Room Service and Housekeeping Phrases for Chinese Hotels
Room service in China is usually a phone call to a housekeeping or service number printed on the desk card, not a menu hook by the door. The line is answered in Mandarin more often than English, so a couple of set phrases carry you a long way.
The same desk handles everything from a tray of food to fresh towels to a wake-up call. Name what you want, give the room number, and expect it to arrive in twenty minutes or less.
Useful phrases
- 我要叫客房服务。I'd like to call for room service.
客房服务 (kèfáng fúwù) covers food, towels and repairs alike. Dial the service number on the desk card rather than the front desk if one is listed.
- 可以送餐到房间吗？Can you deliver food to my room?
送餐 (sòngcān) is food delivery. Big hotels run a full menu; smaller ones may only send what the kitchen has ready, so ask what is available.
- 有送餐服务吗？Do you have room service?
Not every hotel does, and a budget one may not. If the answer is no, delivery apps like Meituan reach most doorsteps, though drivers often need the lobby to collect.
- 我想点餐。I'd like to order food.
点餐 (diǎn cān) is to order a meal. Read the item names off the in-room menu so the kitchen can match them exactly.
- 请送两瓶水。Please send two bottles of water.
瓶 (píng) is the measure word for bottles. Ask whether the water is free — tap water is not for drinking in China, and bottles are often restocked daily at no charge.
- 要等多久？How long is the wait?
Ask this before you hang up so you know whether to shower first. A twenty-minute estimate for a hot dish is normal in a busy hotel.
- 请送早餐到房间。Please bring breakfast to my room.
Useful on an early departure day when the buffet has not opened. Some hotels charge a tray fee; ask before you order.
- 我需要叫醒服务。I'd like a wake-up call.
叫醒服务 (jiàoxǐng fúwù) is still common and reliable. Give the exact time and the room number, and do not rely on your phone alarms across a time zone change.
- 请帮我打扫房间。Please clean my room.
Housekeeping usually works the corridor in the morning. Ask for a specific time if you plan to be out, or they may knock while you are still asleep.
- 帮我洗衣服。Please do my laundry.
Hotel laundry is priced per item and is not cheap. For a cheaper wash, ask the desk where the nearest laundry shop (洗衣店) is instead.
- 可以加一张床吗？Can I add an extra bed?
加 (jiā) means to add. Hotels may charge for a rollaway bed, and small rooms often cannot fit one, so ask before you book the room for three.
- 请再送一条毯子。Please send one more blanket.
毯子 (tǎnzi) is a blanket. Northern hotels heat well and thin blankets, so ask for an extra duvet if the room runs warm at night.
- 有拖鞋吗？Do you have slippers?
Most Chinese hotels expect guests to take off shoes indoors and supply slippers. If yours are missing, ask; they are usually free.
Quick cultural tip
Slippers, kettles and the indoor rule
Chinese hotel rooms almost always come with slippers by the door, and it is normal to wear them inside. The kettle on the desk is for boiling water for tea, not for leftovers, and bottled water is restocked for free every day.
A quick call beats a long wait. Order food and laundry in the morning if you can, because housekeeping staff thin out after dark and evening requests take much longer to reach your door.