Essential hotel check-in sentences in Chinese
Greetings and Reservation
- Nǐ hǎo – Hello 5
- Wǒ yǒu yùdìng – I have a reservation 5
- Wǒ xiǎng rùzhù – I would like to check in 5
- Wǒ yùdìng le yī jiān shuāngrén fáng – I booked a double room 3
These four phrases are enough to begin most hotel check-ins in mainland China, Taiwan, and other Mandarin-speaking settings. In practice, hotel staff often respond quickly once they hear yǒu yùdìng (“have a reservation”) because that immediately signals what kind of service is needed.
A natural pronunciation detail matters here: rùzhù has a falling tone on zhù, and yùdìng is pronounced with the fourth tone on dìng. Clear tone control helps these high-frequency words stand out, especially in a noisy lobby.
Providing Information
- Qǐngwèn nín de míngzì shì? – May I have your name? 5
- Wǒ de míngzì shì… – My name is… 5
- Qǐng gěi wǒ nín de hùzhào – Please show me your passport 5
- Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào – Here is my passport 5
Hotel staff commonly ask for the guest’s name first, then a passport or ID. In Chinese, hùzhào specifically means “passport,” while hotels may also ask for shēnfènzhèng for domestic check-ins in mainland China. The wording varies by country and hotel policy, but the function is the same: confirm identity before handing over the room card.
The phrase Qǐng gěi wǒ nín de hùzhào is polite and direct, but it is more literally “Please give me your passport.” In real conversation, staff may say it as Qǐng gěi wǒ kàn yíxià nín de hùzhào, meaning “Please let me take a look at your passport,” which sounds slightly softer.
Room and Key
- Qǐng gěi wǒ fángjiān yàoshi – Please give me the room key 5
- Nín de fángjiān hào shì 1702 – Your room number is 1702 2
- Wǒ de fángjiān zài nǎlǐ? – Where is my room? 5
- Fángjiān zài èr lóu – The room is on the second floor 5
In many modern hotels, the “room key” is actually a fángkǎ (房卡), a card key, rather than a metal key. Staff may say Zhè shì nín de fángkǎ — “Here is your room card.” That word is worth learning because it appears constantly in hotel and apartment building check-ins.
Room numbers are usually spoken digit by digit when needed. For example, 1702 may be understood as yī qī líng èr rather than “seventeen oh two” in the English style. If the number matters, repeating it back is a good habit, especially because Chinese and English group numbers differently.
Services and Facilities
- Yǒu méiyǒu wúxiàn wǎngluò? – Is there Wi-Fi available? 5
- Wi-Fi mìmǎ shì shénme? – What is the Wi-Fi password? 6
- Zǎocān shì jǐ diǎn dào jǐ diǎn? – What time is breakfast served? 2
- Kěyǐ tíɡōnɡ zǎocān ma? – Can you provide breakfast? 2
These are the most practical follow-up questions after check-in. Wúxiàn wǎngluò is a general term for wireless internet, but many hotels simply say Wi‑Fi in the English form, especially in international hotels. The word mìmǎ means “password,” and it is one of the most common hotel vocabulary items after fángkǎ and hùzhào.
For breakfast, zǎocān means breakfast, and jǐ diǎn dào jǐ diǎn asks for a start and end time. That structure is useful beyond hotels because it appears in schedules for restaurants, tours, and transportation too.
Pronunciation Notes
Chinese hotel phrases are short, but they rely on tone and vowel clarity. A few words are especially worth getting clean:
- yùdìng: reservation
- rùzhù: check in / stay
- hùzhào: passport
- fángkǎ: room card
- mìmǎ: password
In fast speech, qǐng (“please”) often sounds less separate and more like a light introduction to the request. That makes the request feel natural rather than overly formal.
Check-In Dialogue Example
Guest: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ yǒu yùdìng, wǒ de míngzì shì Li Míng – Hello, I have a reservation, my name is Li Ming 5
Staff: Qǐng shāo děng, zhèngzài chá xún – Please wait a moment, I’m checking 5
Staff: Qǐng gěi wǒ nín de hùzhào – Please show me your passport 5
Guest: Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào – Here is my passport 5
Staff: Zhè biān qǐng, zhè shì nín de fángkǎ – This way please, here is your room card