In this lesson you arrive at your hotel after a long journey and need a smooth check in. You practise greeting reception staff, giving your name and booking details and understanding key information about check in times, breakfast, Wi Fi and other facilities. You learn useful phrases to ask for things such as extra towels, a different pillow or help with the safe. Then you deal with small problems in a calm, polite way, for example a noisy room, a broken light or a mistake on the bill. You listen to short hotel dialogues and notice how staff apologise, explain and offer solutions. Finally, you role play checking out, asking for a receipt and confirming payment. By the end of the lesson you can manage hotel reception conversations confidently and solve basic room issues without sounding rude or unsure.
1. Arriving and checking in at reception.
Imagine you have just arrived at your hotel after a long journey. You are tired, you maybe want a shower or some food, and you really do not want any problems at reception. In this first part of the lesson, we will stay together at the reception desk and practise a clear, calm check in. I will show you a short model conversation on the screen. As you listen and read, focus on three things. First, how the guest starts the conversation. Second, how they give their name and booking details. And third, how the receptionist checks and confirms the information. Notice the polite tone on both sides, even when the receptionist has to ask extra questions. After that, you will listen to another similar dialogue and I will ask you to write down some key information, like the guest’s name and how many nights they are staying. This will help you understand and also prepare you to use these phrases yourself later in the lesson.
Step 1: A smooth hotel check in.
You have just walked into the hotel lobby. You go to the desk, smile and start your check in. Have a look at this model conversation.
Model dialogue 1 – at reception
> Guest: Good evening. I have a reservation under the name Silva.
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> Receptionist: Good evening, welcome. Could I see your passport, please?
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> Guest: Yes, of course. Here you are.
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> Receptionist: Thank you. So, that is a double room for two nights, checking out on Friday, is that correct?
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> Guest: Yes, that is right.
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> Receptionist: Perfect. Could you just confirm your email address and a contact phone number?
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> Guest: It is ana.silva at gmail dot com, and my number is plus three five one, nine one two, four three seven, six eight two.
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> Receptionist: Thank you. Here is your key card. Your room is on the fifth floor, number five hundred and twelve.
Useful phrases from the dialogue.
“Good evening, I have a reservation under the name Silva.”
Use this to start clearly and confidently.
“Could I see your passport, please?”
Reception staff often use this question. You can reply with “Here you are.”
“So, that is a double room for two nights, checking out on Friday, is that correct?”
Notice how the receptionist checks the details and uses “is that correct?”
“Could you just confirm your email address and a contact phone number?”
This is a very typical request at hotels.
Mini tips.
Start with a greeting and your purpose:
“Good evening. I am checking in.”
“Good afternoon. I have a reservation.”
Then give your name and booking details:
“under the name Silva”
“for two nights”
“checking out on Friday”
Be ready to spell your name and say your email slowly.
In the activity below, you will listen to a similar check in and write down the key information, just like a real receptionist.
Practice & Feedback
Listen carefully to the short check in conversation. You can listen more than once. Then, in one text box, write your answers to these questions:
What is the guest’s full name?
How many nights is the guest staying, and on which days?
What room type do they have (single, double, etc.)?
Write your answers in 2–4 short sentences. For example: “The guest’s name is … They are staying for … They have a … room.” Try to use complete sentences, not just single words. Focus on correct numbers, days and room type. Do not worry if you are not 100% sure; write what you understand, and then we will check it together.
2. Asking about breakfast, Wi Fi and facilities.
You have your key card, so the basic check in is finished, but you still need some important information. In many hotels, you want to know about breakfast, Wi Fi, the gym, the swimming pool, or where you can get a coffee. In this block, we will focus on asking **polite questions** about hotel facilities and times. On the screen you will see a simple hotel information sheet. This is the kind of text you might find in your room or on the hotel website. First, read it and notice which information is already there, for example breakfast times or whether Wi Fi is included in the price. Then look at the question patterns below it. We will use very common, safe questions like “What time is…?”, “Is Wi Fi included?” and “Where can I…?”. After reading, you will answer a couple of questions about the information sheet and then write your own polite questions for this hotel. This will help you feel more confident when you want something extra, but you are not sure how to ask.
Step 2: Understanding hotel information and asking questions.
After check in, reception staff often tell you about breakfast, Wi Fi and other facilities. Sometimes they speak quickly, so it is very useful if you can also read this information.
Hotel information example.
Sunrise City Hotel – Guest Information
Breakfast: 7.00–10.30, restaurant on the ground floor.
Wi Fi: Free in all rooms and public areas. Network: SunriseGuest. Password: welcome2025.
Gym: Open 6.00–22.00, floor -1. Please use your room key to enter.
Swimming pool: Closed for maintenance until Friday.
Check out time: 11.00. Late check out until 14.00 possible for an extra charge.
Reception: Open 24 hours. Dial 0 from your room.
Useful question patterns.
Use these patterns to ask about hotel facilities:
What time is…? / What time does … open?
“What time is breakfast?”
“What time does the gym open?”
Is … included in the price?
“Is Wi Fi included in the price?”
“Is breakfast included?”
Where is …? / Where can I …?
“Where is the gym?”
“Where can I get some bottled water?”
How can I …?
“How can I call reception from my room?”
Mini practice.
Look again at the hotel information and the questions. Notice that the information sheet already answers some questions, so you do not need to ask them again. For example, you do not need to ask “Is Wi Fi free?” because it says “Free in all rooms”.
In the activity, you will read the same information and then:
Answer two short comprehension questions.
Write 3 polite questions you still want to ask reception about this hotel.
Practice & Feedback
Read the Sunrise City Hotel – Guest Information text again carefully. Then answer the tasks below in one message:
In 1–2 sentences, answer: Is the swimming pool open tonight? Why / why not?
In another 1–2 sentences, answer: Can you check out at 13.00 for free? Explain.
Finally, write 3 polite questions you would like to ask reception about this hotel. Use the patterns from the screen, for example: “What time does…?”, “Is … included?”, “Where can I…?”, “How can I…?”
Number your sentences so it is clear which part is which. Try to use full sentences, capital letters and question marks. Do not worry about being perfect; focus on clear, polite English.
Sunrise City Hotel – Guest Information
Breakfast: 7.00–10.30, restaurant on the ground floor.
Wi Fi: Free in all rooms and public areas. Network: SunriseGuest. Password: welcome2025.
Gym: Open 6.00–22.00, floor -1. Use your room key to enter.
Swimming pool: Closed for maintenance until Friday.
Check out time: 11.00. Late check out until 14.00 possible for an extra charge.
Reception: Open 24 hours. Dial 0 from your room.
3. Requesting extra towels and help politely.
Once you are in your room, you sometimes realise you need something more. Maybe there are not enough towels, you would like an extra pillow, or you cannot make the safe work. In English, it is important to sound **polite and calm**, even when you are tired. In this block, we will focus on soft but clear request phrases that work very well in hotels. On the screen you will see some typical situations and useful sentence starters such as "Could I have…?" and "Could someone help me with…?". These are magic phrases: you can use them again and again with different nouns. We will also look at small details, like adding “please” and “if possible” to make your requests sound friendlier. After that, you will see a short list of room problems. Your task will be to change these basic notes into full, polite sentences you could say on the phone or at reception. This will prepare you for real conversations with hotel staff, including housekeeping.
Step 3: Asking for extra things in your room.
You go to your room, open your suitcase and start to relax. Then you notice some small things:
Only one towel, but you are two people.
The pillow is too hard.
You do not understand how to use the safe.
In these situations, you can call reception or housekeeping and make a polite request.
Useful request phrases.
Use these sentence starters:
“Could I have …, please?”
“Could I have some extra towels, please?”
“Could I have another pillow, please?”
“Could we have …, please?”
“Could we have a few more hangers, please?”
“Could someone help me with …, please?”
“Could someone help me with the safe, please?”
“Is it possible to …?”
“Is it possible to get an extra blanket?”
You can also soften your request with:
“if possible”
“I would prefer a quiet room, if possible.”
“when you have a moment”
“Could you send someone when you have a moment?”
Example mini-dialogue.
> Guest: Good evening. Could I have some extra towels, please? There is only one in the room.
> Receptionist: Of course. How many do you need?
> Guest: Two, please.
> Receptionist: No problem. We will send them up in a few minutes.
Notice how the guest explains the reason very simply: “There is only one in the room.” You do not need long explanations.
In the activity, you will see some short notes about room problems. Your job is to turn each note into a clear, polite request using the phrases above.
Practice & Feedback
Read the short notes in the box. They are ideas, not full sentences. Your task is to turn them into polite requests you could say to reception or housekeeping.
Write three complete sentences. Use expressions like:
“Could I have …, please?”
“Could we have …, please?”
“Could someone help me with …, please?”
“Is it possible to …?”
Try to include a short reason in one or two sentences, like “because there is only one towel”.
Example: Note: “no towels” → Sentence: “Hello, could I have some towels, please? There are no towels in my room.”
Write your three sentences in the box, numbered 1, 2 and 3.
Room notes
only one towel but two guests
pillow too hard
do not know how to use the safe
need an extra blanket
would like more hangers for clothes
4. Making small complaints in a calm, polite way.
Sometimes a simple request is not enough, because there is a **problem** in your room. Maybe the air conditioning is not working, there is a lot of noise from the street, or a light is broken. Many people feel nervous about complaining in another language. They do not want to sound rude. In this block, we will practise small, calm complaints that sound polite but clear. On the screen you will see some very direct sentences, such as “The room is too noisy” or “The air conditioning is broken”, and you will see how we can change them into softer versions with phrases like “I am afraid…” or “There seems to be a problem with…”. These little changes can make hotel staff more willing to help you. After reading the examples, you will transform some basic, strong complaints into polite ones in writing. This is excellent preparation for real life when you have to go down to reception or call from your room.
Step 4: From strong complaint to polite complaint.
Very direct sentences can sound rude in English, especially with strangers. Look at these very strong complaints:
“My room is too noisy.”
“The air conditioning is broken.”
“There is a mistake on the bill.”
Now look at the politer versions:
“I am afraid my room is very noisy at night.”
“There seems to be a problem with the air conditioning.”
“I think there is a small mistake on the bill.”
Softening phrases.
Add one of these at the start of your sentence:
“Excuse me, …”
“Excuse me, my room is very noisy.”
“I am afraid …”
“I am afraid the air conditioning is not working.”
“There seems to be a problem with …”
“There seems to be a problem with the shower.”
“I think there is a small problem with …”
“I think there is a small problem with the TV.”
Then you can add a simple request for help:
“Could you change my room, if possible?”
“Could someone come and have a look?”
Example mini-dialogue – complaining politely.
> Guest: Excuse me, I am afraid the air conditioning is not working in my room.
> Receptionist: I am very sorry about that. Which room are you in?
> Guest: Room 512.
> Receptionist: Thank you. There seems to be a technical problem on that floor. We can send someone to repair it, or we can offer you another room.
> Guest: Could you change my room, if possible?
> Receptionist: Of course.
In the activity you will practise changing direct, strong sentences into calm, polite ones, using these softening phrases.
Practice & Feedback
In the box you will see some very direct complaints. Your task is to write polite versions of them, as if you are speaking to reception at the desk.
Read each direct sentence.
Rewrite it using a softening phrase, such as:
“Excuse me, …”
“I am afraid …”
“There seems to be a problem with …”
“I think there is a small mistake …”
If you can, add a short request for help, like “Could you change my room, if possible?”
Write three polite complaint sentences in total. You can choose any three of the direct sentences. Number your new sentences 1, 2 and 3. Focus on sounding calm and respectful, not angry. This will help you a lot in real hotels.
Direct complaints
The room is too noisy.
The light in the bathroom does not work.
The TV is broken.
The air conditioning is broken.
There is a mistake on the bill.
5. Using hotel chat or phone to solve a problem.
More and more hotels now offer a chat function in their app, on WhatsApp, or on the TV in your room. Instead of going down to reception, you can write a quick message: it is like a small text conversation. In this block, we will practise this modern way of talking to reception. On the screen you will see an example of a short chat between a guest and a receptionist about a noisy room. Notice how the guest uses polite phrases you already know, but in **short written messages**, not long paragraphs. The receptionist also replies in short, friendly sentences. After reading this example, you will see another short model in the resource below. Then it is your turn. You will write a short chat as the guest about a real or imaginary problem in your room. Try to write a few very short messages, like you would on your phone, and I will reply as the receptionist, offer a solution, and correct your English. This is an excellent bridge between speaking and writing for real travel situations.
Step 5: Hotel chat – short, polite messages.
Instead of speaking at reception, you may chat on your phone. The language is almost the same, but the messages are shorter.
Example hotel chat.
> Guest: Hello, this is room 603. I am afraid my room is very noisy at night.
> Reception: Good evening. I am sorry to hear that. Is the noise from the street or from another room?
> Guest: From the street, I think.
> Reception: I see. Would you like to change to a quieter room at the back of the hotel?
> Guest: Yes, please. Could you change my room, if possible?
> Reception: Of course. Please come to reception with your key, and we will give you a new room.
Notice:
The guest writes short sentences, but stays polite: “Hello, this is room 603.”
They still use softening phrases: “I am afraid my room is very noisy at night.”
The receptionist apologises and offers a clear solution.
Useful chunks for hotel chat.
“Hello, this is room …”
“I am afraid … is not working.”
“There seems to be a problem with …”
“Could you send someone to my room, please?”
“Could you change my room, if possible?”
“Thank you for your help.”
In the activity, you will write your own mini chat to reception about a small problem. Imagine you are using a hotel app or WhatsApp.
Practice & Feedback
Imagine you are in your hotel room and you use the hotel app or WhatsApp to chat with reception. There is a small problem, for example:
the Wi Fi is not working,
the air conditioning is too cold or too hot,
there are no towels,
there is a mistake on the bill on the TV.
Your task: write a short chat conversation. You are the guest, and I will answer as the receptionist.
Start with a message like: “Hello, this is room 412.”
Explain the problem politely in 1–2 short messages.
Ask for help or a solution using phrases such as “Could you…?”, “Is it possible to…?”
Write 3–6 short messages from the guest in one box, each message on a new line and starting with “Guest:”. I will read your mini chat, correct your English and reply as the hotel receptionist.
Example chat – extra towels
Guest: Hello, this is room 219.
Reception: Good afternoon. How can I help you?
Guest: I am afraid there are no towels in my room.
Reception: I am very sorry about that. How many towels do you need?
Guest: Two, please.
Reception: No problem. We will send them up in a few minutes.
Guest: Thank you very much.
6. Checking out, the bill and final performance.
You have slept, eaten breakfast and hopefully enjoyed your stay. Now it is time to check out. This final step is also part of real travel English. At check out, you often need to confirm the bill, maybe ask about a late check out, and almost always request a receipt. In this last block, we will put everything together: polite greetings, clear information, small problems and calm solutions. On the screen you will see a short example of a check out conversation, including a tiny mistake on the bill. After that, you will see a checklist that can guide you when you create your own final task. In the activity, you will write a **short role play script** of you checking out of a hotel. You will include your name, how many nights you stayed, one small problem you mention politely, a solution from the receptionist, and finally a request for a receipt. This is your mini performance for the lesson, and it will show that you can manage hotel reception conversations from arrival to departure.
Step 6: Check out, bills and receipts.
Check out is usually quick, but it can include important details.
Example check out dialogue.
> Receptionist: Good morning. Are you checking out?
> Guest: Good morning. Yes, I am checking out. My name is Silva, room 512.
> Receptionist: Thank you, Ms Silva. You stayed for two nights. Here is your bill.
> Guest: Thank you. I think there is a small mistake on the bill. We did not have anything from the minibar.
> Receptionist: I am very sorry. Let me correct that. Yes, you are right. I will remove the minibar charge.
> Guest: Thank you. Could I have a receipt, please?
> Receptionist: Of course. Here you are. Have a safe journey home.
> Guest: Thank you. Goodbye.
Useful chunks for check out.
“I am checking out. My name is …, room …”
“You stayed for … nights.”
“I think there is a small mistake on the bill.”
“We did not have anything from the minibar.”
“Could I have a late check out, if possible?”
“Could I have a receipt, please?”
Your final mini performance.
Now you will write your own check out scene. You will be both the guest and the receptionist. This is like a short script for a film.
Include:
A polite start and your details: greeting, name, room number, how many nights.
One small problem you mention, for example: a noisy room, a mistake on the bill, or a problem with the TV.
A calm, polite complaint using phrases from Block 4.
A clear solution from the receptionist.
A request for a receipt, and maybe a late check out or a taxi.
Use 8–12 lines of dialogue. Keep each line short and natural, like in the example.
Practice & Feedback
Write your own check out conversation between you (the guest) and the receptionist.
Start with a greeting and say that you are checking out. Give your name and room number.
Say how many nights you stayed.
Mention one small problem from your stay (for example, noise, air conditioning, minibar, wrong charge). Use a polite complaint, such as “I think there is a small mistake on the bill” or “I am afraid the room was very noisy at night.”
As the receptionist, apologise and offer a solution.
Finally, as the guest, ask for a receipt, and if you like, ask for a taxi or late check out.
Write 8–12 short lines. Use the labels “Guest:” and “Receptionist:” at the start of each line. Focus on being clear, polite and realistic, not on writing very long sentences.
Check out checklist
Greeting on both sides.
Guest gives name and room number.
Number of nights is clear.
Any small problem or mistake is mentioned politely.
