Situations · 16 phrases · 3 min read
Chinese for the hotel
Hotel staff in big cities often speak some English, and a few lines of Chinese still make every exchange quicker. This page runs from arrival to departure.
Checking in
我有预订wǒ yǒu yùdìngI have a reservation
我要办入住wǒ yào bàn rùzhùI'd like to check in
这是我的护照zhè shì wǒ de hùzhàohere's my passportYou will be asked for it every time.
押金多少钱yājīn duōshao qiánhow much is the deposit?A refundable deposit is normal.
The room
几楼jǐ lóuwhich floor?
早餐几点开始zǎocān jǐ diǎn kāishǐwhat time does breakfast start?
无线网密码是多少wúxiànwǎng mìmǎ shì duōshaowhat's the wifi password?
有热水吗yǒu rèshuǐ mais there hot water?
Asking for things
可以换房间吗kěyǐ huàn fángjiān macould I change rooms?
空调坏了kōngtiáo huài lethe air conditioning isn't working了 for a change you did not want, from day 25.
请再给我一条毛巾qǐng zài gěi wǒ yì tiáo máojīnanother towel, please条 is the measure word for long, flexible things.
可以寄存行李吗kěyǐ jìcún xíngli macan I leave my bags here?
Checking out
我要退房wǒ yào tuìfángI'd like to check out
几点退房jǐ diǎn tuìfángwhat time is checkout?
可以晚一点退房吗kěyǐ wǎn yìdiǎn tuìfáng macan I check out a bit later?
请帮我叫出租车qǐng bāng wǒ jiào chūzūchēplease call me a taxi
What nobody tells you
Check before you book
Hotels in mainland China register every foreign guest's passport, and some smaller places are not set up to do it. Big chains and most booking sites make this clear, but it is worth confirming when you book somewhere small, rather than at the desk at midnight.
Keep the hotel card
Ask for a business card with the address in Chinese as soon as you arrive. It is the thing to show a taxi driver on the way back, and it still works when your phone battery does not.