Recently, a past interview featuring the popular Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat has resurfaced, shedding light on her remarkable career and lifestyle choices. At 34 years old, the actress, who enjoys a net worth exceeding 100 million yuan, has never purchased a home since her debut in 2010. Instead, she has chosen to live in hotels, a decision that has sparked considerable curiosity and discussion.
In the interview, which was part of the program “Sending One Hundred Girls Home,” Dilraba revealed that since leaving her family at the age of 18 to pursue an acting career, she has consistently opted for hotel accommodations. Not only has she avoided buying property, but renting has never been her primary choice either.
Dilraba explained that her work requires her to travel frequently, logging over 100 flights a year. Her life is entirely dictated by the schedules of various film crews, shoots, and promotional events, leaving her with little time to settle in one city for any length of time. Due to this constant movement, she candidly admitted that she has not yet decided where she would like to eventually settle down. This uncertainty has contributed to her lack of urgency in the pursuit of home ownership, as she humorously questioned, “Why buy a house just to store my suitcase?”
When discussing the long-term experience of living in hotels, Dilraba noted that she has become quite accustomed to this lifestyle. Typically, she travels with a single suitcase, which contains all her essentials, enabling her to work in various cities without hassle. After checking into a hotel room, she can transform the unfamiliar space into a comfortable environment within about 20 minutes, organizing her makeup and clothing to suit her needs.
For Dilraba, the benefits of hotel living extend beyond mere convenience. The services provided by hotels—cleaning, security, utilities, and dining—free her from the time-consuming responsibilities associated with maintaining a home. She appreciates that she does not have to worry about property maintenance or the challenges of being away from home for extended periods.
Interestingly, this interview was recorded in 2019, when a 27-year-old Dilraba reflected on her nine years of living in hotels since she began her career. Recently, netizens unearthed this interview and edited the footage to emphasize her “16 years living in hotels” narrative, which quickly went viral on social media platforms such as Weibo.
As discussions intensified, many netizens began to analyze Dilraba’s lifestyle in light of her substantial wealth of approximately 250 million yuan, contrasting her choice to live in hotels with conventional expectations of property ownership and car purchases.
Amid the growing interest in this topic, some users calculated the costs of long-term stays in upscale hotels. They concluded that while the expenses may appear high, these costs encompass cleaning, security, utilities, and dining; thus minimizing the energy required for property maintenance. Moreover, by staying in hotels, celebrities like Dilraba can avoid the pitfalls of having their private residences exposed, a significant concern for high-profile individuals in the entertainment industry whose work frequently demands mobility.
Dilraba rose to fame for her captivating role in the drama “Eternal Love,” securing her position as a leading lady in the industry by the age of 26. Colleagues from the industry have shared insights into her relentless work ethic. For instance, fellow actress Lou Yixiao noted during a program that those close to her mentioned Dilraba had not taken a single day off in over four years since her debut in 2013. While her celebrity status is undeniable, it comes at the cost of relentless fatigue.
In response to the virality of the claim that Dilraba has been living in hotels for 16 years, some fans have stepped forward to clarify that the footage is from an interview seven years ago. They pointed out that Dilraba has not publicly discussed her housing situation in recent times. Given the current challenges in the film and television industry, where even many top-tier actors find themselves without projects, alongside the ongoing decline in real estate prices across China, it remains uncertain whether Dilraba continues to maintain her hotel lifestyle. The shifting landscape has raised questions about the sustainability of her unique living arrangements in a changing market.