In a hotel — rooms, services & useful phrases (A2)
Vocabulary
Travel & hotels
In this lesson you meet common words and phrases you see in hotels: room types, services in the building and verb phrases you can use when you stay in a hotel.
1. Room types & board (meals)
- single room – a room with one small bed for one person. I booked a single room because I’m travelling alone.
- double room – a room with one large bed for two people. We asked for a double room with a big bed.
- twin room – a room for two people with two single beds. The children are staying in a twin room next to us.
- sea view – if a room has a sea view, you can see the sea from the window or balcony. Our room has a wonderful sea view from the balcony.
- half board – the price includes breakfast and one main meal (usually dinner). With half board we eat breakfast and dinner at the hotel.
- full board – the price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. We chose full board so we don’t worry about restaurants.
Tip. When you book, hotels often ask:
“Bed & breakfast, half board or full board?”
2. Places & services in a hotel
- reception desk / front desk – the main desk where you arrive, get keys and ask questions. Please go to the reception desk to get your key.
- room service – a service that brings food or drinks to your room. We ordered dinner from room service.
- housekeeping – the team that cleans rooms and changes towels and sheets. Housekeeping cleaned our room every morning.
- spa – a wellness area with things like a pool, sauna or massages. After sightseeing we relaxed in the hotel spa.
- conference room – a large meeting room used for talks, meetings or events. The company is using the conference room for a workshop.
- internet access / Wi-Fi – the possibility to connect to the internet from your room. Free internet access is important for business travellers.
3. Extra hotel services
- laundry service – the hotel washes and dries your clothes for you. I sent my shirts to the laundry service.
- parking facilities – a car park or garage for guests’ cars. This hotel has free parking facilities behind the building.
- wake-up call – a phone call from the hotel to wake you at a time you choose. I asked for a wake-up call at six o’clock.
You can usually find information about these services on the hotel website or in a leaflet in your room.
4. Useful verb phrases at a hotel
- book a room – reserve a room in advance, usually online or by phone. We booked a room two months before our trip.
- check in – register at the hotel and receive your key when you arrive. You can check in from 2 p.m.
- check out – give back the key and officially leave the hotel. Guests must check out by 11 a.m.
- pay the bill – pay the money for your stay and extra services. We paid the bill at reception before leaving.
- request – politely ask the hotel for something you need. You can request extra towels by calling reception.
Useful questions:
“Is breakfast included?”,
“What time is check-out?”,
“Can I have a wake-up call at seven?”
Exercises:
In a hotel
Choose the correct option to complete each sentence below.
1
I am travelling alone. I need a
for one person.
Correct: single room — a room for one person.
2
We are a couple, so we want one big bed in a
.
Correct: double room — one large bed for two people.
3
We are friends and want two separate beds, so we ask for a
.
Correct: twin room — a room with two single beds.
4
We want to see the water from our balcony, so we ask for a room with a
.
Correct: sea view — you can see the sea from the room.
5
Breakfast and dinner are included, but not lunch. The hotel offers
.
Correct: half board — breakfast and one other meal.
6
We don’t want to look for restaurants, so we choose
with three meals a day.
Correct: full board — breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
7
When you arrive at the hotel, you go to the
to get your key.
Correct: reception desk — main desk for guests.
8
In American English, the main hotel desk is often called the
.
Correct: front desk — the main desk where staff help guests.
9
I don’t want to go to the restaurant. I’ll call
and order dinner to my room.
Correct: room service — food and drinks delivered to your room.
10
The room is messy; we need
to clean it and change the towels.
Correct: housekeeping — staff who clean the rooms.
11
The hotel has a pool, sauna and massage in its
.
Correct: spa — place in a hotel to relax.
12
Our company has a meeting in the hotel’s
.
Correct: conference room — a room for business meetings.
13
The hotel offers free Wi-Fi. All rooms have free
.
Correct: internet access — you can connect to the internet.
14
My clothes are dirty. I’ll use the hotel’s
to wash them.
Correct: laundry service — the hotel washes your clothes.
15
Guests who come by car can use the hotel’s
next to the building.
Correct: parking facilities — a place to park cars.
16
I have an early flight, so I ask the hotel for a
at 5 a.m.
Correct: wake-up call — phone call to wake you up.
17
I call the hotel to
for next weekend.
Correct: book a room — reserve a room in advance.
18
When you arrive at the hotel, you go to the desk to
and get your key.
Correct: check in — official arrival at the hotel.
19
On the last morning they go to the desk with their luggage to
and leave the hotel.
Correct: check out — official departure from the hotel.
20
After dinner in the hotel restaurant, you must
before you leave.
Correct: pay the bill — give money for your meal or stay.
21
You can call reception to
an extra pillow or more towels.
Correct: request — ask politely for something.
In a hotel
Match the sentences with the words
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