By Space Secret Explore | Author: Yu Wenting
The scope of "hotel alternatives" keeps expanding. Young travelers have evolved from simply sleeping in hostels to embracing a "sleep anywhere" philosophy. As these alternatives have infiltrated airplane cabins, massage parlors, bathhouses, temples, and even Haidilao hotpot restaurants, the essence of travel accommodation has become somewhat intriguing…
01 Sleeping in the "Cabin" for Budget Airfares
For spontaneous travel enthusiasts who call themselves "special forces," peak holidays often mean scarce high-speed rail tickets, so they book flights instead. Weekend trips to save time also make budget airlines a top pick. However, catching an early morning flight from a distant airport becomes a nightmare for those who dread waking up — they worry about oversleeping, traffic jams, or wrong turns that cause missed flights. To avoid such mishaps, some choose to sleep right at the airport.
"Sleeping at the airport" essentially means spending the night in the terminal. After all, for many "special forces" travelers, staying up all night playing on their phones is no big deal — as long as there's a place to charge their devices, they think they can manage. On platforms like Xiaohongshu, airport sleepover guides have been compiled: free rest zones that are quiet and have charging ports. But the reality is harsh: "You can never grab a lounge chair, so you end up on hard seats with all kinds of people around, and you're kicked out before 6 a.m." "I couldn't sleep a wink at the airport; when I checked in the next morning, I looked like a ghost." "Some guy snored so loud next to me — I was numb." Either they worry about their luggage and feel unsafe, or they end up exhausted, slumped over with back and neck pain.
While sprawled uncomfortably in the airport lounge, some even drooling unwittingly, the travelers' biggest wish is a real bed. Then they discover airport sleep pods, which open a new world. Private cubicles, unlike hostels with shared rooms or free airport hotels that require advance booking (and might still mean sharing with strangers). Sleep pods offer security for luggage, charging ports, disposable toiletries, slippers, TVs, AC, vanity mirrors, lighting, and small desks. Billed by the hour, they're cheaper than hotels if you only need a few hours' sleep, with 24/7 staff and wake-up calls based on your flight time.
For "special forces" travelers who meticulously budget both time and money, sleep pods have become the go-to choice to maintain some decency.
02 The Ever-More Surreal "Hotel Alternatives"
For many, a hotel is a "home away from home"; for others, it's just a place to rest for the night. That's why alternatives have always existed, especially for "special forces" travelers. Early substitutes were mainly youth hostels — dorm-style, costing just a few dozen yuan per person, no toiletries provided, bring-your-own bedding. Today, alternatives have spread across dining, entertainment, and relaxation sectors.
In the "food" category, Haidilao hotpot once became a go-to for college "special forces." Online "Haidilao accommodation guides" boasted: 6.9% discount for students, only 100 yuan per night. The trend escalated until it disrupted normal business. On April 29, 2023, a Haidilao in Nanjing was so packed with sleepers that dine-in customers couldn't be seated. Complaints poured in: "I went to Haidilao late at night and saw broke travelers taking off shoes to sleep — it killed my appetite." "Suitcases everywhere, blocking the meal!" Eventually, Haidilao responded officially: The restaurant is for hotpot dining; its environment and layout are unsuitable for overnight stays, and they do not support booking for overnight lodging.
Some choose KTV overnight packages — singing all night, then crashing on the sofa if exhausted. If you're lucky and neighboring rooms are quiet, you might sleep; otherwise, you stay awake till dawn. Similar to KTV, internet cafes are another cheap refuge, but aside from being affordable and offering a tiny space, they neither satisfy sleep needs nor provide showers.
Compared to KTVs and internet cafes, bathhouses are a better option for many. They come in three tiers: economy (70-100 yuan), mid-to-high-end (under 200 yuan), and five-star (above 200 yuan). Most admission tickets are valid for 16 hours (11 a.m. to midnight). Overnight stays require an extra fee, typically around 50 yuan. Whether economy or five-star, basic services include saunas and hot springs. For under 100 yuan, you can relax sore muscles in a 40–50°C pool, washing away the day's fatigue. The price premium is fairly distributed among interior decor, massages, movies, KTV, games, gyms, and refreshments.
Yet the hottest "hotel alternative" these days is foot massage parlors. In cities famous for natural views and rugged mountain roads, massage shops pop up every few dozen meters, packed with tourists recovering their strength. In Chongqing, Dujiangyan, Xishuangbanna — all "hiking meccas" — many foot massage parlors are so busy they have to urgently call in extra staff. Meituan data shows that within just one year, the number of foot massage parlors surged from 300,000 to 500,000, with orders spiking every holiday. Many offer overnight services: around 200 yuan plus an extra 30 yuan lets you stay all night in a private room, away from crowded sleeping areas. Buffet meals are included, plus private bathrooms with shampoo, toothbrushes, and pajamas. Morning wake-up calls remind you not to miss breakfast.
Recently, a concept called "Stay at My Home" has emerged — renting out private residences to tourists during holidays. Unlike hotels or B&Bs, these home rentals usually don't require deposits, cleaning fees, ID registration, or contracts. Most hosts don't provide shower gel, shampoo, towels, or disposable slippers and toothbrushes — transactions are purely self-service. This model demands high integrity from both parties, with no platform-backed security, thus carrying certain risks.
Beyond that, some travelers have set their sights on temples. Many temples offer affordable accommodation and meals. For example, a temple on Jizu Mountain in Dali, Yunnan, has 36-person dorms at 30 yuan per bed, with meals at 10 yuan each. Linhe Temple in Chongyang, Hubei, charges 30 yuan a day for room and board, plus free acupuncture from an old monk. Some temples charge monthly: Huangluo Zen Temple in Suzhou is 1,500 yuan per month including meals; Guoqing Temple in Taizhou, Zhejiang, is 750 yuan per month with free meals. Some temples offer free room and board in exchange for volunteer work. However, temples are often remote with inconvenient transportation.
03 Why Are There So Many "Hotel Alternatives"?
"Hotel alternatives" have always existed, but never as popular or diverse as in recent years. Early on, the main alternative was youth hostels, hosting young budget travelers with dreams of poetry and distant lands — backpackers who believed "the world is a book, and those who never travel read only one page." They also included new graduates job-hunting, temporary workers, and migrants seeking flexible housing. They rejected deposit-plus-three-months-rent apartments because they weren't sure they'd last three months in the city; daily-pay hostels allowed them to leave anytime without hassle.
Today, with a surging desire to travel, young people with limited time and money have emerged as "special forces" tourists. They are mostly college students or recent graduates. Some want to see as much as possible while young; others take pride in pinning visited cities on a map; many are tempted by travel posts on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, eager to jump on the latest trend.
"I must have authentic hotpot in the 8D magical city of Chongqing!" "I must see the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty in Xi'an!" "I must drink a cup of Sexy Tea in Changsha and tour Orange Isle!" "Go to Wugong Mountain in Jiangxi for the most beautiful sea of clouds at sunrise!" "I must watch the sunrise in Qingdao, feel the tides, and feast on seafood!" Countless "must-do" checklists online tempt the restless heart, yet tight weekend breaks and thin wallets hold them back. However, limited time and money can't stop the "special forces." They treat one day as 48 hours, meticulously planning routes — such as traveling 1,300 kilometers in 30 hours to visit six scenic spots, maximizing efficiency.
Many "special forces" cram over a dozen attractions into two days, leaving little time for sleep. Hotels don't seem cost-effective, but after long walks, they still need a place to rest. Thus, they explore any possible overnight spot. Some buy late-night or early-morning budget tickets to save time, hopping between cities — arriving late, leaving early — making hotels impractical. Haidilao or airports become ideal layovers. During holidays, skyrocketing hotel prices (700–800 yuan "price assassins") and no vacancies in viral destinations force them to turn to bathhouses or massage parlors.
As more overnight guides flood the internet, others take notice: exam-prep students, frequent business travelers, even long-commute workers who'd rather not take the subway home. They discover new possibilities and find places to rest weary bodies. But as the overnight trend goes viral, many follow suits — "Haidilao overnight check-in," "airport overnight check-in," "foot massage parlor overnight check-in." Some treat it as a novelty and a way to generate online traffic, proudly boasting of "exploiting loopholes." On March 26, 2023, a netizen posted a video: "Confirmed through practice: Haidilao really allows overnight stays." The video showed a dozen people sleeping there with backpacks and suitcases nearby, and comments flooded with people asking for tips.
Where there's demand, there's traffic; where there's traffic, there's profit. Overnight posts have become a traffic magnet, and more "hotel alternatives" have appeared in the public eye.
04 Are "Hotel Alternatives" Worth It?
Called "hotel alternatives," they must be more cost-effective than hotels, right? But has anyone really done the math? Take airport sleep pods — they're limited, located in airports, and generally pricey. One night costs between 100 and 200 yuan, or up to 60–70 yuan per hour, comparable to nearby budget hotels. The only saving might be taxi fare and time from the hotel to the airport. Yet claustrophobes would find the cramped pod life-threatening. Light sleepers are tortured by ceiling vents leaking light and the endless sound of announcements, footsteps, and chatter — making a good night's sleep nearly impossible.
Haidilao: aside from disturbing other diners, leaving luggage at the door is risky. A full night at Haidilao costs at least 100 yuan for a sofa — zero privacy and uncomfortable. For an extra 50 yuan, you could stay at a Hanting hotel, shower, and sleep well. Bathhouses seem cheap, but during holidays, sleep rooms are almost impossible to snag — you'll likely end up crammed into a narrow "grid hole." Foot massage parlors offer accommodation and late-night snacks, but a night can run 200–300 yuan, and room doors often don't lock, raising safety concerns.
So, in the end, whether it's worth it depends on your priorities. For a short rest or a place to just crash for a few hours, "hotel alternatives" might be a good choice. But when it comes to comfort and safety, hotels remain the gold standard — there is no real substitute. Still, for some, affording both dreams of far-off places and the reality of survival means relying on a 50-yuan hostel or other alternatives. But there are also those with deeper pockets who still choose to "suffer needlessly." They wonder: What's the point of spending a fortune on a luxury hotel? Perhaps the answer lies in experiencing how money can enhance life's comfort and pleasure; after staying in the best hotel you can afford, you'll know the upper limit of material satisfaction. Even if you were rich enough to book the entire hotel, your body wouldn't feel any more comfortable. Once you view money objectively, you become its master, not its slave — you'll truly understand your needs, spend wisely, feel neither envy nor disdain, and interact with others without a calculating heart.
If we do the math again, is "special forces" travel worth it? The answer may vary. In terms of time and money, yes, it seems efficient. But what about the harvest of the journey? Some gain unforgettable experiences and meet interesting people — that's worth it. But for those merely following the trend, it becomes a mission to punch clocks — when they arrive, all they see are crowds, so they quickly write "avoid this place" posts, "kindly" warning others not to be fooled. They barely sit down before photographing local internet-famous food, then rush to the next spot, only to repeat the process. When a friend asks, "Was that place fun?" the only word they can recall is "exhausted," plus a pile of "pitfalls." Is that travel experience worthwhile?
In his short essay "People Need to Leave Home," Jiang Xun wrote: "Travel is a profound introspection, using a foreign culture to examine many things that need reflection in your own. Through comparison, you understand differences, not superiority or inferiority." "Travel is not just about seeing; it's about finding the most beautiful thing inside yourself. The external scenery is actually a reflection of your inner mood. Therefore, a grand journey is never just outward observation but inward reflection." Is traveling about visiting as many places as possible, or about the depth of experience and personal growth? Opinions differ. As long as you find meaning in it, it's worthwhile. But if you're simply following the herd without thinking, perhaps you need to pause and ask yourself: What did I truly gain from this trip?
Two days, a dozen attractions, traveling only to check in — or taking a multi-hour high-speed train or flight to another city, only to order takeout in a hotel for three days… As the "special forces" tourist population grows, "hotel alternatives" may keep multiplying. For some, an alternative night might be novel and memorable, but if you're only trying to save money or follow the trend, maybe it's time to calculate: Is it really worth it?
Like art, travel carries a sense of "sudden revelation," making you break away from habitual patterns and see the world from a different angle. Perhaps that is the meaning of travel. "Hotel alternatives" are just one way to experience accommodation — whether you embrace them willingly or out of necessity — we should never forget to seek and create the most valuable travel memories.
