Hotel and Guesthouse Farsi for Iran

Knowing farsi for hotels iran isn't optional if you're staying anywhere outside Tehran's international chains. I learned this the hard way at a mosāferkhune (مسافرخونه) in Yazd, standing at the front desk, miming "pillow" like a man possessed while the owner's grandmother watched me with deep concern.

This guide is part of our Essential Farsi for Traveling in Iran series.

The thing is, Iran has incredible accommodation. from glossy hotels to centuries-old traditional guesthouses with courtyards and fountains. But the further you get from the tourist trail, the less English you'll hear. And honestly? The best places to stay in Iran are the ones where nobody speaks English at all.

This post gives you every phrase you need. Checking in, making requests, complaining about broken things, and checking out without accidentally overpaying. I've included romanized transliteration and Persian script for each phrase so you can point at your phone if pronunciation fails you.

If you're new to Persian, start with my beginner's guide to learning Persian first. Already got the basics? Keep reading.

Types of Accommodation (And What to Expect)

Before we get into phrases, you need to know what you're walking into. Iran's accommodation scene has its own vocabulary.

Hotel (هتل). same word, pronounced ho-TEL. These range from budget to five-star. The fancy ones in Tehran and Isfahan have English-speaking staff. The three-stars in smaller cities? Not so much.

Mehmānsarā (مهمانسرا). a traditional guesthouse, often in a restored historical house. These are the gems. Courtyards, stained glass, Persian carpets. The owners usually speak limited English but unlimited hospitality.

Mosāferkhune (مسافرخونه). budget accommodation. Think basic rooms, shared bathrooms, rock-bottom prices. The spoken form drops the formal "-khāne" to "-khune." These places are where your Farsi gets tested hardest.

Eqāmatgāh (اقامتگاه). you'll see this on signs. It basically means "lodging" and covers guesthouses that are officially registered. Eqāmatgāh-e bum-gardi (اقامتگاه بوم‌گردی) is the trendy term for eco-tourism stays. village houses converted for tourists.

Checking In: Reservation and Room Phrases

Walking up to a front desk in Iran isn't that different from anywhere else. Except everyone will immediately offer you tea.

Salām, man rezerv dāram. (سلام، من رزرو دارم.). "Hi, I have a reservation." The word rezerv (رزرو) is borrowed from French and universally understood. Some people say rezervāsion too.

Ye otāgh mikhām. (یه اتاق می‌خوام.). "I want a room." For politeness, add lotfan (لطفاً) at the end. If you want to sound less demanding, try otāgh dārid? (اتاق دارید؟). "Do you have a room?"

Otāgh-e do-nafare (اتاق دو نفره). double room. Otāgh-e yek-nafare (اتاق یک نفره). single room. Otāgh-e se-nafare (اتاق سه نفره). triple. Iranians count rooms by how many people they hold, not beds.

Shabi chand-e? (شبی چنده؟). "How much per night?" Essential. In guesthouses, prices are often negotiable, especially for multiple nights.

Kelid (کلید). key. You'll hear this a lot. Kelid-e otāgh (کلید اتاق). room key. Many places still use actual metal keys, not keycards.

Pāsport (پاسپورت) or gozarnāme (گذرنامه). passport. They'll need to photocopy it. Pāsport is what everyone says in conversation. Gozarnāme is the formal word you'll see on forms.

Making Requests: Towels, WiFi, and Hot Water

Iranian hotels and guesthouses are generally well-equipped, but you'll still need to ask for things. Here's how to do it without sounding like a robot reading a textbook.

Hole dārid? (حوله دارید؟). "Do you have a towel?" The word hole (حوله) trips people up. It's pronounced ho-LEH, not "hole" like in English.

Ye patu mikhām, lotfan. (یه پتو می‌خوام، لطفاً.). "I'd like a blanket, please." Iranian nights get cold, especially in desert cities like Yazd and Kerman. Don't be shy about asking.

Ramz-e WiFi chi-ye? (رمز وای‌فای چیه؟). "What's the WiFi password?" Ramz (رمز) means password/code. You'll use this one daily. Sometimes they write it on a card, sometimes it's the phone number of the owner's nephew.

Āb-e garm dāre? (آب گرم داره؟). "Does it have hot water?" Critical question for budget places. Āb-e garm (آب گرم) = hot water. Āb-e sard (آب سرد) = cold water.

Sobhune dārid? (صبحونه دارید؟). "Do you have breakfast?" Most places include it. Iranian hotel breakfast is its own experience. flatbread, feta cheese, walnuts, jam, honey, tea. At guesthouses, it's often homemade and incredible. Pair this with your food ordering phrases and you're set.

Sā'at-e sobhune key-e? (ساعت صبحونه کیه؟). "What time is breakfast?"

When Things Go Wrong: Complaints and Problems

Things break. Plumbing acts up. The room next door has a family reunion happening at midnight. Here's how to handle it.

Kuler kār nemikone. (کولر کار نمی‌کنه.). "The AC doesn't work." Kuler (کولر) is the evaporative cooler you'll find everywhere in Iran. If you mean the heating, say shufāzh kār nemikone (شوفاژ کار نمی‌کنه). "The heater doesn't work."

Otāgh sedā dāre. (اتاق صدا داره.). "The room is noisy." Literally "the room has sound." Iranian cities are loud. This phrase is your friend.

Āb nemi-yād. (آب نمیاد.). "The water isn't coming." Plumbing issues aren't common in hotels, but in older guesthouses, it happens.

Cherāgh kār nemikone. (چراغ کار نمی‌کنه.). "The light doesn't work." Notice the pattern: [thing] + kār nemikone = "[thing] doesn't work." This formula covers 90% of complaints.

Mishe otāgh ro avaz konam? (میشه اتاق رو عوض کنم؟). "Can I change the room?" Polite and effective. Mishe (میشه) is the magic word for polite requests. it means "is it possible."

Checking Out and Paying

Checking out is usually straightforward. The bill might not be.

Mikhām checkout konam. (می‌خوام چک‌اوت کنم.). "I want to check out." Yes, "checkout" is used as-is in Farsi. You can also say mikhām hesāb konam (می‌خوام حساب کنم). "I want to settle the bill."

Hesāb, lotfan. (حساب، لطفاً.). "The bill, please." Short and clean.

Kārt mizanid? (کارت می‌زنید؟). "Do you take card?" Most hotels do. Guesthouses and budget places often prefer cash. As a foreign tourist, you'll likely be paying cash anyway since international cards don't work with Iranian banks.

Fāktor midid? (فاکتور میدید؟). "Can I get a receipt?" Fāktor (فاکتور). receipt/invoice. Good to have if you're tracking expenses.

The Cultural Stuff: Ta'arof, Chai, and Iranian Hospitality

Staying at a guesthouse in Iran isn't just a transaction. It's a social event. The owner will probably sit with you, bring tea, ask about your country, show you photos of their kids, and insist you eat more than you physically can.

This is ta'ārof (تعارف). the Persian art of ritual politeness. When they say qābeli nadāre (قابلی نداره). "it's not worthy of you". they're not insulting their own hotel. It's a politeness formula. The correct response is to thank them warmly. If you need a crash course in navigating these situations, read my piece on how to say no in Farsi.

Chāi mikhorid? (چایی می‌خورید؟). "Would you like tea?" The answer is always yes. Even if you just had tea. Especially if you just had tea. Refusing tea in an Iranian guesthouse is like refusing a handshake. technically possible, culturally weird.

Tipping isn't mandatory, but it's appreciated. At hotels, round up or leave 10-15%. At guesthouses, a tip for the person who cleaned your room or served breakfast goes a long way. Say in barā-ye shomā-st (این برای شماست). "this is for you."

Useful Bonus Phrases for Your Stay

A few more that came in handy during my own trips:

Tā key mitunid negah dārid? (تا کی می‌تونید نگه دارید؟). "Until when can you hold [the room]?" Useful if you're arriving late.

Chamedunam ro injā bezāram? (چمدونم رو اینجا بذارم؟). "Can I leave my suitcase here?" Most places will store luggage after checkout.

Nazdik-tarin restorān kojā-st? (نزدیک‌ترین رستوران کجاست؟). "Where's the nearest restaurant?" The front desk is your best restaurant guide in any Iranian city.

Taksi seda mizanid? (تاکسی صدا می‌زنید؟). "Can you call a taxi?" Guesthouse owners are great at this. They'll call their cousin. Everyone in Iran has a cousin who drives a taxi.

For getting around once you leave the hotel, check the Farsi travel hub. it covers transportation, haggling, and everything else you'll need on the ground.

Keep Learning

This guide is part of: Essential Farsi for Traveling in Iran

Read next: Getting Around Iran · Ordering Food in Iran

New to Farsi? Start with the complete beginner's guide.

Want to practice this vocabulary? Try ZabanYar. it's free and works offline.

Ready to actually practice these phrases with a native speaker? Book a trial lesson with me on Preply and we'll roleplay an entire guesthouse check-in until it feels natural.

Get it wrong and the worst that happens is a warm laugh and a story they’ll tell for years. Get it right — refuse the tea twice, accept on the third — and you’ll watch a face open up. You didn’t just speak Persian. You played the game.