by Guy Perring
When you first travel abroad on business, some of the key language that you need is connected to your hotel. In this week’ column we will take a look at some key vocabulary and phrases that will help you choose a hotel, book a hotel, check in and making requests.
The first decision you need to make is which hotel to choose. For every major foreign city, there is a lot of information available on the web and in travel guides. You need to make some choices about the type of hotel you are looking for. The quickest way is to look in the article for some key collocations. Remember collocations are words that naturally go together. Recognizing these collocations helps to speed up your reading and expand your vocabulary.
For example, you need to look at where the hotel is in relation to the centre. Therefore, common collocations are convenient location & easy access. There are a variety of collocations that can describe the rooms, comfortable rooms, spacious rooms, luxurious rooms or increasingly hi-tech rooms. The latter for those of you who expect wireless access and/or flat screen TVs. Hotels now describe themselves as international hotels, upscale hotels (you should expect the full services of a four/five star hotel). Business hotels will tend to be more basic designed for the traveler who requires a room for the night and will usually include internet access. A new collocation commonly in use is boutique hotels. Overused now, but indicates that a hotel is smaller, the rooms are individual and that you can expect a more personalized service. The price is often no different from a large international hotel. Family-run hotels will be usually small without the amenities of a large hotel, but will be more friendly and personalized.
When you check in to the hotel you can use the following phrases:-
I have a reservation in the name of Perring.
We have a reservation for two nights.
My company made a reservation for me for tonight.
You may wish to call the hotel to make a reservation beforehand:-
Do you have any vacancies for 17th and 18th September?
I’d like to reserve a single room for 13th June.
I’d like to make a reservation for two days from April 10th.
Most hotels have their own alarm clocks, but if you have had a long flight you may wish to request the reception to call you to wake you up.
Can I have an early morning call at 6.00, please?
I’d like to request a wake-up call at 7.00.
You may enjoy your stay so much that you would like to stay for another night
Could I have a one night extension please?
Would it be possible to extend our stay for another night?
I’d like to stay on for another two nights, please.
Hope you enjoy your stay!
Guy Perring is Director, Professional Development Unit (PDU), at the British Council Malaysia. The PDU offers a wide range of learning opportunities from management and communication skills training to developing English skills. Visit our website at www.britishcouncil.org.my or email me at guy.perring@britishcouncil.org.my
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