Floor & Number Preferences for Business Travelers in China. Business people are advised to note “feng shui preference” when booking and reconfirm the room type with the hotel before arrival. If there is a forbidden room type that cannot be changed, you can place a lucky object (such as a bravery pendant) to solve the problem, or choose to hang Chinese knots and other feng shui ornaments in the room.
Ⅰ. Floor Taboos (Avoid “4” & Embrace “8”)
Cultural Logic:
- 4th floor: Sounds like “death” (si) in Chinese.
- 14th floor: Reinforce negative connotations of 4.
- 18th floor: Linked to “hell” in some regions.
Recommended Floors
| Floor | Meaning | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Prosperity (fa) | Business leaders |
| 9 | Longevity (jiu) | Long-term projects |
| 16 | Smooth progress | Negotiation stays |
Regional Differences:
- Hong Kong/Macau: Also avoid 13th floor (Western influence).
- Northern China: Stronger aversion to 4th floor.
Ⅱ. Room Number Taboos
Strictly Avoid:
- Numbers containing 4 (4, 14, 24).
- Numbers containing 13 (13, 113).
- Numbers containing 18 (18, 118) in some areas.
Alternatives:
- Alphabetic codes: “4F” becomes “BF” (Business Floor).
- Lucky sequences: 888 (wealth), 666 (smoothness).
Case: A US CEO’s room 1408 caused a meeting boycott due to “14-08” sounding like “death and bad luck.”
Ⅲ. Other Room Features to Avoid
| Feature | Risk | Recommended Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Directly facing elevator | Feng shui “evil eye” | Rooms away from elevators |
| End of corridor | Stagnant energy | Middle-corridor rooms |
| Windowless room | Poor qi flow | Rooms with natural light |
| Mirror facing bed | Negative spirits | Furniture rearrangement |
Ⅳ. Negotiation Strategies & Phrases
Booking Requests:
- Polite expression: “Could we have a room on a higher floor, preferably without the number ‘4’?”
- Alternative proposal: “We’d prefer room numbers ending with ‘8’ or ‘6’.”
Check-In Adjustments:
- For forbidden floors: “We’re sensitive to floor 4 – may we change to another floor?”
- For unlucky room numbers: “Room 1404 is culturally sensitive – could we switch?”
Ⅴ. Exceptions in Luxury Hotels
- Five-Star Properties:
- Shanghai Ritz-Carlton: No 4th floor multiples above 100.
- Hong Kong Four Seasons: Uses “M” for 13th floor (Middle).
- Themed Hotels:
- Beijing Pangu 7 Star: All odd-numbered rooms.
- Chengdu Diaoyutai: Chinese characters instead of numbers.
Ⅵ. Tools & Resources
- Floor Plan Check:
- Hotel websites for pre-booking layout reviews.
- “Hotel Floor Plan” browser extension for automatic taboo alerts.
- Cultural Fit Tools:
- WeChat Mini-program: “风水助手” (Feng Shui Assistant).
- English site: FengShuiHotels.com.
Final Checklist ✅
- ✔️ Avoided floors/numbers with 4 or 13
- ✔️ Selected rooms ending with 8/6/9
- ✔️ Requested non-corner, windowed rooms
- ✔️ Confirmed hotel uses cultural-friendly numbering