Ministry leads checks on luxury hotels after hygiene scandal

Tourism officials and health inspectors have descended on luxury hotels in Beijing and Shanghai as well as across Fujian, Jiangxi and Guizhou provinces to check on hygiene standards.

It comes after a netizen uploaded a series of videos exposing the poor cleaning practices at several high-end accommodations in early November.

Fines have been issued to some of the luxury hotels featured in the videos, while others have been placed under strict supervision by local authorities, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a statement Monday.

It did not provide specifics on which businesses received fines or how much.

The ministry said it has set up teams to inspect hotels on their hygiene standards. Members include staff members from the ministry, China Tourist Hotels Association and local hygiene, fire control and police bureaus.