Canton fair officially known as the Chinese Import Export Fair is held twice a year (15th April - 5th May and 15th September - 5th October) in Guangzhou. Over 100000 visitors come every year, which results in artificial shortages of hotels, restaurants and taxies during canton fair time. If you want to save money and avoid paying inflated hotel and restaurant price during Canton Fair, please read following tips.
Tips on saving on hotel when visiting THE canton fair
Most of the hotel during Canton fair triple or quadruple their prices. A good accommodation is necessary for attending Canton fair in a comfortable way. Most hotels in TianHe or near Garden Hotel tends to be expensive being located in tourist friendly zones.
Book Early. Most hotel chains and travel booking sites reward early booking. If you are surer than book together with flight tickets.
Avoid hotel breakfast unless you are staying in a real four or five star hotel. In fair time service tends to be very poor and the hotel will charge you a fortune for it. A trip to nearby McD or Starbucks (yes, there are plenty of them in Guangzhou) will be time saving and cheap option.
Book at a location which are far from the tourist zone (Huan Shi Dong & Tian He) yet well connected with metro network. Many hotels provide free transfer to fairgrounds, so check with them while booking.
Most of subway / metro station has shops offering dry cleaning at a fraction of hotel prices.
Book Early. Most hotel chains and travel booking sites reward early booking. If you are surer than book together with flight tickets.
Avoid hotel breakfast unless you are staying in a real four or five star hotel. In fair time service tends to be very poor and the hotel will charge you a fortune for it. A trip to nearby McD or Starbucks (yes, there are plenty of them in Guangzhou) will be time saving and cheap option.
Book at a location which are far from the tourist zone (Huan Shi Dong & Tian He) yet well connected with metro network. Many hotels provide free transfer to fairgrounds, so check with them while booking.
Most of subway / metro station has shops offering dry cleaning at a fraction of hotel prices.
Stay in serviced apartment to save money
Do you really have to to stay in a Hotel? Unless your business demands that you stay in 5 star hotel to improve your company’s image, you can also opt for luxury service apartments. There are plenty of serviced apartments offering clean and safe environment. Most of them are located near the metro station and offer free transfers to the fair ground.
Here are the reference prices at which we booked for our customers. Even compare this to regular 3 star hotel (price USD 150 for a standard room) it's a better value proposition.
Studio Apartment - US$ 90
1 Bedroom - US$ 120
2 Bedroom - US$ 180
3 Bedroom US$ 240
Please note that we are not travel agents and offer hotel booking service only to our existing customers who import through us. Prices are indicative only.
Here are the reference prices at which we booked for our customers. Even compare this to regular 3 star hotel (price USD 150 for a standard room) it's a better value proposition.
Studio Apartment - US$ 90
1 Bedroom - US$ 120
2 Bedroom - US$ 180
3 Bedroom US$ 240
Please note that we are not travel agents and offer hotel booking service only to our existing customers who import through us. Prices are indicative only.
Tips on saving on transportation during Canton Fair
Airport Buses available at the exit gates offers convenient, economic and safe transfer to many areas of the Guangzhou city.
GZ Metro Map
- The airport has good connectivity to any part of the City so avoid paying for a private transfer service normally offered by Hotels. Take a metered taxi cab from the official taxi rank located outside exit gates, better yet, use an airport shuttle bus with convenient drop off at many locations in Guangzhou.
- Use metro for airport transfer (USD 3) if you are traveling light. Do some homework to find out where to get off. You can ask your hotel to give directions, including the name of station and exit gate.
- Guangzhou metro has service from 6 am to 11 pm and offers rides to fairground for less than a dollar in most cases.
- Use free bus services offered by hotels, major wholesale markets and some service apartments.
Returning from Canton fair you can wait for taxi for an hour or take bus to city center for $1, your choice. Bus leaves for city every 10 minutes.
Save on resturant and food bills
Among other things Canton fair is infamous for inflated restaurant bills and poor service during Canton fair. Avoiding restaurant may not be an option for most of business person so I have compiled a list of western style restaurants and pubs that strive to offer the same level of service with little or no price change.
Many restaurants offer buffet dinner that is good value. If you are following some special diet such as Khosar, Vegan or Halal then do yourself a favor by bringing packed food from home as most places may not accommodate your request. This will probably save you some money too.
- Macawley's Irish Pub 16 Hua Chang Road, Metro Line 5 exit: Wu Yan Cun
- Tomatoes Pizzeria Hua Jiu Road
- Tavern Sports Bar Hua 108 Hua Jiu Road and In Panyu.
- German Restaurant in Tai Ko Hui shopping mall
- Tayiro Japanese Restaurant. Central Plaza, 34-38 Hua Le Lu Chinese:华乐路广怡大厦
- People's Cafe Jian Shi 5 Road, Chinese: 越秀区建设五马路35号大院1号1楼
- The Paddy Field Irish Bar 38 Hua Le Lu Chinese:华乐路广怡大厦
- The Italian Restaurant 360号 Huanshi East Road offers a buffet dinner for RMB 158
- All US chains such as Pizza Hut, McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Starbucks.
Many restaurants offer buffet dinner that is good value. If you are following some special diet such as Khosar, Vegan or Halal then do yourself a favor by bringing packed food from home as most places may not accommodate your request. This will probably save you some money too.
Even more ways to save during Canton Fair
- The internet is complimentary for most of the hotel. If your hotel decide to charge for it do not opt for this service from hotel. Both China Telecom and China Mobile offer prepaid internet access cards, buy one of them for less than US$ 5
- Buy a local SIM card with preactivated internet available from China Mobile or China Unicom for 100 RMB (less than US$ 20) good for use during your entire stay. Not only you will avoid paying expensive roaming charges, you will get internet on your iPad / Phone.
- Is your company a VIP buyer? Canton fair offers reception, meeting room and complimentary lunch for its VIP buyers in designated VIP lounges.
- Get plenty of business cards. Chinese love to exchange tons of business cards so it is possible to run out of cards soon. Emergency reprinting cards at fair ground is expensive - so avoid it.
- Many shops and restaurants will offer some discount on production of the canton fair card so it's a good idea to hang on to it in the evening too.
- If you have fair card from last season do not forget to bring from home as a replacement card will cost about USD 20 and an hour of time standing in queue to get a replacement.
- If you have collected tons of Catalogs that needs to be shipped (who carries it as check in luggage nowadays) then DO NOT use DHL/FedEx/TNT. Use local courier service which will do the same job for half price.
- Change money at Bank of China or Agricultural Bank of China Only to get the best exchange rate. Avoid hotels and private money changers. Banks gives the best exchange rate for USD, Euro, GBP and Yen so do not bring any other currency to change.
- On your last day of the fair (especially if you have early next day flight) you may want to check out early from the hotel and check in a spa that offers food, massage and a comfortable bed for a period of 24 hours (6 am check out) all for a little over USD 50. I agree that its rather unconventional choice but how could it hurt if a spa offers comfortable stay after the fair to unwind with massage and unlimited buffet after you come back from evening until the next morning for $50. It's cheaper than staying in a room.
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