Hotels that provide gaming infrastructure are becoming popular among young people in China, Yang Feiyue reports.

Yan Ke had a great time with her friends at an esport hotel in Hunan province during her recent winter vacation.

"Although we all can play at home, it's much nicer to play esports with friends face to face," says the 20-year-old who is studying in a college in the provincial capital Changsha. "After all, it gets a bit lonely on your own."

Yan started exploring such hotels in 2020, and has been to several in Hunan and Chongqing. She made the shift from local internet cafes, which she says "were noisy and crowded with strangers, some of whom even smoked (indoor), and I felt very uncomfortable".

She says esport hotels offer computers with better performance and a good time with friends.

Yan and her friends even celebrated at an esport hotel after Edward Gaming became the first team from China to win the League of Legends World Championship by beating South Korea 3 to 2 in the finals on Nov 7.

"We were so excited," Yan says.

Yan and her friends also played popular esports at such hotels, such as the League of Legends.

"I usually stay with four to five of my friends in a room for two nights," she says. "When we are tired of playing, we can rest, or play mahjong and other recreational activities available at esport hotels."

During this year's Spring Festival holiday, esport hotel bookings surged 80 percent as compared to the same period last year, according to the country's major travel agency trip.com Group.