centrally located hotel puts you within walking distance of many of the city's most popular tourist sights. The grand marble lobby is impressive, but the standard rooms are bare. Rooms at the front of the building are more expensive because they have views of the Bell Tower, but some visitors are disturbed by noise from the traffic.

Located close to the Gansu International Convention and Exhibition Center, this modern hotel is a little removed from the city center but offers solid service and good views of the neighboring Yellow River. The breakfast spread offers enough options, among them Chinese, Indian, and Continental, to please Western guests. With little to do come nightfall, the hotel's spa and indoor pool make for pleasant distraction.

If you're looking for something mildly luxurious, this lodging in the center of town will fit the bill. Rooms are nicer than the average Chinese hotel, but without an elevator you'll have to climb the stairs to your room.

Although there are newer luxury properties, people return to the Grand Metropark because of its friendly staff, most of whom speak some English, and its central location. Near the most popular sights, it's within walking distance of the Bell Tower and the East Gate. The guest rooms are smaller and more drab than rooms at other comparably priced hotels, and are definitely in need of refurbishment. The beds, though, are plenty comfortable, and the large windows provide great city views.

Though dated, this HoJo offers good value for money in a hotel that sits just outside the city walls near the south gate and the Yongningmen metro station. Though rooms are in need of serious updating, they're spacious and the beds cushier than the rock-hard beds at Chinese hotels. Superior rooms have views of the city wall.

The best bargain in Xi'an's Old City is part of the French budget hotel chain Ibis. It offers decent rooms and low prices and is run to Western standards, so the beds are comfortable and everything is clean. The hotel is within walking distance of the Confucius Temple, and a few Chinese bars are up the road. The travel agency on the ground floor can organize cars and tours to the Terracotta Warriors, Huashan, and other sights.

From the marble floors in the lobby to the plush furnishings, this 25-story tower houses one of Lanzhou's top hotels. On the west side, the upper floors have sweeping views of the mountains and the sunshine pours in, heating up the rooms.

Built in 1956, this concrete behemoth's Sino-Stalinist exterior hides a modern if drab interior. Pleasant service and clean, standard-size rooms make this hotel's main building a good value; the older east and west wings house shabbier but still acceptable rooms for half the price. Beds are hard. The hotel's Chinese restaurant, Zhong Hua Yuan, cooks up great local cuisine.

Situated between the city center and the Xinjiang Museum, this hotel has long catered to foreign tourists and visiting diplomats. The reception area is inviting, and rooms have city views and smart decor. Restaurants are a convenient walk and the hotel sits right across the street from a market. Fair warning: you may be put off by the window between the shower and the bed, which the staff explain is "for your wedding night."

Although the outside looks drab, this hotel's lobby is decked out in tapered columns, fountains, marble sculptures, and ornate wall decor to go with simple yet sophisticated rooms. The hotel is geared toward government officials and local business people—there are in-house karaoke facilities—but tourists will appreciate its rooms, which are clean and large. The Chinese restaurant serves everything from dim sum to spicy venison and rabbit, but for those seeking a taste of home, there's also a Western restaurant on the first floor.

Located 10 minutes by cab from the city center, this stylish and modern hotel in Kashgar is a bit of luxury in the far western reaches of China. Unwind after a long and possibly quite hot day of sightseeing in the indoor pool. The hotel overlooks the Kirzlesu River and offers expansive views of Kashgar and the mountains surrounding it. Both Chinese and Western options are available at the breakfast and dinner buffets.

Built in 1890 as the Russian consulate, this edifice served as a center of political intrigue for many years until it was transformed into a hotel in the 1950s. The oldest wing of the hotel is the original consulate, where fans of the "Great Game" can stay in musty suites with luxurious rugs and old furniture. The hotel is the least expensive of those open to foreigners, but newer rooms range from comfortable to dilapidated, so be sure to look at a few before you decide. The nicer ones surround a pleasant courtyard in the rear. The Old Road Tours travel agency is located in the lobby.

Very popular with both well-heeled business and leisure travelers, this luxury hotel pampers you with an indoor pool illuminated with skylights and one of the better hotel gyms you'll find in Ürümqi. The lobby gleams and the restaurant is lovely, including a breakfast buffet with reasonable Western style options. The rooms are spacious, with beds covered with snowy white sheets and fluffy duvets. Just outside the doors of the hotel you'll find some of the best shopping and food that Ürümqi has to offer.

Expect high-quality standards in this name-brand hotel, among them truly comfortably beds and front desk staff who speak English well. Unfortunately, the hotel is 20 minutes west of the city center, making it far from the most popular tourist sites. Still, it's a fine choice if other hotels are booked and, indeed, offers better service than some of the more conveniently located options.

This study in basic geometry has definitely seen better days, but rooms are relatively clean and large, the restaurant is good, and the gift shops are handy. Even if you're not staying here, the indoor swimming pool—open only in the summer—is a good place to cool off after a day in the desert sun. Admission is Y20 per person.

This budget option, whose rooms have been renovated, isn't a bad place to stay, despite noise from the busy street and bazaar across the street. The on-site travel agency makes arranging tours a snap, although the staff can be a bit pushy. If you come in the off-season, a deluxe suite with a small balcony overlooking the bazaar can be had for as little as Y200.

This ultramodern hotel is considered the finest lodging between Xi'an and Ürümqi, with exceptionally comfortable rooms and a quiet location. Standards seem to have fallen recently, but if you can overlook lackadaisical service, it's possible to get great value rooms with views of Xining's central square.

During low season (winter), rooms start from Y630.