The emphasis of this study lies in analyzing and discovering the expression characteristics of Chinese and local traditional cultures for five-star hotel lobbies in Qingdao region. Ten five-star hotels are selected as investigation objectives. From the overall perspective, the investigation result shows that the local expression cases only accounted for a third of all Chinese traditional expression cases, which means it is lack of local regional expression. From the traditional expression approach perspective, the investigation results of this research focus on two main parts. First, as to traditional replication, it was mainly embodies with traditional decoration and furniture. Second, for traditional transformation, it was mainly embodies with substitute materials, which may have directly shape changes, prototype shape stretching, or directly integrating the traditional elements. Only three cases of local traditional culture can be observed in the investigation process. The traditional interpretation is to express the design by using the abstract, symbolic or metaphor. Usually people cannot directly understand the traditional prototype. Traditional reinterpretation in traditional Chinese expressions is less than traditional reproduction or traditional transformation, but in local cultural expressions, traditional interpretations have the same numerical results as traditional reproduction. Reinterpretation is a positive expression of traditional modernization, which is an encouraging result. Third, until now, the traditional elements in local cultural expression are not obviously. This requires an in-depth study of local culture, to find the most traditional cultural characteristics of the local elements. Furthermore, it requires choosing the appropriate performance methods to integrate with modern hotel.