The fire broke out early this morning in a barbershop on the ground floor of a building in the provincial capital of the eastern Anhui Province.
The blaze then spread to the Chenguang Inn located on the second floor, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
There were seven lodgers at the hotel -- all university students -- in the inn when the fire broke out.
Four of them managing to escape but three were killed.
Two of those who survived sustained respiratory organ injuries, a police officer said.
The fire was extinguished after 20 minutes.