No matter you are planning to come back to Beijing, or already on the way back, anxieties, frustrations, and concerns about having to stay in designated hotels are mounting. If you or your friends are in any group chat with expats, you will have likely seen the question, “Does anyone know what staying in those hotels are like?”, and if you are still abroad, are probably thinking the same thing.
As more information stream in from various people’s experience about staying in these hotels, one common thread that we often see is the undeniable fact that knowing some Chinese will make your experience much easier. So to help you be as comfortable as possible under these circumstances, here are some words and phrases to make your mandatory hotel quarantine bearable.
Before you reach your hotel
The Civil Aviation Administration of China just announced on Mar 22, that starting from 00:00 on Mar 23, Beijing Time, all international passenger flights bound for Beijing will be diverted to the following twelve (12) designated first points of entry: Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Hohhot, Shanghai Pudong, Jinan, Qingdao, Nanjing, Shenyang, Dalian, Zhengzhou and Xi’an. After you arrive in the airport, it is better to be mentally prepare for the unknown, especially for where (which hotel) you will stay for the 14 days quarantine.
Hi, do you know which hotels I can choose?
你好，请问我可以选择有哪些酒店？Nǐ hǎo, qǐngwèn wǒ kěyǐ xuǎnzé nǎxiē jiǔdiàn?
Can I stay in a hotel near Chaoyang District?
我能呆在朝阳区的酒店吗？Wǒ néng dāizài cháoyáng qū de jiǔdiàn mā?
Can you tell me how much is the hotel per night?
你能告诉我这个酒店多少钱一个晚上吗？Nǐ néng gàosù wǒ zhègè jiǔdiàn duōshǎo qián yígè wǎnshàng mā?
Should I pay for all the fee at once, or can I pay the room day by day?
我需要一次性付完全款，还是说可以按天结算？Wǒ xūyào yícìxìng fùwán quánkuǎn, háishì shuō kěyǐ àntiān jiésuàn?
Are three meals included?
包含三餐吗？Bāohán sāncān ma?
Can I order food or any deliver things to this hotel?
我可以点食物或其他任何外卖吗？Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn shíwù huò qítā rénhé wàimài ma?
When you check in
When you check in, the hotel staff will ask you to fill some documents. You will need to prepare your name, passport number, nationality, the original place you live in Beijing, job information, and flight information. They might ask more information, so prepare for that too.
My name is _______ .
我的名字是 _______ 。Wǒ de míngzì shì _______ .
I’m from _______ .
我是 _______ 国人。Wǒ shì _______ guó rén.
My passport number is _______ .
我的护照号码是 _______ 。Wǒ de hùzhào hàomǎ shì _______ .
My flight number is _______ 。Wǒ de hùzhào hàomǎ shì _______ .
我的航班号码是 _______ 。Wǒ de hángbān hàomǎ shì _______ .
I flew out of _______ , had transition in _______, and arrived in Beijing.
我从_______飞到_______转机，然后到达_______。Wǒ cóng _______ fēiào _______zhuǎnjī, ránhòu dàodá _______.
My phone number is _______ .
我的电话号码是 _______ 。Wǒ de diànhuà hàomǎ shì _______ .
When can I finish my quarantine and leave the hotel?
请问我什么时候可以结束隔离并离开酒店？Qǐngwèn wǒ shénmē shíhòu kěyǐ jiéshù bìng líkāi?
During your stay
Usually you are allowed to order daily necessities online, such as vegetables, fruits, hygiene products, and etc. However, in most of hotels they don’t allow meals to be delivered for safety reasons. In some places they even provide access to a hotline for mental health and well-being. So far I heard the hotel staff are usually really friendly and cordial to people under quarantine. So don’t worry too much, rest well and stay safe!
(Call the reception) Hello, my name is _______, and my room number is _______.
（打电话给前台）你好，我的名字是，我的房间号码是_______. Nǐ hǎo, wǒ de míngzì shì _______, wǒde fángjiān hàomà shì _______.
It’s a little bit cold in the room, could I have an extra blanket?
房间有点冷，我能要一床被子吗？Fángjiān yǒudiǎn lěng, wǒ néng yào yíchuáng bèizǐ ma?
I’m running out of trash bags, can I have more?
我的垃圾袋快用完了，能再给我一些吗？Wǒ de lājī dài yòngwán le, néng zài gěi wǒ yíxiē mā？
I ordered some snacks and the delivery guy is here, can you help bring it to me?
我点了一些零食，快递人员到了，你能帮我取一下吗？Wǒ diǎn le yìxiē língshí, kuàidì rényuán dàole, nǐ néng bāng wǒ qǔ yìxià mā?
Photo: Wendy Xu
