Learn Chinese Phrases for Booking a Hotel

Planning to travel to China but don't know Chinese? This brief guide won't teach you everything about Chinese, but it will give you the basic Chinese phrases you need to book a hotel room.

A hotel is called several things in Chinese. These days, it is most often called a "Fan4 dian4" (if the numbers confuse you, take a quick look at these tutorials about tones and pinyin). However, it can also be called a "bin1 guan3" or "fan4 dian4."

In Chinese, he check-in process is called "deng1 ji4 shou3 xu4" while check-out is called "tui4 fang2."

Just like in the United States, in China there are multiple types of rooms you can get. A room ("fang2 jian1"), can be a single room ("dan1 ren2 fang2") or a double room ("shuang1 ren2 fang2"). A bed is called a "chuang2," and one thing that many Chinese hotels will offer is a cot or extra bed ("jia1 chuang2") that can be added to the room for a charge.

Many Chinese hotels will also provide small convenience items such as a toothbrush ("ya2 shua1") and toothpaste ("ya2 gao1") for each guest.

If you have valuables, you probably will want to keep them in a safe, if the hotel has one. You can ask about if there's a safe ("bao2 xian3 gui4"). If there is a safe in your room, you may get another key ("yao4 shi") in addition to your room key.

Now, here are a couple common Chinese phrases you might use.

I would like to book a hotel room for tonight. "Wo3 xiang3 yu4 yue4 jin1 tian1 wan3 shang4 de fan4 dian4."

I have a reservation. "Wo3 yu4 ding4 le."

Do you have any rooms that are available? "You3 kong1 fang2 ma?"

Can you show me the room, please? "Qing3 gei3 wo3 kan4 kan4 fang2 jian1, hao3 ma?"

Can you please show me another room? "Wo3 ke2 yi3 kan4 yi1 xia4 bie2 de fang2 jian1 ma?"

I'd like a single room. "Wo3 yao4 dan1 ren2 fang2."

I'd like a double room. "Qing3 gei2 wo3 yi1 ge4 shuang1 ren2 fang2."

How long will you be staying? "Zhu4 ji3 tian1?" or "Zhu4 duo1 shao3 tian1?"

I will stay for five days. "Zhu4 wu3 tian1."

Can I go on the Internet at this hotel? "Zhe4 fan4 dian4 neng2 shang4 wang3 ma?"

Can I go on the Internet from my hotel room? "Zhe4 ge4 fan4 dian4 neng2 cong2 fang2 jian1 li3 shang4 wang3 ma?"

The good thing is a lot of Chinese hotels also have someone who speaks English, if you find it hard to communicate. But try your best with these Chinese phrases during your visit to China!