This year's National Day holiday overlaps with the Haining tide-watching season, drawing a surge of visitors to the Qiantang River banks for what is the busiest tourism peak of the year, with hotel and guesthouse occupancy rates across Haining continuing to climb. Many tourists are no longer satisfied with a quick same-day tide-viewing trip and are instead choosing to immerse themselves in the dual appeal of surging river tides and Haining's leisurely lifestyle.

On October 2, multiple hotels in Haining's urban area experienced peak guest flows. Areas near the railway station are often the first stop for out-of-town visitors arriving in Haining. Staff at Wuyue Qianmen Hotel said the property has over 80 rooms and was essentially fully booked from October 1 to 3, with guests including tour groups arriving by bus as well as many self-driving travelers. Boyin Zhixuan Hotel, Hanting Hotel, and Yujian Art Hotel, benefiting from their proximity to the railway station and People's Square, have attracted visitors arriving by train and car due to convenient transport and dining options. Branded hotels such as Ji Hotel (Haining Jiangnan Avenue branch) have also become popular choices for family travelers thanks to newer rooms and comprehensive facilities. "Many guests ask as soon as they walk in how far the Leather Market is, where to park, and where to eat nearby," one hotel front desk staffer said, noting a clear increase in such inquiries during the National Day period, especially from families traveling with elderly members and children who place greater emphasis on parking and nearby amenities.

Among hotels in the urban commercial district, peak guest flows were generally concentrated from October 2 to 4. Haining Kaiyuan Mingdu Hotel is located in the city's core area, adjacent to the Leather Market with well-developed transport and dining options nearby. Sheng Qi, head of the hotel's market revenue department, said occupancy was high from October 2 to 4, reaching up to 80%, with guests primarily self-driving travelers. The hotel also introduced room packages for the holiday. Zhou Xinhui, deputy general manager of Haizhou Grand Hotel, said occupancy was high from October 1 to 4, with October 2 fully booked, and guest flows expected to decline from October 6 to 7. To handle the holiday peak, the hotel had all staff working overtime, with the buffet area open daily during the holiday. During the National Day holiday, Haining Huayi Hotel brought intangible cultural heritage works such as Haining lanterns and leather patch paintings into its ground-floor lobby, attracting many newly checked-in guests to stop and take photos. Zhang Yixuan, the hotel's marketing and sales director, said October 2, 3, and 4 were peak check-in periods. "We hope that through displays and interaction, out-of-town visitors can immediately experience Haining's local intangible cultural heritage after checking in."

Beyond traditional business hotels, some accommodations with local cultural atmosphere have also drawn attention. Guanshanhu Hotel, located in the Hengtou Street Historical and Cultural Block, is a highly recognizable Chinese garden-style hotel. Close to Dongshan Park and surrounded by old streets, restaurants, and small shops, it suits visitors who want to slow down and soak in Haining's urban atmosphere. "Staying here, it's convenient to take a walk in the evening, and the next morning you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading out," said Mr. Zou, a tourist from Shandong, adding that this type of accommodation is less rushed than traditional business hotels and better suited for multi-day trips. The area around Yintai City is also bustling. Haining Lirui Hotel is located at Yintai City Plaza with dining, shopping, and entertainment concentrated nearby; Yintai City Sucheng Hotel and Lavande Hotel have also become popular choices due to convenient locations and diverse room types.

Yanguan Ancient Town – Tide Music City Sees Nearly 95% Occupancy

During the National Day period, Yanguan Ancient Town – Tide Music City became a popular destination for tourists from various places, with the scenic area offering a combination of "live music performances + river seafood dining + night tide experience + hotel accommodation" to enhance the visitor experience. In the first two days of the National Day holiday, occupancy rates at hotels and guesthouses in and around the Yanguan scenic area reached nearly 95%, with the Main Vocal Music Resort Hotel in the scenic area fully booked and rooms in extremely short supply. The Main Vocal Music Resort Hotel is situated right next to the Qiantang River bank, featuring dedicated tide-watching spots and an infinity pool by the river, where guests can enjoy a vacation where the sound of tides and musical notes coexist. Xuande Gate Hotel and Water Market Hotel, nestled among the ancient town's streets and alleys, also attracted many guests seeking an immersive experience of Yanguan's leisurely pace.

Riverside Guesthouses See Strong Bookings

As one of this year's nine major tide-watching spots, Hudou Village in Zhouwangmiao Town has five guesthouses, one hotel, and six farmhouse restaurants, with guesthouse business booming during the National Day period. Many visitors chose to "watch the tide by day and stay by the river at night," immersing themselves in the unique charm of the Qiantang River. Qiantang No. 8 Guesthouse, located at No. 8 Shenjiadai in Hudou Village, is a "Silver-Level" guesthouse in Zhejiang Province and a Haining municipal demonstration guesthouse. Just 20 meters from the river surface, it offers superb tide-watching views. The over 400-square-meter simple Chinese-style courtyard blends traditional Jiangnan charm with modern aesthetics, featuring elegant and comfortable layout. Jiangpanju Guesthouse is equally popular; this municipal demonstration guesthouse opened in 2017 has eight diverse room types to meet different guest needs, with coffee, night cocktails, and card rooms as leisure facilities, and river views visible from every window. Guesthouse owner Shen Tianwei said the property was continuously fully booked during the National Day period with very steady guest flows. Tourist Mr. Lü from Hangzhou said the environment is tranquil and the local people are hospitable. "Coming here to relax for two days during National Day is truly worthwhile." Haining Qiantang Mingyue Radisson Resort Hotel has become a top choice for visitors thanks to its riverside location. The hotel has 71 rooms in total and is only 80 meters in a straight line from the Qiantang River surface, with premium riverside rooms offering panoramic views of the spectacular surging tide right from the door. Hotel front office manager Wang Cheng said the hotel's guests are mainly tide-watchers from surrounding cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Jiangsu, and the property was nearly fully booked during the National Day period, with tide-watching accommodation demand continuing to rise.

From "A Quick Look at the Tide" to "Staying to Explore at Ease"

The rising popularity of urban accommodations and riverside hotels and guesthouses in Haining reflects the expansion of holiday activities in the city. Based on current booking trends, the peak accommodation period for the National Day holiday in Haining is mainly concentrated from October 1 to 4. Visitors planning to come to Haining for sightseeing, tide-watching, and shopping are advised to confirm hotel and scenic area information in advance and arrange their itineraries reasonably.