Learning English > Business English > English For Work > Housekeepers

English for Hotel Staff

Working in the hotel industry you will come across many types of travellers. Some will be business guests, others will be tourists and visitors. Many will speak a different language other than your own. Chances are, plenty of your guests will speak English. Do you know how to speak politely to a guest in English? Can you understand their requests and serve them accordingly? Whether your job is to take reservations or clean the hotel rooms, these pages can help you learn important words and expressions to use on the job in the hotel industry. Read and listen to the lessons. Then take the quizzes to test your comprehension.

Hotel Vocabulary

Word part of speech	Meaning	Example sentence
adjoining rooms noun	two hotel rooms with a door in the centre	If you want we can book your parents in an adjoining room.
amenities noun	local facilities such as stores and restaurants	We are located downtown, so we are close to all of the amenities.
attractions noun	things for tourists to see and do	The zoo is our city's most popularattraction for kids.
baggage noun	bags and suitcases packed with personal belongings	If you need help with your baggagewe have a cart you can use.
Bed and Breakfast noun	a home that offers a place to stay and a place to eat	I can book you into a beautiful Bed and Breakfast on the lake.
bellboy noun	a staff member who helps guests with their luggage	The bellboy will take your bags to your room for you.
book verb	arrange to stay in a hotel	I can book your family in for the weekend of the seventh.
booked adj	full, no vacancies	I'm afraid the hotel is bookedtonight.
brochures noun	small booklets that provide information on the local sites and attractions	Feel free to take some brochures to your room to look at.
check-in verb	go to the front desk to receive keys	You can check-in anytime after four o'clock.
check-out noun	return the keys and pay for the bill	Please return your parking pass when you check-out.
complimentary breakfast noun	free of charge	All of our rooms havecomplimentary soap, shampoo, and coffee.
cot, rollaway bed noun	a single bed on wheels that folds up	If you need an extra bed, we havecots available.
damage charge noun	money a guest owes for repairs to hotel property (when caused by violent or careless acts)	We will have to add a damage charge for the hole you put in the wall.
deposit noun	amount paid ahead of time to secure a reservation	You will not receive your depositback if you cancel.
double bed noun	a bed large enough for two people	They are a family of four, so give them a room with two double beds.
floor noun	a level of the building	The swimming pool is on the mainfloor.
front desk, reception noun	the place where guests go to check in and out and to get information	Towels are available at the front desk.
guest noun	a person that is staying at the hotel	Our washrooms are for guests only.
hostel noun	a very inexpensive place for backbackers and travelers on a budget	In the hostel you probably won't get your own room.
hotel manager noun	person in charge at the hotel	I'll let you make your complaint to the hotel manager.
housekeeping, maid noun	staff members that clean the rooms and linen	Put a sign on the door if you wanthousekeeping to come in and change the sheets on the bed.
ice machine noun	a machine that automatically makes ice that guests can use to keep drinks cold	There is an ice machine by the elevator on all of the even numbered floors.
indoor pool noun	place for guests to swim inside the hotel	The heated indoor pool is open until 10 pm.
inn noun	another word for "hotel"	There's an inn on the other side of town that has a vacancy.
Jacuzzi, hot tub, whirl pool noun	a small hot pool for relaxation	Our honeymoon room has a personalhot tub.
king-size bed noun	extra large bed	A room with a king size bed costs an extra ten dollars a night.
kitchenette noun	a small fridge and cooking area	Your room has a kitchenette so you can prepare your own breakfasts and lunches.
late charge noun	a fee for staying past the check-out time	You will be charged a ten dollar late charge for checking out after 11 am.
linen noun	sheets, blankets, pillow cases	We will come in and change thelinens while you are out of your room.
lobby noun	large open area at the front of the hotel	You can stand in the lobby and wait for your bus.
luggage cart noun	a device on wheels that guests can push their luggage on	Please return the luggage cart to the lobby when you are finshed with it.
maximum capacity noun	the most amount of people allowed	The maximum capacity in the hot tub is ten people.
motels noun	accommodations that are slightly cheaper than hotels	Our motel is very clean and is close to the beach.
noisy adj	loud	The guests next to you have complained that you are being toonoisy.
parking pass noun	a piece of paper that guests display in the car window while in the hotel parking lot	Display this parking pass in your window to show that you are a hotel guest.
pay-per-view movie noun	extra charge for movies and special television features	If you order a pay-per-view movie, the charge will appear on your bill.
pillow case noun	the covering that goes over a pillow	Room 201 doesn't need their sheets changed, but they requested one newpillow case.
queen size bed noun	bed with plenty of space for two people (bigger than a double)	They have a queen size bed so the small child can eaily fit in the middle.
rate noun	cost of renting a room for a certain time period	Our rates change depending on the season.
reservation noun	a request to save a specific room for a future date	They say they made a reservationbut it doesn't show on the computer.
room service noun	delivery of food or other services requested by guests	If you would like a bottle of wine, just call room service.
sauna noun	a hot room for relaxation, filled with steam	We don't recommend bringing young children into the sauna.
single bed noun	a bed for one person	The economy priced room includes one single bed.
sofa bed, pull-out couch noun	a bed built into a sofa or couch	The room contains a sofa bed so the room actually sleeps five.
towels noun	used to cover and dry the body after swimming or bathing	You can get your swimming pooltowels at the front desk.
vacancy noun vacant adj	available rooms	We only have one vacancy left, and it is for a single room.
valet noun	staff that parks the guests' vehicles	If you leave your car keys with us, the valet will park your car underground.
vending machine noun	a machine that distributes snacks and beverages when you insert coins	The vending machine on the fifth floor has chocolate bars and chips.
view noun	a window that offers a nice image for guests	The room is more expensive because it has a spectacular view of the beach.
wake up call noun	a morning phone call from the front desk, acts as an alarm clock	What time would you like your wake up call?
weight room, workout room, gym noun	a room that guests can use for exercise and fitness	Our weight room has a stair climber and a stationary bicycle.

Taking a Reservation

Front Desk Receptionist

Enterprise Hotels, Lise speaking. How can I help you?
What date are you looking for?
How long will you be staying?
How many adults will be in the room?
I'm afraid we are booked that weekend.
There are only a few vacancies left.
We advise that you book in advance during peak season.
Will two double beds be enough?
Do you want a smoking or non-smoking room?
The dining room is open from 4 pm until 10 pm.
We have an indoor swimming pool and sauna.
We serve a continental breakfast.
Cable television is included, but the movie channel is extra.
Take Exit 8 off the highway and you'll see us a few kilometers up on the left hand side.
The rate I can give you is 99.54 with tax.
We require a credit card number for a deposit.

Guest

I'd like to make a reservation for next week.
Is it necessary to book ahead?
Do you charge extra for two beds?
How much is it for a cot?
Do you offer free breakfast?
Is there a restaurant in the hotel?
Do the rooms have refrigerators?
Do you do group bookings?
Is there an outdoor pool?
Do you have any cheaper rooms?
When is it considered off- season?

Sample Conversation

Receptionist:	Thanks for calling Quality Inn. Morine speaking.
Caller:	Hello. I'm interested in booking a room for the September long weekend.
Receptionist:	I'm afraid we're totally booked for that weekend. There's a convention in town and we're the closest hotel to the convention centre.
Caller:	Oh, I didn't realize. Well what about the weekend after that?
Receptionist:	So... Friday the seventeenth?
Caller:	Yes. Friday and Saturday.
Receptionist:	It looks like we have a few vacancies left. We recommend that you make a reservation, though. It's still considered peak season then.
Caller:	Okay. Do you have any rooms with two double beds? We're a family of four.
Receptionist:	Yes, all of our rooms have two double beds. The rate for that weekend is $129 dollars a night.
Caller:	That's reasonable. And do you have cots? One of my daughters might be bringing a friend.
Receptionist:	We do, but we also charge an extra ten dollars per person for any family with over four people. The cot is free.
Caller:	Okay, but I'm not positive if she is coming. Can we pay when we arrive?
Receptionist:	Yes, but we do require a fifty dollar credit card deposit to hold the room. You can cancel up to five days in advance and we will refund your deposit.
Caller:	Great, I'll call you right back. I have to find my husband's credit card.
Receptionist:	Okay. Oh, and just to let you know...our outdoor pool will be closed, but our indoor pool is open.

Checking Guests In and Out

Check In

Front Desk Receptionist

What name is the reservation under?
How long will you be staying?
Are you planning on checking out tomorrow?
I'm afraid you can't check in until after 4:00 pm.
What type of vehicle are you driving?
Do you know the license plate number of your vehicle?
Complimentary breakfast is served in the lobby between 8 and 10 am.
I'll give you two room keys.
The dining room is on the main floor at the end of the hall.
The weight room and sauna are on the top floor.
Just call the front desk if you need any extra towels or pillows.

Guest

We have a reservation under Jill McMann.
Do you have any vacancies?
Is the hotel booked, or can we get a room for tonight?
How do we get to our room from here?
Is it okay to park out front?
What time is the pool open until?
What time is breakfast served at?
Is it too early to check in?
Can we get a wake-up call?
When is check out time?

Check Out

Front Desk Receptionist

Are you ready to check out?
What room were you in?
How was your stay?
Was everything satisfactory?
Will you be putting this on your card?
And how will you be paying for this?
Would you like to speak to the hotel manager on duty?
I'll just need your room keys, please.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday.
Have a safe trip home.

Guest

We're checking out of room 401.
Sorry we're a bit late checking-out.
I'm afraid we overslept/slept in.
We really enjoyed our stay.
We have a few complaints.
We'll be back next time we're in town.

Sample Conversation

Double-click the left button (>) to start. Click the middle button to stop. Click the right button to pause. Click it again to continue.