Cash, Cards, and Payment Fallbacks

Carry ¥500–1,000 in cash at all times, even with Alipay working perfectly. You'll need it for street vendors with personal QR codes, small-town taxis, temples, markets — and any moment your phone dies or a payment gets blocked. By law every merchant must accept RMB cash, though expect slow change-counting at places that haven't seen a banknote in weeks. Your physical Visa/Mastercard, by contrast, is nearly useless outside hotels, international hospitals, and big-city malls — don't count on swiping anywhere else.

Getting cash: ATMs beat exchange counters

Hotel deposits

Hotels hold a deposit at check-in: typically ¥200–500 for mid-range, ¥500–1,000 for luxury; budget hotels may ask for full prepayment instead. Late checkout usually runs ¥50–100 if not free.

• Pay the deposit by card hold, not cash — a card dispute is your leverage if the refund goes wrong
• Photograph the room, bathroom, and minibar at check-in AND checkout — "damage" claims are the classic deposit grab
• Minibar items can auto-charge sensors; check prices before touching anything
• Ask for an itemized bill at checkout and question any "renovation fee" or unexplained "service charge"
• If the hotel keeps your deposit unfairly: show your photos, ask for the manager (经理), dispute via your bank, and report through Trip.com/Booking.com if you booked there

Hidden restaurant charges

These line items are legal and common, not scams — but you can refuse most of them. Say "bù yòng" (不用, "don't need it") the moment items appear unrequested:

• Sealed wet towel: ¥1–3, charged once opened
• Auto-poured tea (茶位费): ¥5–15 per person, common in Cantonese restaurants — ask for free tea or water instead
• Unrequested appetizers (小菜): ¥8–20 each — wave them away immediately
• Wrapped utensil sets (餐具费): ¥1–5, often mandatory
• Rice is rarely included at sit-down places: ¥2–3 per bowl, ordered separately
• Private rooms carry a minimum spend (包间最低消费) of ¥200–2,000+ — sit in the main hall, or ask "yǒu zuì dī xiāofèi ma?" (有最低消费吗) before sitting down

Don't tip. It's not expected anywhere and often causes confusion. Upscale restaurants may add a 10–20% service charge to the bill instead. And if your ¥97 bill comes back as ¥88, that's the lucky-number-8 rounding habit working in your favor, not an error.

What medical care costs

Keep these for your insurance claim

Call your insurer before treatment when possible — many have direct billing with international hospitals (United Family bills 100+ insurers directly), which means no upfront cash beyond the registration fee. The hospitalization deposit is refundable and settled at discharge; if you genuinely can't cover it, contact your embassy. Medical evacuation runs $50,000–100,000, so don't travel without medical coverage.

When a payment fails: the fallback ladder