"Living Like a King": US$41 for 24 Hours at a China Spa — Even CNN Came to Investigate

On October 19, CNN published an alluring feature article titled: "Saunas and Diving: Visiting China's Unconventional 24-Hour Mega Bathhouses." For decades, public bathing culture has been the undisputed gold standard of Asian leisure tourism—from South Korean jjimjilbangs to Japanese onsens. Today, China's luxury mega-spas are taking center stage, with overseas tourists wheeling their suitcases straight from airport arrivals to bathhouse lobbies.

Data from a UK-based spa booking platform reveals that in 2026, Chinese cities claimed four of the top five global rankings for trending spa destinations, with search volume for Shanghai hot springs skyrocketing 67% year-on-year. On TikTok, videos tagged #24HourSpasInChina routinely generate tens of millions of views. The transformation of American, European, and South Korean bloggers—moving from initial culture shock to total surrender inside plush bathrobes—has become viral gold. Some venues report that their temporary luggage storage rooms are overflowing as travelers head directly to bathhouses upon landing.

Left: A viral TikTok video titled "24 hour Spas in China are life changing" boasts 281,000 likes; Right: Russian vlogger Vladimir reviews a Northeast Chinese bathhouse. (Source: Huaren Headlines screenshot)

"Why Doesn't My Country Have Spas Like This?"

Alina, a Russian livestream strategist living in Beijing, visits thermal bathhouses almost monthly, even during the sweltering heat of summer. "A blogger posted a clip visiting Beijing's No. 9 Hot Spring, and it blew up instantly," she noted, adding that foreign visitors now view Beijing’s bathhouses as the height of cool. Su Yao, a Russian master’s student in Beijing, considers bathhouses her premier choice for hosting visiting friends and family: "Before coming to Beijing, I had no idea Chinese bathhouses were this incredible. Now, whenever friends ask for travel tips, my top recommendation alongside the Great Wall is a Chinese thermal spa!" Her grandmother, who historically disliked traveling, "now insists on visiting China just to experience the baths." Meanwhile, Vladimir, a Russian student at Dalian University of Technology who has visited 25 Chinese cities, remains enchanted by his first visit to a northeastern bathhouse: "Back home, we only have basic saunas. We’ve never seen multi-story leisure complexes of this scale. I was in total awe the entire time."

Screenshot of Russian influencer Alina's social media post titled "SPA IN SHANGHAI I'M SHOCKED." (Source: Huaren Headlines screenshot)

When Anne, an American expat, brought a group of visiting friends to a local spa, their skeptical expressions quickly dissolved into pure relaxation. One friend even purchased a set of signature spa loungewear to take back to the US. Travel vlogger Kif Will summarized the feeling in a quote that went viral: "If I could take one thing back home to America, it would be China’s 24-hour spas... I had the craziest buffet of my life, played PS5, got a massage, and felt like I was living like royalty." Chinese netizens jokingly commented that bathhouses used to feature separate men’s and women’s sections—and now require a dedicated "foreign guests section."

Screenshot of travel vlogger Kif Will's viral social post.

The $41 Disruptive Value Proposition

The driving force behind this craze is an almost unbelievable value proposition. American vlogger Jonathan filmed a 25-minute tour inside a five-story Chengdu wellness complex, marveling throughout: "For $41, you get everything—a library, pool tables, massage suites, sleeping pods, and dedicated quiet zones for overnight stays."

Foreign media outlets did the math: $41 in London barely secures a bunk in a 10-bed hostel dorm; in Manhattan, it covers little more than a coffee and a sandwich. Yet inside a Shanghai mega-spa, that same $41 unlocks thermal baths, traditional body scrubs, unlimited Häagen-Dazs ice cream, and an overnight stay. As one international tourist hilariously summarized in the comments: "The scrub master buffed my skin until I was shining like a brand-new Porsche."

Hongkongers' Favorite "Recharge Spot": The Mega-Complex at Futian Port

China’s modern bathhouse culture did not emerge overnight; public bathing traditions date back to the Han Dynasty and flourished during the Song Dynasty. A major catalyst for the recent viral resurgence is TENZ Spa & Wellness (Tangqis), located right beside Shenzhen’s Futian Port. Renovated and reopened in 2023, this massive 40,000-square-meter, five-story sanctuary features over 300 treatment rooms, free-flowing Häagen-Dazs ice cream, fresh Thai coconuts, Himalayan salt caves, full e-sports arenas, billard lounges, and private movie theaters. Best of all, it sits just a 10-minute walk from the Lok Ma Chau border crossing. With over 30,000 bookings and a 4.5-star rating on Klook, Hongkongers had already made this "futuristic bathhouse" their weekend haven long before global influencers arrived.

Promotional campaign poster for TENZ Spa & Wellness.

A customer photo shared on Klook.

Market demand figures reflect the same momentum. A 2025 McKinsey survey revealed that 94% of Chinese consumers view health and wellness as a top priority. Dr. Iskra, a researcher in healing culture at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, noted that in contemporary China, spending a day at a wellness spa is widely embraced as "a socially validated form of essential self-care." Data from Meituan’s 2026 Bathing Industry Report indicates the sector is accelerating rapidly: in 2025, national bathhouse service orders grew over 30% year-on-year, while searches for "overnight stays at bathhouses" jumped 61%, with Shenyang, Beijing, and Shanghai topping the nation in venue density.

Foreign tourists are shifting their itineraries from historical monuments like the Forbidden City to the immersive everyday comforts of urban bathhouses—favoring authentic, accessible lifestyle experiences over static landmarks. As Li Mengran, spokesperson for Utour Group, aptly put it: "What is ordinary routine to locals is becoming extraordinary luxury to the world."

Chinamaxxing

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At the inaugural Canton Fair in 1957, oil-paper umbrellas and handcrafted lacquerware were the prized hot-sellers. By the 140th edition in 2026, humanoid robots play table tennis with buyers, AI smart glasses translate languages in real time while snapping photos, and solar-paneled sun hats charge devices while streaming music. Over seventy years, the Canton Fair’s exhibition space has expanded from 9,600 square meters to 1.55 million square meters, while buyer attendance surged from 1,200 to over 300,000—solidifying its standing as China’s longest-running, largest, and most lucrative international trade expo.

A humanoid robot rallies in table tennis with an international buyer as crowds of overseas attendees gather behind the barrier to film. (Source: China News Service photo)

Overseas buyers learn about smart wearable products. (Source: Wen Wei Po photo)

By the close of Phase 1 (October 15–19, focused on Advanced Manufacturing), 189,000 overseas buyers from 214 countries and regions had attended in person—a 13.3% year-on-year surge that set an all-time record. If one were to rewind global merchants' "shopping carts" back seven decades, what emerges is the definitive story of "Chinamaxxing"—the evolution of China's manufacturing sector from basic production to high-end intelligent innovation.

The Service Robotics Zone: A Daily Influx of 25,000 Visitors

The most popular destination at this year's expo was the Service Robotics Zone, drawing an average of 25,000 visits per day. High-demand booths required crowd-control barriers, with visitors queuing up to an hour to test medical-grade exoskeleton devices. The most touching moment belonged to Susanna, a stroke survivor and British buyer: assisted by exhibitors, she strapped into an exoskeleton suit, stood up, and took her first slow steps in years, visibly overcome with emotion.

Susanna wears an exoskeleton robotic suit, taking measured steps with mechanical assistance. (Source: China.com photo)

A Singaporean distributor tests an exoskeleton suit on the exhibition floor. (Source: Wen Wei Po photo)

Hassan Al Marzouqi, a buyer from Dubai, could hardly contain his excitement: "These robots are incredibly impressive—I’m ready to buy them on the spot. They have huge potential for educational use in schools and kindergartens back home."

This enthusiasm is backed by hard industrial data: in the first half of 2026, China’s robotics exports reached RMB 24.85 billion—a 359% year-on-year surge—with Chinese manufacturers accounting for over 97% of global humanoid robot shipments.

From "Selling Off-the-Shelf" to "On-Demand Co-Creation"

An even deeper shift is reshaping business models. Huang Jian, co-founder of Lingdu Intelligence, shared: "Clients in the Middle East pointed out their severe water scarcity, so we re-engineered our products." His company’s automated window-cleaning robots consume just one-twentieth of the water required by traditional manual methods; today, Middle Eastern orders account for roughly 30% of the firm's total export sales.

Shi Yonghong, Vice President of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME), highlighted the overarching trend: electromechanical exhibits occupied over 80% of Phase 1 booths, where smart technology, eco-friendly design, and turnkey system solutions have become the new norm for Chinese exports. This edition featured 17 dedicated zones for emerging future industries, showcasing breakthroughs in commercial drones, advanced energy storage, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and next-generation displays. Over 12,000 enterprises exhibited in Phase 1, including more than 6,000 designated high-tech firms, "Little Giant" enterprises, and single-champion manufacturers—an 8.2% year-on-year increase.

Treasure Hunting for Chinese Innovation: Two Supreme Gold Award Winners

The innovation galleries were equally captivating: according to CCTV News, a quadruped robotic panda that walks, jumps, and waves "melted" foreign buyers' hearts; plush AI companions became interactive chat partners; and high-precision 3D printing systems won wide praise for their craftsmanship.

A plush robotic panda from DOBOT Robotics walks on all fours in the main gallery as an international visitor films the demonstration. (Source: CRI Online photo)

This year's Canton Fair Design Awards (CF Awards) recognized 222 products across 174 enterprises, with two Supreme Gold Awards stealing the spotlight: the Zhangxue Motorcycles 820RR—a 135-horsepower superbike accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.81 seconds, whose racing variant currently competes in the World Superbike Championship with five stage victories; and the Zhixun Smart Capsule Gastroscopy System, which requires patients merely to swallow a smart capsule. Guided by a mobile app for magnetic positioning, the device automatically completes a comprehensive stomach scan in 20 minutes without intubation or discomfort.

Side profile of the red Zhangxue Motorcycles 820RR featuring aggressive aerodynamic fairings. (Source: Autohome photo)

The 98-Year-Old "Perfect Attendance Veteran" and a Mobile Payment Code

Human stories best illustrate the expo's enduring appeal. Xue Rongxin, a 98-year-old Singaporean buyer who has attended every single Canton Fair from the 1st to the 140th edition without missing one, is affectionately known as the fair's "Perfect Attendance Grandpa." At this edition, he tested robotic dexterous hands and tried on the latest AI smart glasses: "The Canton Fair is my university—there is something new to learn every single time."

98-year-old Xue Rongxin receives the "70 Years of Canton Fair to the World" commemorative badge and certificate. (Source: New Youth Net photo)

By day, international buyers evaluate cutting-edge robotics across exhibition halls; by night, they explore city streets using mobile payments. WeChat Pay data reveals that in September 2026, mobile scan-to-pay transactions by foreign users in Guangdong surged over 90% year-on-year, demonstrating how trade show traffic directly translates into local consumer spending.

From oil-paper umbrellas and lacquerware to heavy-duty industrial robotics, the 70-year transformation of the Canton Fair shopping cart reflects the evolution of Chinese industry. When an exoskeleton helps a British mother walk again, when Middle Eastern buyers inspire water-efficient cleaning robots, and when a 98-year-old veteran marvels at new technologies, the relationship between China and the world has fundamentally evolved. They are no longer merely buyers and sellers, but co-creators defining the standard of global product excellence. This is the commercial essence of Chinamaxxing: it is not simply that the world needs Chinese products, but that global progress depends on the relentless iteration of Chinese innovation.