7 Days Inn
A Chinese budget hotel chain serving value-conscious business and leisure travelers.
Last updated October 9, 2026
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Overview
7 Days Inn, also known in Chinese as 7天酒店, is a Chinese budget and economy hotel brand established in Guangzhou in 2005. It was created during a period when China’s rapid urbanization, expanding domestic travel market, and growth in online reservations were supporting the development of standardized hotel chains. The brand’s proposition has centered on accessible accommodation, recognizable operating standards, convenient locations, and a relatively simple service model for short stays. Its core customers include business travelers, domestic tourists, students and other price-sensitive guests seeking a dependable room rather than a full-service hotel experience. The brand began with five hotels in two cities in 2005. It expanded through a combination of directly operated and franchised or managed properties, supported by chain branding, reservation infrastructure, and a membership-oriented customer relationship model. By the time its parent company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2009, the network had reached 283 hotels in 41 cities. Continued expansion made 7 Days Inn one of the most visible names in China’s economy-hotel market. By the end of 2014, the chain was reported to have approximately 2,000 hotels in 320 Chinese cities. 7 Days Inn’s corporate history includes substantial outside investment, a public-market period, a management and ownership transition, and integration into a larger hotel portfolio. Warburg Pincus invested in the business in 2006, followed by additional investment involving Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Warburg Pincus in 2007. Actis Capital led another financing round in 2008. Despite losses before its public offering, the company completed an American Depositary Share offering in New York in 2009. In July 2013, the founders and private-equity investors led by Carlyle Group and Sequoia Capital took the company private for a reported US$688 million. The business subsequently became associated with Plateno Hotels Group. In 2015, Jinjiang Hotels acquired an 81 percent interest in Keystone Lodging, the holding company of Plateno Hotels, thereby gaining control of the broader group and its 7 Days Inn brand. The brand remains positioned as an economy accommodation network rather than a luxury, resort, or full-service hospitality concept. Its primary offering is standardized guest-room accommodation, with the value proposition built around basic amenities, cleanliness, location, booking access, and price-conscious travel. The chain has historically operated across many Chinese cities and, according to the referenced Wikipedia material, has expanded internationally to Malaysia, including properties in Malacca, Raub, and Brinchang. Exact current hotel counts, ownership of individual properties, and the legal allocation of operations among Jinjiang, Plateno, Keystone, and local operating entities are not established in the supplied material and may vary over time.
History
7 Days Inn was founded in Guangzhou in 2005 as an economy-hotel chain aimed at China’s growing market for affordable, standardized lodging. Its initial operating footprint consisted of five hotels in two cities. The business model emphasized replicable hotel standards, a recognizable chain identity, basic room amenities, accessible pricing, and reservation and membership channels that could connect customers with properties across a growing urban network. The chain attracted private-equity and institutional backing as China’s budget-hotel sector developed. Warburg Pincus invested US$10 million in 2006. In 2007, Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Warburg Pincus supplied a further combined investment reported at US$95 million. Actis Capital led a US$65 million investment in 2008, again with Warburg Pincus participating. These financings supported the company’s expansion, although the business was not yet profitable: reported losses were RMB209.9 million in 2008 and RMB9.3 million during the first three quarters of 2009. Despite those losses, the company pursued an international capital-market listing. In September 2009, its parent issued 10.1 million American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange. The shares represented 20.6 percent of the company and were offered at US$11 each, producing reported gross proceeds of US$111.1 million. At that point the chain had grown to 283 hotels in 41 cities, and Nanyan Zheng was identified as chief executive officer. The public listing gave the company access to capital for further network development, but the brand later returned to private ownership. In July 2013, the founders—Boquan He, Nanyan Zheng, Chien Lee, and Qiong Zhang—together with Carlyle Group and Sequoia Capital took 7 Days Inn private in a reported US$688 million transaction. Following the transaction, 7 Days Inn became part of the Plateno Hotels Group structure and ceased to be listed on the NYSE. The transition placed the brand within a broader multi-brand hospitality platform rather than leaving it as a standalone public company. The ownership structure changed again in 2015, when Jinjiang Hotels acquired an 81 percent interest in Keystone Lodging, the holding company of Plateno Hotels. This gave Jinjiang control of the corporate group associated with 7 Days Inn and connected the brand to a much larger hotel portfolio. By the end of 2014, before that acquisition, the chain was reported to have approximately 2,000 hotels in 320 cities, illustrating the scale reached during its principal domestic expansion phase. 7 Days Inn has also pursued visibility beyond China. It has been identified as a sponsor of OGC Nice, the French football club. The supplied reference material further reports an expansion into Malaysia, with branches in Malacca, Raub, and Brinchang. The precise current network, operating-company arrangements, and management status of individual hotels are not specified in the available references. The brand is therefore best described as an active Chinese-origin economy hotel chain within the Plateno and Jinjiang-related hospitality structure, with operations historically concentrated in China and some reported international presence.
- 2026
Reported Malaysian expansion
[1]The supplied reference reports branches in Malacca, Raub, and Brinchang, Malaysia.
- 2015
Jinjiang gains control of Keystone Lodging
[1]Jinjiang Hotels acquired an 81 percent interest in Keystone Lodging, the holding company associated with Plateno Hotels and 7 Days Inn.
- 2014
Large domestic network reported
[1]By the end of the year, the chain was reported to have approximately 2,000 hotels in 320 cities.
- 2013
Take-private transaction
[1]The founders and private-equity investors completed a reported US$688 million buyout, after which the company became part of the Plateno Hotels Group.
- 2009
NYSE listing
[1]The parent company listed American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange after reaching 283 hotels in 41 cities.
- 2008
Actis-led financing round
[1]Actis Capital led a reported US$65 million investment round, with Warburg Pincus also participating.
- 2007
Additional institutional financing
[1]Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Warburg Pincus made further investments totaling a reported US$95 million.
- 2006
Warburg Pincus investment
[1]Warburg Pincus invested a reported US$10 million in the chain.
- 2005
Brand founded in Guangzhou
[1]7 Days Inn was established in Guangzhou and entered China’s developing economy-hotel market with five hotels in two cities.
Products and positioning
An accessible, standardized economy lodging brand for mass-market business, short-stay, and leisure travelers.
Hotel accommodation · 2005
Economy hotel accommodation
The brand’s principal product is budget hotel accommodation for short stays. Rooms are designed around the practical needs of price-sensitive guests, particularly business travelers and domestic tourists. The proposition emphasizes basic amenities, cleanliness, recognizable chain standards, convenient locations, and access through booking channels rather than extensive food, conference, resort, or luxury services.
Branded hotel rooms · 2005
7 Days Inn branded guest rooms
Branded rooms form the core property-level offering across the chain’s network. They provide a consistent economy lodging experience under the 7 Days Inn name, although the precise facilities and operating arrangements can differ by property and local operator. The rooms serve business trips, short urban visits, and value-oriented leisure travel.
Hotel distribution and loyalty services
Reservation and membership services
The chain’s operating model includes reservation access and membership-oriented customer services that help repeat guests discover and book properties across the network. These services support the brand’s chain proposition by linking individual hotels to a common customer and booking system.
Controversies
2022
Dalian franchise hotel quilt bloodstain complaint triggers hygiene investigation
From June to July 2022, a guest publicly said that large bloodstains were found on the quilt core at the 7 Days Inn Wafangdian Railway Station branch in Dalian. Jiemian News reported that the Shenzhen company of 7 Days Inn set up a special team to check hygiene management. This entry records a complaint about a specific branch and the brand's investigation, and does not extend to all branches having the same problem.
2018
Undercover inspections find hygiene and cleaning failures at Guangzhou budget hotels
In 2018, media conducted undercover inspections of 10 budget hotels in Guangzhou and reported that some guest supplies and sanitary facilities were found to have excessive bacteria or pathogenic bacteria, involving specific properties of 7 Days Inn, Hanting and others. The tests described in the report reflect the sampled cases and cannot be used to infer that all hotels of the same brands nationwide were substandard; the Huazhu connection refers to its Hanting business.
Losses before and after 2009 NYSE listing
Marketing campaigns
- OGC Nice sponsorship
France · China
7 Days Inn has been reported as a sponsor of OGC Nice, using association with a French football club to increase brand visibility beyond its hotel network.
Outcome. The available reference confirms the sponsorship but does not specify its contract period, expenditure, or measured commercial outcome.
Brand decisions
2015
Jinjiang acquires control of the Plateno-related holding companyM&ABackground
The 7 Days Inn brand was associated with Plateno Hotels through Keystone Lodging, creating an opportunity for integration into a larger hospitality group.
Action taken
Jinjiang Hotels acquired an 81 percent interest in Keystone Lodging for a reported RMB8.3 billion.
Aftermath
Jinjiang gained control of the holding company associated with Plateno Hotels and thereby controlled the broader group containing 7 Days Inn.
Purchase price. RMB8.3 billion (2015)
2013
Take the company private and join the Plateno structureM&ABackground
The founders and financial sponsors sought to remove 7 Days Inn from the public market after its period as a NYSE-listed company.
Action taken
The founder group, Carlyle Group, and Sequoia Capital completed a reported US$688 million take-private transaction and placed 7 Days Inn within Plateno Hotels Group.
Aftermath
7 Days Inn was no longer listed on the NYSE and operated within a broader hotel-group portfolio.
Take-private transaction value. US$688 million (July 2013)
2009
Proceed with a U.S. public listing despite pre-listing lossesOtherBackground
The company reported losses in 2008 and during the first three quarters of 2009, but had expanded to 283 hotels in 41 cities and sought capital for continued growth.
Action taken
The parent company issued 10.1 million American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange at US$11 per share.
Aftermath
The offering reportedly raised US$111.1 million and established a public-market phase that ended when the company was taken private in 2013.
IPO gross proceeds. US$111.1 million (September 2009)
Recent events
- 2026
7 Days Inn expands into Malaysia[1]
Other
The referenced material reports expansion to Malaysian locations including Malacca, Raub, and Brinchang.
- 2015
Jinjiang Hotels acquires control of Keystone Lodging[1]
M&A
Jinjiang Hotels bought an 81 percent interest in Keystone Lodging, the holding company of Plateno Hotels and the parent organization associated with 7 Days Inn.
- 2013
7 Days Inn is taken private[1]
M&A
The founders, Carlyle Group, and Sequoia Capital completed a reported US$688 million take-private transaction, ending the brand parent’s NYSE listing.
- 2009
7 Days Inn completes New York Stock Exchange offering[1]
Other
The company issued 10.1 million American Depositary Shares, representing 20.6 percent of the company, at US$11 per share and raised a reported US$111.1 million.
- 2008
Actis Capital leads another financing round[1]
Other
Actis Capital led a reported US$65 million investment round in which Warburg Pincus also participated.
- 2007
Further institutional investment supports expansion[1]
Other
Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Warburg Pincus provided a combined additional investment reported at US$95 million.
- 2006
Warburg Pincus invests in 7 Days Inn[1]
Other
Warburg Pincus invested US$10 million in the developing Chinese budget-hotel chain.
7 Days Inn sponsors OGC Nice[1]
Campaign
The brand has been reported as a sponsor of French football club OGC Nice.
Sources6 sources
- 17 Days Innen.wikipedia.org
- 27 Days Inn corporate website7daysinn.cn
- 3锦江酒店(中国区)官网jinjianghotels.com.cn
- 4锦江酒店（中国区）简介jinjianghotels.com.cn
- 5Undercover inspections find hygiene and cleaning failures at Guangzhou budget hotelsthepaper.cn
- 6Dalian franchise hotel quilt bloodstain complaint triggers hygiene investigationjiemian.com
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