Undercover Inspections vs. Sleep-Test Stays: The Debate Over Hotel Evaluation Methods

On November 12, 2026, China Tourism News published an article discussing hotel evaluation methods. The article points out that the sleep-test activities popular in hotels during the off-season involve sleep testers with publicly disclosed identities experiencing "demonstrative service," and that the reports focus on personal feelings, making it difficult to reflect the true state of operations; professional undercover inspections, by contrast, are carried out by senior industry experts in the capacity of ordinary guests, checking item by item against hundreds of indicators, with the emphasis on identifying problems and guiding improvement. The article suggests that hotels should first conduct professional undercover inspection diagnoses and only carry out sleep-test marketing once service has stabilized, and should establish annual undercover inspection and sleep-test plans.