Korean 한국어
How to check into a hotel in Korean
The short answer
To check in, say 체크인하려고요 (chekeu-inharyeogoyo) and show your passport and booking. This page lists the phrases for reservations, deposits, Wi-Fi, breakfast and checkout.
Checking into a Korean hotel follows a short, fixed script: you say you want to check in, show your passport, confirm the nights, pay or leave a card, and receive a key card. The receptionist does most of the talking, in very polite Korean, and your side of it can be done in a dozen short sentences.
The tables give Hangul, Revised Romanization and English. Your own lines use the polite 요 (yo) style, which is right for any customer. Staff will often answer in the more formal 습니다 (seumnida) style; you need to recognise it, not produce it. If the left-hand column is still a wall of circles and lines, learn Hangul first. It takes a day.
How to say "check in" in Korean
Korean borrowed the English word: 체크인 (chekeu-in). Add 하려고요 ("I intend to") and you have the standard opening line. Checking out is 체크아웃 (chekeuaut).
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요. 체크인하려고요. | Annyeonghaseyo. Chekeu-inharyeogoyo. | Hello. I would like to check in. |
| 체크인 부탁드립니다. | Chekeu-in butakdeurimnida. | Check-in, please. (more formal) |
| 예약했어요. | Yeyakhaesseoyo. | I have a reservation. |
| …(으)로 예약했어요. | …(eu)ro yeyakhaesseoyo. | The booking is under the name… |
| 인터넷으로 예약했어요. | Inteoneseuro yeyakhaesseoyo. | I booked online. |
| 2박 예약했어요. | Ibak yeyakhaesseoyo. | I booked two nights. |
| 예약 안 했는데, 빈방 있어요? | Yeyak an haenneunde, binbang isseoyo? | I have no reservation. Do you have a free room? |
| 하룻밤에 얼마예요? | Harutbame eolmayeyo? | How much is it per night? |
| 일찍 체크인할 수 있어요? | Iljjik chekeu-inhal su isseoyo? | Can I check in early? |
| 짐 좀 맡길 수 있어요? | Jim jom matgil su isseoyo? | Can I leave my luggage here? |
Nights are counted with 박 (bak) and the Chinese-derived numbers: 1박 (ilbak), 2박 (ibak), 3박 (sambak). People are counted with 명 (myeong) and the native numbers: 한 명 (han myeong), 두 명 (du myeong), 세 명 (se myeong).
What hotel staff say at check-in, and how to answer
Front-desk Korean is full of honorific forms, so the questions sound longer than they are. There are about ten of them.
| The receptionist says | Romanisation | Meaning | You answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 예약하셨어요? | Yeyakhasyeosseoyo? | Do you have a reservation? | 네, 예약했어요. Ne, yeyakhaesseoyo. (Yes, I do.) |
| 성함이 어떻게 되세요? | Seonghami eotteoke doeseyo? | May I have your name? | …입니다. …imnida. (It is…) |
| 여권 좀 보여 주시겠어요? | Yeogwon jom boyeo jusigesseoyo? | May I see your passport? | 네, 여기 있어요. Ne, yeogi isseoyo. (Yes, here you are.) |
| 몇 분이세요? | Myeot buniseyo? | How many guests? | 두 명이에요. Du myeong-ieyo. (Two.) |
| 며칠 묵으세요? | Myeochil mugeuseyo? | How many nights are you staying? | 2박이에요. Ibagieyo. (Two nights.) |
| 결제는 어떻게 하시겠어요? | Gyeoljeneun eotteoke hasigesseoyo? | How would you like to pay? | 카드로 할게요. Kadeuro halgeyo. (By card.) |
| 여기에 서명해 주세요. | Yeogie seomyeonghae juseyo. | Please sign here. | 네. Ne. (OK.) |
| 잠시만 기다려 주세요. | Jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo. | One moment, please. | 네. Ne. (OK.) |
| 객실은 5층입니다. | Gaeksireun ocheung-imnida. | Your room is on the fifth floor. | 네, 감사합니다. Ne, gamsahamnida. (Thank you.) |
| 여기 카드 키입니다. | Yeogi kadeu kiimnida. | Here is your key card. | 감사합니다. Gamsahamnida. (Thank you.) |
| 조식은 7시부터 10시까지입니다. | Josigeun ilgop sibuteo yeol sikkajiimnida. | Breakfast is from seven to ten. | 네, 감사합니다. Ne, gamsahamnida. |
Three rescue phrases cover the rest: 천천히 말씀해 주세요 (cheoncheonhi malsseumhae juseyo), "please speak slowly"; 잘 모르겠어요 (jal moreugesseoyo), "I do not quite understand"; and 영어 할 수 있어요? (yeongeo hal su isseoyo?), "can you speak English?".
Passport, deposit and payment
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 여권 | yeogwon | passport |
| 여기 제 여권이에요. | Yeogi je yeogwonieyo. | Here is my passport. |
| 보증금 | bojeunggeum | deposit |
| 보증금이 있어요? | Bojeunggeumi isseoyo? | Is there a deposit? |
| 보증금은 언제 돌려받아요? | Bojeunggeumeun eonje dollyeobadayo? | When do I get the deposit back? |
| 이미 결제했어요. | Imi gyeoljehaesseoyo. | I have already paid. |
| 카드 돼요? | Kadeu dwaeyo? | Can I pay by card? |
| 현금으로 낼게요. | Hyeongeumeuro naelgeyo. | I will pay cash. |
| 영수증 주세요. | Yeongsujeung juseyo. | A receipt, please. |
Hotels ask foreign guests for a passport at check-in, so keep the physical document within reach. Larger hotels often hold an amount on your credit card as a deposit for extras and release it after checkout; small guesthouses and motels usually do not bother. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in South Korea, which makes 카드 돼요? a question you ask mainly out of politeness.
During your stay: room requests, Wi-Fi and problems
Room requests
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 침대방으로 주세요. | Chimdaebang-euro juseyo. | A room with a bed, please. |
| 온돌방으로 주세요. | Ondolbang-euro juseyo. | An ondol (heated-floor) room, please. |
| 트윈으로 주세요. | Teuwineuro juseyo. | A twin room, please. |
| 조용한 방으로 부탁드립니다. | Joyonghan bang-euro butakdeurimnida. | A quiet room, please. |
| 높은 층으로 주세요. | Nopeun cheung-euro juseyo. | A room on a high floor, please. |
| 금연실 있어요? | Geumyeonsil isseoyo? | Do you have a non-smoking room? |
| 방을 바꿀 수 있어요? | Bang-eul bakkul su isseoyo? | Can I change rooms? |
| 수건 좀 더 주세요. | Sugeon jom deo juseyo. | Some more towels, please. |
| 베개 하나 더 주세요. | Begae hana deo juseyo. | One more pillow, please. |
| 이불 하나 더 주세요. | Ibul hana deo juseyo. | One more blanket, please. |
| 칫솔 있어요? | Chitsol isseoyo? | Do you have a toothbrush? |
| 엘리베이터가 어디예요? | Ellibeiteoga eodiyeyo? | Where is the lift? |
The word to know before booking is 온돌 (ondol), Korea's underfloor heating. An 온돌방 (ondolbang) is a room without a bed: you sleep on thick bedding laid out on the warm floor. A 침대방 (chimdaebang) is a room with a bed. Traditional hanok guesthouses and many countryside inns are ondol by default, and booking sites do not always translate the difference clearly.
The toothbrush line is not a joke. Since 29 March 2024, South Korean accommodation with 50 or more rooms may no longer hand out free single-use toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and razors. Bring your own, or buy them at the front desk or a vending machine in the lobby.
How to ask for the Wi-Fi password and breakfast
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 와이파이 돼요? | Waipai dwaeyo? | Is there Wi-Fi? |
| 와이파이 비밀번호가 뭐예요? | Waipai bimilbeonhoga mwoyeyo? | What is the Wi-Fi password? |
| 와이파이가 안 돼요. | Waipaiga an dwaeyo. | The Wi-Fi is not working. |
| 조식 포함이에요? | Josik pohamieyo? | Is breakfast included? |
| 조식은 몇 시부터예요? | Josigeun myeot sibuteoyeyo? | What time does breakfast start? |
| 조식은 어디에서 먹어요? | Josigeun eodieseo meogeoyo? | Where is breakfast served? |
| 채식 메뉴 있어요? | Chaesik menyu isseoyo? | Is there a vegetarian option? |
Wi-Fi is 와이파이 (waipai) and the password is 비밀번호 (bimilbeonho), literally "secret number". 조식 (josik) is the hotel word for breakfast; in ordinary conversation people say 아침 (achim).
When something goes wrong
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 에어컨이 안 돼요. | Eeokeoni an dwaeyo. | The air conditioning is not working. |
| 난방이 안 돼요. | Nanbang-i an dwaeyo. | The heating is not working. |
| 방이 너무 더워요. | Bang-i neomu deowoyo. | The room is too hot. |
| 방이 너무 추워요. | Bang-i neomu chuwoyo. | The room is too cold. |
| 뜨거운 물이 안 나와요. | Tteugeoun muri an nawayo. | There is no hot water. |
| 불이 안 켜져요. | Buri an kyeojyeoyo. | The light does not come on. |
| 변기가 막혔어요. | Byeon-giga makyeosseoyo. | The toilet is blocked. |
| 카드 키가 안 돼요. | Kadeu kiga an dwaeyo. | The key card does not work. |
| 카드 키를 방에 두고 나왔어요. | Kadeu kireul bang-e dugo nawasseoyo. | I left my key card in the room. |
| 옆방이 너무 시끄러워요. | Yeopbang-i neomu sikkeureowoyo. | The next room is too noisy. |
| 방 청소가 안 됐어요. | Bang cheongsoga an dwaesseoyo. | The room has not been cleaned. |
| 좀 봐 주시겠어요? | Jom bwa jusigesseoyo? | Could you have a look, please? |
One pattern does nearly all the work: name the thing and add 안 돼요 (an dwaeyo), "does not work". It applies to air conditioners, key cards, Wi-Fi and, on bad days, to Kungfucius before coffee.
If the lights and sockets are dead when you enter, look for a slot beside the door. In many Korean hotels the key card has to sit in it before the room has power.
Checking out
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 체크아웃 할게요. | Chekeuaut halgeyo. | I would like to check out. |
| 체크아웃은 몇 시예요? | Chekeuauseun myeot siyeyo? | What time is checkout? |
| 레이트 체크아웃 돼요? | Reiteu chekeuaut dwaeyo? | Is a late checkout possible? |
| 하루 더 묵고 싶어요. | Haru deo mukgo sipeoyo. | I would like to stay one more night. |
| 계산서가 좀 이상한 것 같아요. | Gyesanseoga jom isanghan geot gatayo. | I think there is a mistake on the bill. |
| 오후까지 짐을 맡길 수 있어요? | Ohukkaji jimeul matgil su isseoyo? | Can I leave my luggage until the afternoon? |
| 택시 좀 불러 주세요. | Taeksi jom bulleo juseyo. | Please call me a taxi. |
| 감사합니다. 안녕히 계세요. | Gamsahamnida. Annyeonghi gyeseyo. | Thank you. Goodbye. (said by the one leaving) |
Hotels, motels and guesthouses: words worth knowing
| Korean | Romanisation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 호텔 | hotel | hotel |
| 모텔 | motel | motel |
| 게스트하우스 | geseuteuhauseu | guesthouse, hostel |
| 한옥 | hanok | traditional Korean house, often run as a guesthouse |
| 프런트 | peureonteu | front desk |
| 객실 | gaeksil | guest room |
| 숙박 | sukbak | overnight stay |
| 대실 | daesil | day-use room rental for a few hours |
A Korean motel is not a roadside motor inn. It is an inexpensive city hotel, often with a large room and a larger television, found in clusters near stations and nightlife streets. Motels sell rooms in two ways: 숙박 (sukbak), an overnight stay, and 대실 (daesil), a few hours during the day. Because of the day trade, check-in for an overnight stay at a motel can be later in the evening than at a hotel, so check the time on your booking.
At regular hotels, check-in is commonly from 3 p.m. and checkout at 11 a.m. or noon. The exact times are on your confirmation, and 일찍 체크인할 수 있어요? costs nothing to ask.
What to do before you arrive
- Save a screenshot of your booking that shows the hotel's name and address in Hangul. Taxi drivers and map apps both prefer it.
- Practise four lines aloud until they are automatic: 체크인하려고요, 예약했어요, 여기 제 여권이에요 and 와이파이 비밀번호가 뭐예요?
- Check whether your room is 온돌 or 침대, and pack a toothbrush.
- Compare the same script in other languages: the Chinese hotel check-in phrases and the Japanese hotel check-in phrases follow the same order. More situations are collected under Korean phrases.