How to Speak Thai at the Hotel

Planning on going on holiday to Thailand?  In most cases, you will probably have already booked your accommodation in advance of your trip but you might still need to talk with the hotel staff or want to ask some questions like “what time is check out?” or “is there a swimming pool”.  Of course, the staff won’t expect you to be a fluent speaker of the Thai language, but they’ll probably appreciate it (and be impressed) if you know a little bit of Thai.

In this post we’ll give you some handy Thai hotel phrases and also take a look at the different types of accommodation common in Thailand so you’ll be equipped with all the knowledge you need for a stress-free holiday.

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Types of Accommodation In Thailand

It’s no wonder Thailand is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. It has a rich culture, world-class cuisine and stunning natural beauty; from the rolling mountains of northern Thailand to the white sandy beaches of Koh Chang in the south.  Given that Thailand is such a popular destination for tourists from all over the world; there is a wide array of accommodation options to choose from; budget backpacker hostels to luxury hotels; quirky boutique guesthouses to back-to-nature camping – Thailand has it all.

Luckily, a lot of the Thai words for the different types of accommodation come from the English language so they should be easy for you to remember.  Just make sure that you say the words in a Thai accent if you want to sound authentic (you can click on each word and listen to the audio to see how they sound when spoken in Thai).

Hotel – โรงแรม (rohng raem)

Hotels in Thailand range from budget hotels offering a single room with just a fan (and no air-con). To small-scale boutique hotels – often with unique, chic or minimalist decor. To 5 star luxury hotels which are of a similar standard to Western luxury hotels but much cheaper.  Many of the more expensive hotels will also have a spa on-site, too so you can get your joints cracked back into position with a Thai massage.

• โรงแรมมีห้องฟิตเนส (rohng raem mii hawng fid-naed) – The hotel has a fitness room

Hostel – โฮสเทล (hoh-stel)

These can often be modern and quirky and tend to be backpacker-focused.  They often have a bar and/or restaurant on-site so you’ll be able to order a coffee or a beer.  They are a great place to meet other travelers.

• โฮสเทลอยู่ในกลางใจเมือง (hoh-stel yuu nai kklaang jai mueang) – The hostel is in the city centre

Guesthouse – เกสต์เฮาส์ (gaest-hao)

A guesthouse is a small purpose built mini-hotel or a converted home.  They tend to cater for low to medium budgets with rooms ranging from basic single rooms with a fan to double rooms with air-con, mini-bar and TV.  A guesthouse in Thailand will also often have a tour desk at reception.

• ห้องพักในเกสต์เฮาส์ทุกห้องมีตู้เย็น (hawng pak nai gaest-hao tuk hawng mii ttuu yen) – Every room in the guesthouse has a fridge

Homestay – โฮมสเตย์ (hohm-sttae)

You can choose to go with a more immersive stay and experience the local culture and hospitality with a Thai homestay.

The accommodation at a homestay may consist of a spare room in a family home or a separate outbuilding.  It can range from full-board to self-catered.

Homestays are often located in rural areas so it’s a great way to support the local economy.

• การพักที่โฮมสเตย์จะช่วยทำให้เรียนรู้วัฒนธรรมไทย (kkaan pak tii hohm-sttae ja chuuay tam hai riian ruu wa-tana-tam tai) – Staying at a homestay will help you to understand Thai culture

Bungalow – บังกะโล (bang-kka-loh)

These are small private villas within the grounds of a resort.  Bungalow resorts can often be found on the beach-fronts of the Thai islands.  They tend to consist of a large double room and ensuite bathroom.  Bungalows can be great for couples seeking a more romantic option.

• บังกะโลมีห้องน้ำส่วนตัว (bang-kka-loh mii hawng nam suan ttua) – The bungalow has a private bathroom

Camping – แคมป์ปิ้ง (kaem-pping)

Campsites are often found in the Thai national parks.  You can use your own equipment or you can rent equipment from the park for a small fee.  Bear in mind that campsites are often closed during the rainy season (around May-October).

• ที่ตั้งแคมป์ปิดตอนฤดูฝน (tii ttang kaem ppid tton rue-duu fon) – The campsite is closed during the rainy season

Airbnb – แอร์บีเอ็นบี (aeh bii en bii)

Airbnb is a good way to find serviced condos. This can be a good choice if you’re planning a longer stay in Thailand.  Some places will offer discounts for longer stays so it usually works out cheaper than a hotel – and you can have the benefit of cooking facilities (although they are often quite basic).

• พวกเราจองที่พักในแอร์บีเอ็นบี (puak rao jawng tii pak nai aeh bii en bii) – We booked a place to stay on Airbnb

Top Ten Handy Hotel Phrases

You don’t need to learn Thai fluently in order to make yourself understood. Learning a few core phrases is a great start. Here are our top ten phrases that will hopefully come in useful during your stay.

Polite Particles in Thai

In the Thai language, there are special “polite particles” that are used at the end of sentences to make a sentence sound softer and more polite. These should be used at the end of a sentence when making requests or enquiries.  The polite particle for a man is ครับ and for a woman it is คะ (with a high tone) when asking questions and ค่ะ (with a falling tone) for all other sentences.  You can add these particles to any of the questions above to make them sound more polite.

So, a male speaker would say:

• มีห้องว่างมั้ยครับ (mii hawng waang mai khrap) – Do you have any rooms available (+ polite male particle)?

And a female speaker would say:

• มีห้องว่างมั้ยคะ (mii hawng waang mai kha) – Do you have any rooms available (+ polite female particle)

Bonus: Thai Bathroom Etiquette

Most modern accommodation in Thailand will have a western-style bathroom, though in rural areas you might come across squat toilets.

After using the bathroom, Thai people wash rather than wipe. There is usually a hose fitted right next to the toilet so you can wash yourself while you’re sat on the seat. In rural areas, there may just be a large bucket of water next to the toilet instead of a hose.

Bear in mind that the Thai plumbing system is not great so you should throw toilet paper in the trash can (which is usually right next to the toilet) rather than flush it down.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this post has equipped you with some useful knowledge and phrases that you can use on your holiday to Thailand.  And you’ll be sure to impress the staff with your new Thai phrases.

Vocabulary Flashcards

• โรงแรม

  โรงแรม
  โรงแรม
  Hotel

  
• โฮสเทล

  โฮสเทล
  โฮสเทล
  Hostel

  
• เกสต์เฮาส์

  เกสต์เฮาส์
  เกสต์เฮาส์
  Guesthouse

  
• โฮมสเตย์

  โฮมสเตย์
  โฮมสเตย์
  Homestay

  
• บังกะโล

  บังกะโล
  บังกะโล
  Bungalow

  
• แคมป์ปิ้ง

  แคมป์ปิ้ง
  แคมป์ปิ้ง
  Camping

  
• แอร์บีเอ็นบี

  แอร์บีเอ็นบี
  แอร์บีเอ็นบี
  Airbnb

  
• พัก

  พัก
  พัก
  to rest; stay at

  
• ที่พัก

  ที่พัก
  ที่พัก
  accommodation

  

• All Done!

  Reset