酒店 (jiǔ diàn) literally means 'alcohol shop', since 酒 (jiǔ) means 'alcoholic beverage' and 店 (diàn) means 'shop' or 'store'. Historically, many shops serving alcohol also provided lodging, especially along ancient trade routes—this functional overlap led the term to evolve into its modern meaning: 'hotel'. Today, 酒店 refers specifically to establishments offering overnight accommodation, often with amenities like restaurants, conference rooms, and room service. It is the standard, neutral term used across mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore for commercial lodging facilities.

Unlike 宾馆 (bīn guǎn) — which sounds slightly more formal or traditional — or 旅馆 (lǚ guǎn), which implies simpler, budget-oriented accommodation, 酒店 typically suggests mid- to high-end service and infrastructure. It’s commonly seen on signage, booking apps, and travel guides, and is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts.