Chengdu Tujia Homeaway Resort Apartment, Lucheng International – 348 RMB/night (19 RMB cashback)
High Prices at Star-Rated Hotels Lead to Cool Reception for Mid-Autumn Bookings
“Mooncakes aren’t selling well, and neither are Mid-Autumn Eve dinners or rooms.” Amid an overall downturn in the traditional hotel industry, most star-rated hotels are struggling with Mid-Autumn sales.
On this issue, a reporter interviewed Ms. Liu, a supervisor at a star-rated hotel, who said, “On big holidays like this, we’ve never seen such a quiet booking season before. This year, the proportion of high-end dining bookings has dropped significantly. The customer base for bookings has shifted toward family meals, and they prefer home-style dishes. In the past, the dining prices we offered were relatively high. Now, those high prices are hard for the general public to accept, which has led to this awkward situation this year.”
A citizen told the reporter, “It would be nice to celebrate the festival at a star-rated hotel — the environment and service are great, and my family would definitely be happy.” But then added, “However, the prices at star-rated hotels are quite high, and many of the dishes are ‘all show and no substance,’ making it hard to enjoy that ‘homey taste.’ It’s not easy for the whole family to get together for the holiday, and we just want warmth and togetherness. The cost-performance ratio of star-rated hotels is just too low — it’s really not worth it!”
Trend of “Family Dinner” & Moon-Gazing Grows for Mid-Autumn Vacation Apartment Bookings Surge
Ms. Wang from Beijing told the reporter, “I’ve already booked a vacation apartment in Hangzhou on Tujia.com. The weather in the south isn’t hot anymore, and our family plans to visit the beautiful West Lake, enjoy the moon, and celebrate Mid-Autumn there — it should feel great!” When asked why she chose a vacation apartment over a star-rated hotel, Ms. Wang said, “The Mid-Autumn Festival is a rare chance for the whole family to get together. Staying in a vacation apartment, we can have dinner together, then enjoy the moon and play cards — the warm and joyful atmosphere is just perfect. Normally I stay in hotels when traveling for work, but during the holiday, it’s a rare chance to relax. I don’t want to feel like I’m still ‘stuck in a hotel room’ on a business trip.”
The reporter contacted a Tujia.com spokesperson and learned that, “As the Mid-Autumn Festival nears, Tujia vacation apartment bookings have risen sharply. Cities along the coast such as Hangzhou, Qingdao, Chengdu, and Sanya, as well as popular scenic spots like Dali and Lijiang, have seen especially significant growth. Most bookings are for families of three or multi-generational groups of around five people.” When asked why Tujia apartments are so popular, the Tujia.com spokesperson attributed it to several factors: First, Tujia offers a richer and more private selection of properties — from one-bedroom to two-bedroom units and even villas — usually at about half the price of similarly located and quality hotels, making the high cost-performance ratio very appealing to consumers. Second, Tujia has adopted a five-star hotel management system, including strict quality control over room linens, toiletries, and cleaning services, ensuring a consistent guest experience. Third, the homelike feel of being able to do laundry and cook is unmatched by traditional hotels, making it more suitable for in-depth travel and leisure vacations. Fourth, Tujia also offers many innovative value-added services — each city provides airport/train station pick-up/drop-off services, and guests can check out without waiting for room inspections — they can simply hang the key behind the door and leave.
Holiday Marketing: Hotels Lower Their Standards But Struggle to Meet Consumers’ Deeper Needs
The traditional hotel industry, hit by a “cold spell” during the Mid-Autumn Festival, has been lowering its “standards” to appeal to the general public in response to market changes. According to a manager at a star-rated hotel, “Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, we might cancel the previous ‘minimum room charge’ or service fees, as well as per-person pricing standards to adapt.”
Industry experts pointed out that the “cold spell” in Mid-Autumn bookings for traditional hotels may seem like an “accidental phenomenon” following new policies, but it actually reflects new trends in the tourism accommodation sector. Over the past decade, people’s travel habits and demands for accommodations have quietly evolved. The trend of “traditional hotels cooling off while vacation apartments gaining popularity” is actually a “collective outburst” of deeper consumer needs.
Although traditional hotels are lowering their “standards” during holidays to attract consumers, vacation apartments still far outperform them in terms of cost-performance. Take Tujia’s high-quality serviced apartments as an example — whether in terms of cost-performance or service, they are more competitive than star-rated hotels, and offer more innovative value-added services, making them better suited for independent travelers and those seeking deep leisure experiences. If traditional hotels don’t focus on adapting to changing consumer demands, even if they lower their “standards,” they may still struggle to turn the tide. Not to mention, vacation apartments like Tujia also run promotional activities to give back to consumers during the holidays.