While Shenzhen is mostly known as a business travel destination, it’s becoming more and more popular for leisure travelers who want a cheaper alternative to Hong Kong.

The majority of you landing on this guide are likely NOT business travelers. This guide covers where to stay in Shenzhen — but for people who just want to explore and make the most of the city.

My parents had been to Shenzhen a handful of times before, always going because of the cheap shopping. This was my first time joining them, and even though I already knew things were cheaper there compared to Hong Kong, I had no idea HOW much cheaper.

Let me set the stage for how affordable SZ can be… a stay at the Four Seasons or the Ritz Carton will cost you just a third of what it would cost in places like Tokyo, Bangkok, and NYC!

And for budget travelers, it’s almost too easy to find hotels under $50 per night.

This Shenzhen accommodation guide will help you understand Shenzhen better. We’ll touch on the best areas to stay for tourists and recommend some of our top hotel picks for every type of budget.

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Table of Contents

SHENZHEN IN A NUTSHELL

Here’s a quick overview of some useful info you need to plan an awesome trip:

Top Areas To Stay: Futian, Luohu, Nanshan.

Visiting Shenzhen for the first time? Stay in Luohu District or Futian District.
Traveling with family and planning on visiting theme parks? Stay in Nanshan District.

Most travelers choose Luohu District and Futian District to stay in Shenzhen.

Luohu is the OG city center of Shenzhen, close to Shenzhen Railway Station/Luohu Port. This is where many HK’ers stay.
Futian is newer, trendy, and convenient, situated in the middle of Luohu and Nanshan. Not only is it a traveler hotspot, but it’s also perfect for people who want to be close to the high-speed train station (Futian Railway Station).

Currency: RMB (or Chinese Yuan)

Language: Mostly Mandarin, but quite a few people can also speak Cantonese too. Do people speak English? Eh, not really. Maybe just at high-end hotels. Otherwise, you’ll have better luck using a translator app than attempting to speak English to people.

Tipping: Not required in China.

Where To Stay In Shenzhen: Top 3 Areas To Base Yourself In

FUTIAN

Best for: Nice hotels, shopping, spas, and dining; great for business travelers too.

The Futian district is the best area to stay in Shenzhen for convenience, shopping, dining, and business. Yup, there’s a lot to love about the Futian area.

This is one of the most developed areas in Shenzhen, so it should come as no surprise that it’s home to luxury 5-star hotels like Park Hyatt Shenzhen, The Ritz-Carlton Shenzhen, Four Seasons Shenzhen, and more.

The Futian district is well connected to many other parts of Shenzhen by metro and bus. There is no shortage of shopping, spas, and dining here. The area is also known for the Huaqiangbei area, selling all kinds of electronic products under the sun.

We personally stayed in the Futian district in Shenzhen. We stayed across from the AvenueOne Mall, a high-end mall housing just about all the luxury stores you could dream of.

But this area isn’t just ritziness! Head underground to the Link City Underground Shopping Mall area (a massive stretch of shopping/dining that extends across several subway stations) and you’ll find tons of budget-friendly shops, eateries, bakeries, etc.

Hotels In Futian: Our Top Picks

Luxury: Park Hyatt Shenzhen

Amenities: Luxury spa, indoor pool, fitness center, restaurants, an amazing breakfast buffet and dinner buffet, room service, car rental service.

Luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen

Amenities: Luxury spa, indoor pool, fitness center, restaurants with buffet, afternoon tea

Luxury For Less: Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Amenities: Heated indoor pool, 3 restaurants, outdoor tennis court, CHI Spa, international buffet, room service, valet services. Metro Station is a 2-minute walk away and it’s super close to both the Futian High-Speed Train Station and Link City.

Mid-Range: Huaqiang Plaza Hotel Shenzhen

Amenities: Fitness center, business center, room service, on-site restaurants with Western and Chinese buffet, with a super convenient location right in the middle of the Huaqiangbei electronics street.

Budget-Friendly (Great For Families / Larger Groups): Excellence International Apartment – Convention & Exhibition Center

This aparthotel is in the same building as the service apartment we stayed at, except it has nicer furnishings compared to the one we stayed in. Even though it’s an apartment-style accommodation, there is still daily housekeeping.

The larger apartments have full-sized fridges and even in-unit washing machines! The location of this building could not be better — you just walk out the front door and the super convenient Gangxia train station entrance is a 5-second walk away.

LUOHU

Best for: People coming from Hong Kong, cheap goods, street food opportunities

Perhaps the second most popular place to stay in Shenzhen is Luohu. This area is known for its cheap shopping as well as the tourist favorite, Dongmen Pedestrian Street.

Shopping is one of the main reasons people visit Shenzhen, and with Luohu being right at the border of Hong Kong, you can already guess that this area gets crazy busy. While there are multiple entry points from Hong Kong, the Luohu Port is the main one.

That said, this area is not just made up of local HKers looking for weekend getaways. Tourists like this area too — there are just too many places to shop and eat around there.

Luxury: The St. Regis Shenzhen

Amenities: 5 dining options, an exceptional breakfast buffet, fitness center, indoor heated pool, spacious rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, St. Regis Butler Service, Iridium Spa.

Luxury For Less: Grand Hyatt Shenzhen

Amenities: Outdoor swimming pool, multiple restaurants, an excellent breakfast buffet, room service, fitness center, onsite spa, sauna facilities, babysitting services, etc. It is just a 10-minute walk from the Grand Theater metro station and a 5-minute drive from Luohu Port.

Budget-Friendly: CYBO Station Luohu Shenzhen

Amenities: Great breakfast with decent variety, 24-hour front desk, concierge services, non-smoking rooms, a fitness center; within walking distance to the famous Dongmen Pedestrian Street.

NANSHAN

Best for: Families, tourist attractions, and theme parks

Splendid China - Shenzhen China — Nanshan is close to theme parks like Splendid China Folk Village (above).

One of the best areas for families and theme park lovers in Shenzhen is the Nanshan district.

A fair amount of the city’s theme parks are located here. You’ll find attractions like Window of the World, Splendid China Folk Village, and Happy Valley Shenzhen, are of which are family favorites.

If you plan on flying in/out of Shenzen by plane, Nanshan can also be a convenient area for you to stay in — Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) away and is directly connected to Nanshan by train.

Luxury: Andaz Shenzhen Bay

Amenities: Amazing breakfast options (buffet, à la carte, and continental options), happy hour in the evenings, room service, concierge services, allergy-free rooms, garden and terrace, fitness center, indoor pool, and sauna.

Luxury For Less: Sheraton Shenzhen Nanshan

Amenities: free bikes, free private parking, a fitness center, multiple restaurants, breakfast buffet, room service, onsite bar.

Budget-Friendly: Shenzhen Nanshan L’Hermitage

Amenities: Free buffet breakfast, fitness center, sauna facilities, business center, meeting rooms, and car rentals are available; 10-minute drive from Window of the World theme park and Haian City Shopping Square.