With less than two weeks until the 2026 national college entrance exams, the booking of "exam accommodation" has entered its final sprint. Data shows that as of May 28, search popularity for keywords related to "exam hotels" on the platform has increased by 210% month-on-month. To provide students with a good space for sleep and rest, an increasing number of parents are opting to book hotel rooms near exam centers, driving a year-on-year increase of over 20% in hotel booking demand during the exam period. Compared to previous years, this year's exam hotel bookings exhibit a distinct characteristic: sustained high demand in major cities, while smaller cities show a counter-trend growth spurt. On the platform, the year-on-year growth rate in exam hotel booking popularity for third-tier and lower-tier cities was 42%, 15 percentage points higher than that of first- and second-tier cities. In terms of booking preferences, parents are not only seeking proximity to exam centers but also placing greater emphasis on the "emotional value" derived from specialized services and thoughtful amenities.
"Exam accommodation" bookings in smaller cities are experiencing a counter-trend surge, with Zhoukou, Linyi, and Hengshui leading nationwide growth. While parents in major cities scramble to book hotels near exam centers, many smaller cities and even county-level areas near exam sites are already facing a situation of "no rooms available." Data indicates that as of May 28, third-tier and lower-tier cities account for half of the top 10 cities with the fastest growth in exam accommodation bookings. Among them, Zhoukou in Henan, Linyi in Shandong, and Hengshui in Hebei rank as the top three in the booking growth top 10 list. As a major province for the exams, several cities in Henan province show prominent growth in exam accommodation bookings this year. On the platform, hotel booking popularity in Zhoukou during the exam period increased by 67% year-on-year, Nanyang by 43%, and Xinxiang by 22%. In terms of room rates, hotels near Zhoukou No.1 High School saw prices rise over 60% compared to usual days, while the average price for hotels near Xinxiang No.1 Middle School increased over 30%, with some popular room types already marked as "sold out."
The number of exam candidates in Shandong province is also substantial. Data shows that during the exam period, hotel booking popularity in Linyi grew by 59% year-on-year, Heze by 33%, and Liaocheng by 28%. Many local candidates check into hotels about a day in advance to adjust their routines, leading to a significant increase in the proportion of hotel bookings for four consecutive nights during the exam period. In Hebei, data indicates that hotel booking popularity in Hengshui grew by 47% year-on-year and Handan by 36% during the exam period. Hotel prices near Hengshui Middle School have risen significantly compared to usual days, with some family suites in hotels showing "limited availability."
Beyond prefecture-level cities in the third tier and below, many county-level hotels are experiencing a booking peak around the exam period. Data as of May 28 shows that hotel booking popularity during the exam period in counties such as Taihe in Anhui, Dancheng in Henan, Xishui in Hubei, and Yushan in Jiangxi also increased by over 20% compared to the same period last year. In terms of hotel types, within county markets where independent hotels are predominant, chain economy hotels are clearly more favored by local parents and candidates.
Currently, a special "Exam Room Booking, Stress-Free Success" campaign has been launched. Users participating in the event can receive a discount voucher of up to 88 yuan, combined with three key benefits: free cancellation, complimentary breakfast, and late checkout, helping candidates check in with peace of mind.
Exam accommodation demand remains strong in first- and second-tier cities, with "parental escort groups" fueling multi-room bookings. Despite the notable performance of "exam accommodation" bookings in lower-tier markets, first- and second-tier cities, with their abundant educational resources and large candidate bases, see consistently high demand for exam accommodation each year. Data as of May 28 indicates that exam hotel booking popularity remains high in cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Changsha, Chengdu, and Xi'an. Among them, hotel booking popularity in Beijing during the exam period increased by 25% year-on-year, Guangzhou by 22%, and Shanghai by 28%.
As parental escort needs become more concentrated, "parental escort groups" have gradually emerged in recent years. To ensure their children have a quiet environment for review and rest before the exams, many accompanying parents opt to book two or more exam rooms—one for the child to ensure no disturbance, and others for the parents' regular daily activities. This has driven a significant increase in the proportion of exam accommodation bookings for two or more rooms, rising over 10 percentage points compared to the same period last year. From booking characteristics, data shows that in multi-room exam accommodation bookings, mothers have a higher degree of decision-making involvement, with female users aged 40-55 accounting for 60% of bookings. From a city-tier perspective, families in first- and second-tier cities are more inclined towards "the whole family going out" to accompany the candidate, with multi-room bookings accounting for over 40%, significantly higher than in third-tier and lower-tier cities. In terms of room type combinations, the most common combination in multi-room bookings is "one double bed room + one twin room," while some parents choose "suite + double bed room."
To provide more detailed services for candidates, from June 6 to June 8, 2026, during the exam period, a hotel group has partnered with a premium sunflower seed brand to launch a "Good Sleep, Great Success" activity. At eight participating hotels across Beijing, Nanjing, and Chengdu, limited "Exam Cheer Packs" (containing trial sunflower seeds, nuts, custom tissues, blessing cards, etc.) will be distributed to candidates staying in exam accommodation. The activity will also leverage online and offline integrated communication through official accounts, influencer visits, and advertising placements to convey the good wishes of "a good night's sleep, a great success."
A hotel in Guangzhou's International Financial City has introduced corresponding services for the joint exams for students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. On one hand, a dedicated check-in counter for candidates is set up, prioritizing arrangements for candidates and parents to stay on the same floor or in adjacent rooms, and preparing joint exam preparation gift packs and symbolic fruit platters. On the other hand, for candidate rooms, free parking is extended until the exam ends on the checkout day, and the buffet breakfast focuses on light, nutritious, and non-irritating options. The quantity of bottled water in all candidate rooms is doubled for parents' convenience in boiling water for the candidate. Furthermore, another hotel in Nanning offers services for exam candidates such as late checkout, welcome gifts, encouraging room decorations, and also prepares special fruit gift boxes, motivational cards, warming ginger tea, umbrellas, and raincoats for exam candidates.
It is worth noting that during this year's exam season, an increasing number of accompanying parents are utilizing travel AI to plan exam accommodation solutions, especially with a growing concentration of candidate-friendly accommodation needs such as "quiet environment + early breakfast + wake-up service." Data as of May 28 shows that queries related to exam accommodation planning via DeepTrip have increased by nearly 40% compared to the same period last year, with users spending approximately 15 to 20 minutes per consultation session for planning.
Analysis suggests that 2026 exam accommodation bookings exhibit three new trends: "demand stratification, experience upgrade, and lower-tier market surge." Escort families are no longer satisfied with merely "having a place to stay" but are paying more attention to whether hotels can provide "emotional value" that genuinely alleviates candidate anxiety, such as a quiet environment, early breakfast, wake-up service, and emergency stationery. The growth rate of exam accommodation bookings in third-tier and lower-tier cities surpassing that of first- and second-tier cities reflects the enhanced awareness of educational investment and improved consumption capacity among families in lower-tier markets, while also posing higher demands on the service quality of local hotels.
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