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Alice Yan

Foreign visitors have been flocking to spa centres in China to try a unique cultural experience at an affordable price.
Many foreigners have been amazed by the bathhouses in the country because they operate on a 24-hour basis.
Not only can people take a bath at hot springs, but they can also enjoy everything from fruit, drinks, ice cream and a buffet, to singing Karaoke, playing with game machines, billiards and mahjong.

Some places also provide libraries and mini cinemas, the China News Service reports.
Customers are generally charged from 300 yuan to 1,000 yuan (US$45 to US$140) and can stay for no more than 24 hours.
A heated discussion topic, “China 24 Hours Spa,” has trended on overseas social media in recent months.
An American blogger known as Yemi said he was “stunned” on entering a spa centre in Beijing.
“Spa centres in China are places where you can truly hang out, eat and relax for some hours, instead of where you come in a hurry just for one item,” he was quoted as saying.

Yemi said that in the US people usually go to spas for an-hour-long massage or a sauna, but in China, they can indulge themselves in a “staycation.”
“It is more than a caring experience. I like this kind of place which combines leisure, cuisine, films and games,” said Yemi.
A Canadian woman, identified by her Chinese name Qiu Yiran, said she has been working in Beijing for several months and has already visited a spa four times.
“I like the spot. Its environment is peaceful and relaxing. I also like the amenities they have here,” she told the media.

“I have seen this in China and other places in Asia. We do not have this in Canada. I hope we did because I love it so much,” added Qiu.
Among these foreign customers is a British couple who travel to China and took their child with them to try a spa.
“This was my first time. I liked it a lot. It is calm and clean,” said the husband Simeon, adding: “Spas in the UK are expensive and not for families.”
A French visitor, named Hadjira, said: “It is great because it is something that we do not have in Europe. So far the experience is new. This place is beautiful, relaxing and very cheap,” she was quoted as saying.

A manager from a spa centre in Beijing’s Chaoyang District said they have received an increasing number of foreign customers since September.
Xu Lijing, manager of Yang Space Spa Life Centre in Lujiazui area of Shanghai, said the number of foreign visitors has been growing since February, Xinhua reported.
Her spa charges a customer 340 yuan (US$50) a head.
Wu Liyun, a culture and tourism researcher from Beijing International Studies University, said the essential reason Chinese spa centres attract foreigners is their products and services.
“Spas in China are largely different from those abroad. Firstly, China’s spas have a comprehensive offering. People can eat, bathe and relax there. Secondly, it has high cost-effectiveness. Thirdly, it has a socialising function because it is a place for family or friends to gather and communicate,” Wu told the China News Service.

According to the bathing industry report for 2025 issued by the leading life service platform Meituan, the market size for China’s bathing sector has been growing in recent years.
It rose by 20 per cent in 2025 from the year before, the report said.
Many foreign visitors said that most employees at China’s spas do not speak English.
But they still recommend it because the workers are enthusiastic, patient and helpful, said the foreign customers.


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Foreigners flock to China spas to enjoy unique cultural baths amid rise of wellness tourism

Foreigners are flocking to affordable Chinese spas to experience unique cultural baths, reflecting growing interest in wellness tourism. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote

The above foreign customer extols the virtues of China’s 24-hour spa culture. Photo: jwview

Another overseas customer focused on the affordability angle when he posted a video online, above.  Photo: jwview

A major pull factor is the fresh fruit and other foods on offer at China’s spas. Photo: jwview

Many spas offer game-playing facilities as well as mini-cinemas. Photo: jwview

A young man enjoys a massage. China’s spa industry is undergoing a boom. Photo: Getty Images

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News

People & Culture

Peace, comfort, affordability and 24-hour, family-friendly operations see overseas customers give boost to country’s relaxation industry


Peace, comfort, affordability and 24-hour, family-friendly operations see overseas customers give boost to country’s relaxation industry.


Tourism

Meituan

Shanghai International Studies University

Foreigners flock to China spas to enjoy unique cultural baths amid rise of wellness tourism

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Peace, comfort, affordability and 24-hour, family-friendly operations see overseas customers give boost to country’s relaxation industry

Peace, comfort, affordability and 24-hour, family-friendly operations see overseas customers give boost to country’s relaxation industry