Luxury hotels are criticized for hygiene

Three five-star hotels in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, were punished on Wednesday after authorities found poor hygiene conditions in their guest rooms.

The city's health and family planning commission has not disclosed what penalties were given to the properties, which are operated by Kempinski, Shangri-La and Sheraton.

It comes after undercover video footage emerged online on Tuesday that showed cleaners at the hotels using the same brushes to wipe the toilets, bathtubs, sinks and other surfaces, sparking public concern over cleanliness.