Wuhan hotel guest discovers hidden stairwell behind wall decor

A female guest staying at the Melo River View High-rise Hotel in Wuhan discovered a hollow space containing a staircase behind a large decorative painting in her room on October 17. The guest reported that after accidentally hitting the painting, she removed it to find a void that appeared to lead to a stairwell.

The hotel management clarified that the space is a maintenance area used for housing electric water heaters. They stated that the stairs were installed for engineering inspections and that the area had been previously sealed to prevent access from the guest room, though the painting was used to conceal the maintenance hatch.

Following the incident, the guest posted a negative review on a booking platform. The hotel reportedly offered a full refund on the condition that the negative review be removed, a proposal the guest rejected. The hotel has since pledged to install clear signage and improve safety inspections, though they stated they will not permanently seal the maintenance access.