Day 17: At the Hotel — Learn Chinese in 30 Days

What You’ll Learn Today

Checking into a hotel in China is usually smooth — most mid-range and up hotels have English-speaking staff. But knowing a few key phrases will help with requests, problems, and making the most of your stay.

Checking In

我有预订。我叫 [Name]。— Wǒ yǒu yù dìng. Wǒ jiào [Name]. — I have a reservation. My name is [Name].

几点可以入住？— Jǐ diǎn kě yǐ rù zhù? — What time can I check in?

几点需要退房？— Jǐ diǎn xū yào tuì fáng? — What time do I need to check out?

Making Requests

At any point during your stay:

我的房间需要毛巾。— Wǒ de fáng jiān xū yào máo jīn. — My room needs towels.

空调坏了。— Kōng tiáo huài le. — The air conditioning is broken.

Wi-Fi 的密码是什么？— Wi-Fi de mì mǎ shì shén me? — What’s the Wi-Fi password?

我的钥匙丢了。— Wǒ de yào shi diū le. — I’ve lost my key.

Room Types

Chinese	Pinyin	English
单人间	dān rén jiān	Single room
双人间	shuāng rén jiān	Double room
标准间	biāo zhǔn jiān	Standard room
套房	tào fáng	Suite
禁烟房	jìn yān fáng	Non-smoking room

Sentence Patterns

Pattern 1: Requesting a wake-up call

请明天早上七点叫醒我。— Qǐng míng tiān zǎo shang qī diǎn jiào xǐng wǒ. — Please wake me up at 7am tomorrow.

Pattern 2: Asking for late checkout

我可以晚点退房吗？— Wǒ kě yǐ wǎn diǎn tuì fáng ma? — Can I check out a little later?

Pattern 3: Reporting a problem

我的房间有问题。— Wǒ de fáng jiān yǒu wèn tí. — There’s a problem with my room.

Cultural Note

Passport is required for hotel check-in in China — this is a legal requirement, not just a formality. Foreign visitors must register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival; hotels handle this automatically when you show your passport.

Hot water for drinking — many Chinese hotels provide a thermos or electric kettle with hot water for drinking (and for making tea). Tap water is generally not safe to drink directly in most Chinese cities; stick to bottled water or the provided hot water for hot drinks.

Slippers are almost universally provided in Chinese hotels, as wearing shoes inside is considered dirty. Use them.

Practice Exercise

What would you say?

1. You want to check in and give your name.
2. You need more towels.
3. The air conditioning is broken.
4. You want to know the Wi-Fi password.
5. You’d like a non-smoking room.

Answers: 1) 我有预订，我叫___。2) 我需要毛巾。3) 空调坏了。4) Wi-Fi密码是什么？5) 我要一间禁烟房。