Choosing a hotel in Xiamen is easier if you decide two things first: how often you will cross to Gulangyu or walk Zhongshan Road, and which railway station or airport you arrive at. This page compares the areas and 10 hotels whose details we checked against each hotel's own website on 16 October 2026. Eight were read from Accor's English or Chinese pages and two from the hotels' own sites. We have not stayed at any of them. The card text is what the hotel's site says, and we show no room rates or review scores.
Read the Xiamen guide first, and see the China hub for entry rules and payments. The thing to know is that Gaoqi airport is planned to close and move to Xiang'an at the end of 2026, and every hotel page quotes its airport time from Gaoqi.
Areas compared
The grouping is ours; distances and times are the ones each hotel's site gives.
| Area | Best for | Watch out for | Transport, from the sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lujiang Road and Zhongshan Road (south-west Siming) | Crossing to Gulangyu, the Zhongshan Road pedestrian street, evening snacks | Busy pedestrian street. Tourist day boats leave from the Dongdu terminal, not Lundu on every sailing | Mercure On the Bund writes that the Lundu bus station is 50 m away. ibis Styles is at 318 Zhongshan Road |
| Near Xiamen railway station | Getting off a train and checking in; the university and Nanputuo Temple are about a 20-minute walk from the pier area (Wikivoyage) | Not a waterfront area; the south square of the station is newly opened per ibis, so check the exit | ibis Kaiyuan writes 200 m from the station. Grand Mercure writes a 10-minute drive |
| Yundang Lake and Hubin | Large hotels, lake-view rooms, business area, cafes and bars | Not next to the pier, so you drive about 10 minutes (Pullman) | Pullman writes a 10-minute drive to the station and the Gulangyu pier. Marco Polo writes 20 minutes to Gaoqi |
| East ring road, near Guanyinshan beach | Being near the sea and using the ring road along the coast | Furthest from the Gulangyu pier on this list: Novotel writes 18 km to the Lundu pier, a 35-minute drive | Novotel Convention Center writes that Guanyinshan beach is within walking distance |
| Wuyuan Bay (north-east Huli) | New upscale hotels near the current airport | Far from Zhongshan Road and the pier | Fairmont writes a 20-minute drive to Xiamen station and 15 minutes to the airport |
| Gulangyu itself | Waking up before the crowds, with no morning ferry | We have not checked hotels on the island, so we name none | No cars on the island, so you drag bags along paths and steps. See the Gulangyu page |
| Near Xiamen North station | Arriving by high-speed train and changing to Metro Line 1 | We have not checked hotels here, so we name none, and the station is far from the centre | Wikivoyage says the north station takes most high-speed trains and has Metro Line 1 |
Near the pier or by the lake?
Wikivoyage says the railway station, ferry piers and long-distance bus station are all on Xiamen Island. Our suggestion, not official: on a first visit, if you worry about ferry times, stay in the Lujiang or Zhongshan area and cross to Gulangyu for the day. If you plan to see many places on the island by car, the Hubin or Yundang area is more convenient. If you want a beach atmosphere, look at the ring road side. China Highlights' where-to-stay page also describes three main choices, the city centre (Siming), Gulangyu or a beachside spot, and suggests a night at the tulou if you go there.
Getting to your hotel
From the airport
Gaoqi is in the north of the island. Wikivoyage gives a taxi fare of CNY 30 to 40, about 20 minutes, and BRT station T4. The hotel sites we checked give these drive times: Fairmont 15 minutes, Marco Polo 20, Pan Pacific 25 and ibis Kaiyuan 25. If your flight lands at Xiang'an, which is planned to open at the end of 2026 (see the Xiamen guide), those times do not apply, so ask the hotel about transfers from the new airport.
From the railway station
Wikivoyage says Xiamen station is in the centre and links to Metro Line 3 and BRT, while Xiamen North links to Metro Line 1 and BRT. Check the station on your ticket before you book. Pullman writes that Xiamen North station is 20 km and a 40-minute drive away.
The hotels, by what each site says
This table uses only the distances and times each hotel's site gives, checked on 16 October 2026. A dash means the site gives none; it does not mean near or far.
| Hotel | Distance or time per its site | Other details |
|---|---|---|
| Mercure Xiamen On the Bund | Lundu bus station 50 m; Zhongshan Road and Gulangyu close by | 159 rooms (per the page); all-day restaurant |
| ibis Styles Zhongshan Rd | At 318 Zhongshan Road | Free Wi-Fi; breakfast buffet |
| Grand Mercure Downtown | Xiamen station 2.1 km, a 10-minute drive | 151 rooms and suites; walk to the Paragon mall |
| Novotel International Convention Center | Station 10 km, 25 minutes by car; Lundu pier 18 km, 35 minutes | 147 rooms; walk to Guanyinshan beach |
| ibis Xiamen Kaiyuan | 200 m from the railway station; 25 minutes by car to Gaoqi airport | Restaurant and bar |
| Pullman Powerlong | 10 minutes by car to the high-speed station and the Gulangyu pier; 40 minutes to the north station | Heated pool and gym; in Bailuzhou Park |
| Fairmont Xiamen | Xiamen station 6 km, 20 minutes; 15 minutes to the airport | 405 rooms; opened April 2025 |
| Novotel Xiamen Downtown | - | 165 rooms; heated pool and gym |
| Pan Pacific Xiamen | 25 minutes by car from Gaoqi airport | Rooms and serviced apartments |
| Marco Polo Xiamen | 20 minutes by car from Gaoqi airport | 300 rooms; Yundang Lake views |
Our reading: for easy ferry crossings and Zhongshan Road, look first at Mercure On the Bund and ibis Styles; for a one-night stop off the train, ibis Kaiyuan; for a lakeside hotel, Pullman, Marco Polo and Pan Pacific.
The 10 hotels checked against their own sites
The cards below show what each hotel's site says, checked on 16 October 2026, with highlights and cautions but no room rates and no review scores. Eight hotels are Accor's, one is Pan Pacific and one is Marco Polo. We could not open the sites of Hilton, IHG, Marriott or Hyatt hotels on the day, because the sites refused automated access, so none of those chains are on this list. That says nothing about their quality. We have not checked hotels on Gulangyu or near Xiamen North station.
Hand-picked places to stay
Examples of established Xiamen hotels, spread across areas and budget bands. Every fact below was checked against the hotel's own website or a reputable source on 2026-10-16 and links to that source. We have not stayed at these places and give no ratings; we show no prices because rates change daily. The band is the property class (hostel or guesthouse, mid-range, upscale), not a live price.
| Hotel | Area | Band | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercure Xiamen On the Bund | Lujiang Avenue, Siming (Zhongshan Road and Gulangyu ferry area) | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a mid-range chain hotel near the Zhongshan Road area and the Gulangyu ferry district. |
| ibis Styles Xiamen Zhongshan Rd Walking Street Hotel | Zhongshan Road, Siming | Budget | It suits budget-minded travellers who want to sleep on Zhongshan Road and walk to the old shopping street and the ferry area. |
| Grand Mercure Xiamen Downtown | Jiahe Road, Siming (central, near Paragon Shopping Center) | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a premium-chain hotel in the central part of the island with a short drive to Xiamen railway station. |
| Novotel Xiamen International Convention Center | Kaohsiung Road, Huandao Road east (Guanyin Mountain beach side) | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want to be on the east side of the island near the Guanyin Mountain beach and use Huandao Road for sights along the coast. |
| ibis Xiamen Kaiyuan | Xiahe Road, Siming (next to Xiamen railway station) | Budget | It suits budget travellers arriving or leaving by train at Xiamen railway station who want a short walk to the hotel. |
| Pullman Xiamen Powerlong | Hubin Middle Road, Yundang Lake / Bailuzhou Park | Upscale | It suits travellers who want an upscale lakeside hotel with park views and a short drive to the Gulangyu ferry area. |
| Fairmont Xiamen | Wuyuan Bay, Huli District (north-east of the island) | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a new upscale bay hotel in the north-east of the island, close to the airport, and do not mind being away from the old town. |
| Novotel Xiamen Downtown | Hubin East Road, Siming (near Yundang Lake) | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a mid-range hotel with a pool in the Hubin area between the old town and the north of the island. |
| Pan Pacific Xiamen | Hubin North Road, financial district, Siming | Upscale | It suits travellers who want an upscale hotel or serviced apartment in the Hubin business district with space to cook and do laundry on a longer stay. |
| Marco Polo Xiamen | Jianye Road, Yundang Lake, Siming | Upscale | It suits travellers who want an upscale lakeside hotel with lake-view rooms near a coffee and bar street. |
Mercure Xiamen On the Bund
- The page says Lundu Bus Station is 50 m away and that Zhongshan Road Walking Street and Gulangyu Island are nearby. [Source]
- The hotel is on Lujiang Street and surrounded by shopping malls. [Source]
- The address is 96 Lujiang Avenue, Siming District. [Source]
- The all-day restaurant on level 3 is open 7.00am to midnight. [Source]
- Check-in is from 12:00 PM and check-out up to 12:00 PM. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a mid-range chain hotel near the Zhongshan Road area and the Gulangyu ferry district.
Keep in mind: The page says 'nearby' for Gulangyu and Zhongshan Road without giving walking times to the ferry terminals; check the map, because day ferries for visitors leave from a different terminal.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
ibis Styles Xiamen Zhongshan Rd Walking Street Hotel
- The page says the hotel is on bustling Zhongshan Road in Siming District. [Source]
- The page lists free wireless internet, a breakfast buffet and a Smart TV with international channels. [Source]
- The address is 318 Zhongshan Rd. [Source]
- Check-in is from 02:00 PM and check-out up to 12:00 PM. [Source]
Suits: It suits budget-minded travellers who want to sleep on Zhongshan Road and walk to the old shopping street and the ferry area.
Keep in mind: The page gives no walking time to the ferry terminals or any station, and the street is a busy walking-street area, so check noise and the route with luggage.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Grand Mercure Xiamen Downtown
- The page says the hotel has 151 guest rooms and duplex suites. [Source]
- The page says it is at the centre of Xiamen within walking distance of Paragon Shopping Center. [Source]
- The access section lists Xiamen railway station 2.1 km, a 10-minute drive. [Source]
- The address is 128 Jiahe Rd, Siming District. [Source]
- The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner buffets. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a premium-chain hotel in the central part of the island with a short drive to Xiamen railway station.
Keep in mind: It is not on the waterfront or Zhongshan Road; the page gives a car time to the railway station but its sentence about the airport, Gulangyu ferry and Zhongshan Road is unclear about where the 20 minutes starts, so check the map.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Novotel Xiamen International Convention Center
- The page says guests can walk to Guanyin Mountain Beach and Guanyin Mountain Fantasy Park. [Source]
- The page lists Ring Island Road, Yefeng Village, Zengcuoan, Nanputuo Temple and Xiamen University as sights to the south. [Source]
- The page says the hotel has 147 rooms and suites. [Source]
- The address is 1 Kaohsiung Road, Siming District. [Source]
- The access section lists Xiamen railway station at 10 km, a 25-minute drive. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want to be on the east side of the island near the Guanyin Mountain beach and use Huandao Road for sights along the coast.
Keep in mind: The page lists the Lundu ferry at 18 km and a 35-minute drive, so Gulangyu and Zhongshan Road are a longer trip from here than from a downtown hotel.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
ibis Xiamen Kaiyuan
- The page says the hotel is 200 m from the railway station and close to Xiamen University, South Putuo Temple, Zhongshan Road and Gulangyu. [Source]
- The page says it is a 25-minute drive from Gaoqi Airport. [Source]
- The address is 870 Xiahe Road, Siming District. [Source]
- The page says the south plaza of Xiamen station reopened after a year of refurbishment and is a 5-minute walk to the hotel. [Source]
Suits: It suits budget travellers arriving or leaving by train at Xiamen railway station who want a short walk to the hotel.
Keep in mind: The reopening sentence on the page gives 'Feb 4th' without a year, so check the current station exit; the page does not say how far the hotel is from Gulangyu ferry terminals.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Pullman Xiamen Powerlong
- The Chinese description says the hotel is inside Egret Island Park beside the lake. [Source]
- The Chinese description says the hotel is about 10 minutes by car from the high-speed rail station and the Gulangyu pier. [Source]
- The address is 133 Hubin Middle Road. [Source]
- The access section lists Xiamen North station at 20 km, a 40-minute drive. [Source]
- The description says the gym and a heated pool are available. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want an upscale lakeside hotel with park views and a short drive to the Gulangyu ferry area.
Keep in mind: The page's own distance list shows Gulangyu and Zhongshan Road at about 4 km and a 10-minute drive, not a walk, and Xiamen North station 40 minutes by car.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Fairmont Xiamen
- The page says the hotel is in Wuyuan Bay. [Source]
- The page says it opened in April 2025. [Source]
- The page says it has 405 rooms and suites with bay windows framing harbor views. [Source]
- The address is 325 Donghuang Road, Huli District. [Source]
- The page says it is near the Xiang'an expressway exit and 15 minutes from the airport. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a new upscale bay hotel in the north-east of the island, close to the airport, and do not mind being away from the old town.
Keep in mind: It is far from Zhongshan Road and the Gulangyu ferry, and the page does not name which airport its 15 minutes refers to; the old Gaoqi airport is due to be replaced by Xiang'an airport, so check the airport you fly into.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Novotel Xiamen Downtown
- The Chinese description says the hotel has 165 rooms. [Source]
- The description lists an open lobby, an all-day restaurant, a heated pool and a gym. [Source]
- The address is 347 Hubin East Road, Siming District. [Source]
- The all-day restaurant is on the 5th floor and offers lunch and dinner buffet. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a mid-range hotel with a pool in the Hubin area between the old town and the north of the island.
Keep in mind: The page gives no distances to the railway station, ferry terminals or airport, so check the map before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Pan Pacific Xiamen
- The page says it is in the heart of the financial district. [Source]
- The address is 19 Hubin Bei Road, Siming District. [Source]
- The FAQ says the drive from Gaoqi Airport is about 25 minutes. [Source]
- The page says it has serviced apartments with a kitchen and washer-dryer. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want an upscale hotel or serviced apartment in the Hubin business district with space to cook and do laundry on a longer stay.
Keep in mind: The page does not give distances to the Gulangyu ferry or Zhongshan Road, and its airport time refers to Gaoqi airport, which is due to be replaced.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Marco Polo Xiamen
- The page says the hotel is on Jianye Road, 20 minutes' drive from Gaoqi airport, with 300 rooms and lake views. [Source]
- The address is 8 Jianye Road, Siming District. [Source]
- The page says it is steps from Coffee & Bar Street. [Source]
- The Deluxe Lake View Room text lists complimentary wifi and views of Yundang Lake. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want an upscale lakeside hotel with lake-view rooms near a coffee and bar street.
Keep in mind: The page gives airport time by car but no time to the Gulangyu ferry, and the airport it names is Gaoqi, which is due to be replaced.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Choose by trip type
| Trip | Look first at | Why, from the checked facts |
|---|---|---|
| Gulangyu and Zhongshan Road | Mercure On the Bund, ibis Styles | Lundu bus station 50 m away; on Zhongshan Road |
| Arriving by train for one night | ibis Kaiyuan, Grand Mercure | 200 m from the station; a 10-minute drive |
| Families wanting a pool | Pullman, Novotel Downtown | Both sites mention a heated pool and gym |
| Beach and the ring road | Novotel Convention Center | Walk to Guanyinshan beach |
| New upscale hotel near the airport | Fairmont Xiamen | Opened April 2025; 15 minutes to the airport (Gaoqi) |
| Lakeside, longer stays | Marco Polo, Pan Pacific | Yundang Lake views; serviced apartments with kitchen and laundry |
Check before you book
- Look at a map for the route from the station and the pier to the hotel, because some hotels give times by car, not on foot.
- Check whether your flight lands at Gaoqi or Xiang'an and ask the hotel about transfers.
- Check check-in time, cancellation terms and fees on the real booking page. The ibis Kaiyuan page describes the station's south square without a year, so check the latest exit.
- For Gulangyu, buy ferry tickets through official channels; see the Gulangyu page. For the tulou, see the Fujian Tulou page, and for the temple, the Nanputuo Temple page.
Frequently asked questions
Which area of Xiamen should I stay in?
To cross to Gulangyu and walk Zhongshan Road, stay around Lujiang or Zhongshan Road. If you arrive at Xiamen station, look near the station. For big lakeside or seaside hotels, see the area table.
Which hotel is closest to the Gulangyu pier?
Mercure Xiamen On the Bund writes that the Lundu bus station is 50 m away and that Gulangyu is close by. Pullman writes about a 10-minute drive to the Gulangyu pier. Check the pier on your ticket, because day boats leave from several piers.
Which hotel is closest to the railway station?
ibis Xiamen Kaiyuan writes 200 m from the station, and Grand Mercure Downtown writes a 10-minute drive to Xiamen station. Check the station on your ticket, because most high-speed trains stop at Xiamen North, per Wikivoyage.
Where can I find a budget hotel?
The list has ibis Styles on Zhongshan Road and ibis Kaiyuan near the station. We show no prices, so add your dates and compare.
Are there hotels on Gulangyu?
Yes, but we have not checked their own sites, so we name none. The Kulangsu committee's public-service site has a page of guest houses and small hotels, but it is undated and we did not check whether they are open.
How much are rooms?
We show no prices, because prices change by date and room. Add your dates to the booking links and compare.
Does the new airport matter for choosing a hotel?
Yes. Every hotel page quotes its airport time from Gaoqi, which is planned to close and move to Xiang'an at the end of 2026. Check the airport on your ticket and ask the hotel about transfers.
How this compares
We opened China Highlights' where-to-stay page for Xiamen and Lonely Planet's Xiamen page. China Highlights names three areas and picks hotels in each, but it sells tours and hotel packages, and in the text we read it did not give the distance from each hotel to the pier or the station as the hotel's own site states it. Lonely Planet's page is a hub. This page lists 10 hotels with the distances their own sites state, marks where a site gives none, and warns that airport times assume Gaoqi.
Links on this page and our earnings
The search buttons open the providers' own search pages. As of 17 October 2026 we have no registered affiliate link for Xiamen hotels and earn nothing from them yet. We have not compared prices; you can also book direct on the hotel sites listed above. Our disclosure page explains how affiliate links work and what we never do.
See also
- Xiamen travel guide
- Gulangyu: ferry, tickets and how to get there
- Fujian Tulou from Xiamen
- Nanputuo Temple
Official sources and further reading
- Accor: Mercure Xiamen On the Bund
- Accor: ibis Styles Xiamen Zhongshan Rd Walking Street
- Accor: Grand Mercure Xiamen Downtown
- Accor: Novotel Xiamen International Convention Center
- Accor: ibis Xiamen Kaiyuan
- Accor: Pullman Xiamen Powerlong
- Accor: Fairmont Xiamen
- Accor: Novotel Xiamen Downtown
- Pan Pacific Xiamen (official site)
- Marco Polo Xiamen (official site)
- Wikivoyage: Xiamen (areas and transport; not official)
- Wikivoyage: Xiamen Island (not official)
- Xinhua: Xiang'an airport opening planned for the end of 2026 (21 Jan 2026)
- China Highlights: Where to Stay in Xiamen (benchmark, read 17 Oct 2026)
- Lonely Planet: Xiamen (benchmark, read 17 Oct 2026)
Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
