Where to stay,
by what you need.

The polished default in the middle of the CBD: quiet rooms, dependable service, and one of the better afternoon teas in the city. Three minutes on foot from the Convention and Exhibition Center, which makes it the obvious choice in a trade-show week — and the reason it sells out in one.

The newer of Futian's luxury pair, set in the UpperHills complex between Futian and Luohu. Serious restaurants, a proper spa, and a calmer setting than the CBD towers, with a mall underneath for dinner and errands without going outside.

Around 280 rooms directly across from the convention centre, which is the whole point of staying here if you are working the halls. Long-established, with the settled service that comes from that, and an easy walk to COCO Park for the evening.

Roughly 195 oversized rooms high in a CBD tower, interiors by Yabu Pushelberg, and floor-to-ceiling glass looking over central Shenzhen. The most designed of the Futian luxury group; ask for a room facing the Ping An tower.

The upper floors of KK100, with the lobby on the 96th and the best high-rise views in the old centre. Worth a drink upstairs even if you sleep elsewhere, and close enough to Luohu for a morning run into Hong Kong.

High above One Shenzhen Bay with panoramic water views and destination restaurants on the top floors. Talent Park is at the door, so it is the pick if you want the bay and a morning run more than you want the CBD.

Around 220 rooms by Tony Chi in Houhai — clean-lined and contemporary, warmed by leather and marble, with views over Shenzhen Bay. The most characterful luxury room in Nanshan, and less corporate than the towers around it.

A contemporary base in Qianhai's financial district, handy for the airport side of the city and the western business corridor. Newer and quieter than Futian; the surrounding streets are still filling in, so plan dinner rather than wandering.

Sits on top of The MixC mall and within minutes of the Luohu, Futian and Liantang crossings — the most border-convenient luxury address in the city. The rooftop restaurant is a long-standing local institution in its own right.

Classic Langham service in Futian, generally softer and more traditional in feel than the glass towers nearby. A sensible pick if the CBD hotels are full during a convention.

European-run five-star in Futian that tends to price below the Four Seasons and Ritz for a similar standard of room. Often the best value at the top end when the CBD is busy.

Reliable Shangri-La comfort in the CBD, and the building that houses Ensue on its top floor — the single best reason to book it. Convenient for the convention centre without paying convention-centre rates.

The established five-star on the Shekou waterfront, with sea views and a garden that makes it feel like a resort rather than a city hotel. The best base if your week is in Shekou rather than the CBD, and good with children.

The family answer in the city proper: a large outdoor pool complex with a sand beach and water slides, set in a green, slightly theatrical resort in OCT. Happy Valley, Window of the World and OCT-LOFT are all within reach on foot or one metro stop.

One of the city's original grand hotels, roughly a five-minute walk from the Hong Kong border crossing and the railway station. Not the newest room in Shenzhen, but unbeatable if the trip is built around Hong Kong day-trips by train.

The cheaper Hyatt at the airport, also directly connected to Terminal 3, with about 167 rooms, all-day dining and a 24-hour market. Everything you need for a night before a flight and nothing you do not.

Apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes and direct access to the arrival hall — the useful one if you are landing with children, or waiting out a visa or apartment handover for a few days.

About six kilometres from the terminals with a shuttle, which trades a few minutes of transfer for a noticeably lower rate than the in-terminal hotels. Fine for an early flight if you are not cutting it fine.

About ten minutes on foot from Futian high-speed rail station, which puts West Kowloon well under half an hour away, with the Futian checkpoints a couple of metro stops off. The most efficient base for anyone commuting to Hong Kong.

In the heart of the Luohu business district and around a mile from Luohu Port, so the crossing is a short taxi or one metro stop. Solid mid-range rooms at well under Futian prices.

Suites and apartment-style rooms in central Luohu, which makes it unusually workable for a family or a longer stay near the border. Dated in places, but the space-per-yuan is hard to match this close to the crossing.

A comfortable mid-range room within walking distance of the Sea World plaza, with a terrace and a shared lounge. Good value if you want to be in the middle of the Shekou evening without paying waterfront rates.

Walking distance from Sea World metro station, with Nanshan Park and the cruise terminal close by. A straightforward, well-placed base for a few nights of house-hunting in Shekou.

A hundred metres or so from Exit D of Sea World station on Taizi Road, which is about as central as Shekou gets. Rooms are small but new; the location does the heavy lifting.

The domestic upper-midscale chain that most reliably beats the international equivalents on room quality for the money — good beds, decent coffee, a small library in the lobby. Multiple Shenzhen properties; pick by metro line rather than by branch.

Huazhu's clean, minimal midscale brand, and the default when you want a predictable room near a specific metro station. No surprises in either direction, which is the point.

Hilton's upper-midscale brand has several Shenzhen properties and is the easy pick if you are collecting Hilton points on a budget trip. Breakfast is included, which matters more than it sounds at 6am.

A dependable Futian room at roughly a quarter of the CBD luxury rate, a short ride from the Futian checkpoint. The obvious choice if the trip is about meetings rather than the hotel.

The ubiquitous domestic budget-to-midscale chain, with branches near almost every metro station in the city. Quality varies noticeably between properties, so read recent reviews of the specific branch rather than the brand.

A comfortable four-to-five-star room in Nanshan at well below Houhai luxury prices, with a pool and enough space for a family. Convenient for the tech district and the bay without the Raffles bill.

A newer Marriott on the western side with indoor and outdoor pools and a large children's play area, which makes it a straightforward family booking. Metro access to the rest of the city is good; the immediate area is still quiet.

The established five-star on the Shekou waterfront, with sea views and a garden that makes it feel like a resort rather than a city hotel. The best base if your week is in Shekou rather than the CBD, and good with children.

Around 34 rooms across a handful of old villas in a private garden, five minutes' walk from Shekou Port station and ten from Sea World. The only genuinely characterful place to stay in Shekou, and the one I book for visitors who dislike hotels.

A comfortable mid-range room within walking distance of the Sea World plaza, with a terrace and a shared lounge. Good value if you want to be in the middle of the Shekou evening without paying waterfront rates.

Walking distance from Sea World metro station, with Nanshan Park and the cruise terminal close by. A straightforward, well-placed base for a few nights of house-hunting in Shekou.

A hundred metres or so from Exit D of Sea World station on Taizi Road, which is about as central as Shekou gets. Rooms are small but new; the location does the heavy lifting.

The upper floors of KK100, with the lobby on the 96th and the best high-rise views in the old centre. Worth a drink upstairs even if you sleep elsewhere, and close enough to Luohu for a morning run into Hong Kong.

Sits on top of The MixC mall and within minutes of the Luohu, Futian and Liantang crossings — the most border-convenient luxury address in the city. The rooftop restaurant is a long-standing local institution in its own right.

One of the city's original grand hotels, roughly a five-minute walk from the Hong Kong border crossing and the railway station. Not the newest room in Shenzhen, but unbeatable if the trip is built around Hong Kong day-trips by train.

About ten minutes on foot from Futian high-speed rail station, which puts West Kowloon well under half an hour away, with the Futian checkpoints a couple of metro stops off. The most efficient base for anyone commuting to Hong Kong.

In the heart of the Luohu business district and around a mile from Luohu Port, so the crossing is a short taxi or one metro stop. Solid mid-range rooms at well under Futian prices.

Suites and apartment-style rooms in central Luohu, which makes it unusually workable for a family or a longer stay near the border. Dated in places, but the space-per-yuan is hard to match this close to the crossing.

A dependable Futian room at roughly a quarter of the CBD luxury rate, a short ride from the Futian checkpoint. The obvious choice if the trip is about meetings rather than the hotel.

A waterfront hotel beside Bao'an Centre with generous public space and good wellness facilities, and the coastal park next door. The practical luxury choice near the airport, and comfortable with children for a night either side of a flight.

Around 335 rooms built into the airport complex with direct access to Terminal 3 — you walk, you do not taxi. The obvious answer for a dawn departure or a long layover, with a Cantonese restaurant that is better than it needs to be.

The cheaper Hyatt at the airport, also directly connected to Terminal 3, with about 167 rooms, all-day dining and a 24-hour market. Everything you need for a night before a flight and nothing you do not.

Apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes and direct access to the arrival hall — the useful one if you are landing with children, or waiting out a visa or apartment handover for a few days.

About six kilometres from the terminals with a shuttle, which trades a few minutes of transfer for a noticeably lower rate than the in-terminal hotels. Fine for an early flight if you are not cutting it fine.

The established five-star on the Shekou waterfront, with sea views and a garden that makes it feel like a resort rather than a city hotel. The best base if your week is in Shekou rather than the CBD, and good with children.

The family answer in the city proper: a large outdoor pool complex with a sand beach and water slides, set in a green, slightly theatrical resort in OCT. Happy Valley, Window of the World and OCT-LOFT are all within reach on foot or one metro stop.

A genuine beach resort on the eastern coast — several hundred rooms, most with a sea-view balcony, a very large lagoon-style outdoor pool and several more besides. About an hour from Luohu by car, so treat it as a weekend rather than a base. It traded as the Sheraton Dameisha for years; older reviews still use that name.

Inside the OCT East resort complex in the eastern hills, built in an alpine-village style that children find enormously convincing. Best combined with the theme parks and the tea valley on a two-night weekend.

A waterfront hotel beside Bao'an Centre with generous public space and good wellness facilities, and the coastal park next door. The practical luxury choice near the airport, and comfortable with children for a night either side of a flight.

Apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes and direct access to the arrival hall — the useful one if you are landing with children, or waiting out a visa or apartment handover for a few days.

Suites and apartment-style rooms in central Luohu, which makes it unusually workable for a family or a longer stay near the border. Dated in places, but the space-per-yuan is hard to match this close to the crossing.

A comfortable four-to-five-star room in Nanshan at well below Houhai luxury prices, with a pool and enough space for a family. Convenient for the tech district and the bay without the Raffles bill.

A newer Marriott on the western side with indoor and outdoor pools and a large children's play area, which makes it a straightforward family booking. Metro access to the rest of the city is good; the immediate area is still quiet.

The cheaper Hyatt at the airport, also directly connected to Terminal 3, with about 167 rooms, all-day dining and a 24-hour market. Everything you need for a night before a flight and nothing you do not.

Walking distance from Sea World metro station, with Nanshan Park and the cruise terminal close by. A straightforward, well-placed base for a few nights of house-hunting in Shekou.

A hundred metres or so from Exit D of Sea World station on Taizi Road, which is about as central as Shekou gets. Rooms are small but new; the location does the heavy lifting.

The domestic upper-midscale chain that most reliably beats the international equivalents on room quality for the money — good beds, decent coffee, a small library in the lobby. Multiple Shenzhen properties; pick by metro line rather than by branch.

Huazhu's clean, minimal midscale brand, and the default when you want a predictable room near a specific metro station. No surprises in either direction, which is the point.

Hilton's upper-midscale brand has several Shenzhen properties and is the easy pick if you are collecting Hilton points on a budget trip. Breakfast is included, which matters more than it sounds at 6am.

A dependable Futian room at roughly a quarter of the CBD luxury rate, a short ride from the Futian checkpoint. The obvious choice if the trip is about meetings rather than the hotel.

The ubiquitous domestic budget-to-midscale chain, with branches near almost every metro station in the city. Quality varies noticeably between properties, so read recent reviews of the specific branch rather than the brand.