My Stay at the Hotel: English for Services and Room Problems
Learn English for requesting hotel services, asking about facilities, and reporting a problem in your room. This free A1 lesson for adult beginners builds on the hotel check-in lesson. Its 17 interactive slides include picture labeling, vocabulary audio, two conversation videos, quizzes, listening tasks, complaint phrases, and a short message-writing activity.
What you will learn
- Request hotel services using polite expressions.
- Listen for specific details in hotel conversations.
- Describe room problems and respond to complaints.
- Use vocabulary for hotel staff, services, and facilities.
- Write a polite message of five or six sentences to reception.
Talking about your hotel stay
Start by labeling the hotel picture with words from the previous lesson: reception, receptionist, registration form, key, suitcase, floor, lift or elevator, and room number.
The discussion asks what is important to you in a hotel room, which facilities you use, and whether you have special requests. Practice short answers such as A quiet room is important to me. and I would like a wake-up call.
Hotel services vocabulary in English
Listen to the vocabulary cards and repeat each word or phrase. Group the words by staff, services, and actions.
| Word or phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Front desk | The reception desk where guests ask for help. |
| Concierge | A staff member who helps guests arrange services and activities. |
| Room service | Food or drinks delivered to a guest's room. |
| Housekeeping | The service that cleans rooms and provides items such as towels. |
| Laundry | Clothes to be washed, or a clothes-washing service. |
| Wake-up call | A phone call arranged to wake a guest at a chosen time. |
| Gift shop | A shop selling gifts and souvenirs. |
| Arrange | Organize something. |
| Order a meal | Ask for food to be prepared or delivered. |
| Settle my bill | Pay the amount owed. |
The cards also introduce bell captain, get clothes dry cleaned, get my room cleaned, and get a ticket. Practice the difference between catch a plane, meaning get on it in time, and miss a plane, meaning fail to catch it.
Making polite requests for hotel services
Use Could you please ...?, Can you ...?, or Is it possible to ...? to ask for a service. Keep the action verb in its base form.
- Could you please arrange a wake-up call?
- Can you order a taxi for me?
- Is it possible to have breakfast delivered to my room?
- Could you please send some clean towels?
Give the details needed for your example request, such as the room number, item, or time. Practice I am staying in room 306. and Could you arrange a wake-up call for 5:30 a.m.?
Listening to a wake-up call request
In the first video, Kieran has a plane to catch the next morning. He requests a wake-up call for 5:30 a.m., breakfast and a pot of tea after the call, and a taxi to the airport for 7:30 a.m. These are the details of the lesson conversation.
Watch once for the general meaning, then watch again in quiz mode. Listen carefully to the times and services. Practice the receptionist's question Is there anything else I can help you with? and the guest's closing Thanks for all your help.
Using a hotel service directory
The directory activity asks you to match requests with the extension numbers shown in the lesson picture. Identify the service for ordering a meal, getting clothes dry cleaned, carrying bags, cleaning a room, arranging theater tickets, or checking for mail.
Practice naming the service before choosing the number. Build a sentence such as I would like to order a meal. or I need help carrying my bags. Use the picture to find the matching information.
Asking about hotel facilities
Listen to the receptionist describing the facilities in the example hotel. Select the places mentioned: café, gift shop, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, and swimming pool.
Listen again and complete the true-or-false task. Focus on the breakfast times, the floor locations, and phrases such as next to the gift shop and on the top floor. Practice your own questions: Is breakfast included?, Does the room have air conditioning?, and Where is the swimming pool?
Reporting a problem in your hotel room
Begin politely with Hello. I have a problem in my room. Give your room number and describe what is wrong. The second video and phrase cards introduce these examples:
- The air conditioner isn't working properly.
- The TV has no signal.
- There's no Wi-Fi in the room.
- The hot water in the shower isn't working either.
- It's been a bit noisy next door.
Listen for the staff question What seems to be the issue? and the offer Would you like a temporary room? Practice describing one problem at a time, then make a polite request for help.
A short guest and receptionist complaint conversation
Guest: Hello. I have a problem in my room.
Receptionist: I'm sorry to hear that. Which room are you in?
Guest: Room 412. The air conditioner isn't working properly.
Receptionist: Thank you. We will send someone to check it.
Guest: That would be helpful. Thank you.
This model conversation is for English practice. Switch roles and change the problem. Useful responses include I'm sorry to hear that., That would be helpful., and Thanks for your help.
Grammar practice for describing room problems
Use there is for one countable item or an uncountable noun. Use there are for plural items. The picture quiz practices There's a broken bed., There are dirty towels., and There isn't any water.
To describe equipment that is not functioning, use isn't working: The lift isn't working. Practice combining a problem sentence with a request: The shower isn't working. Could you please send someone to check it?
In the later listening and gap-fill task, Mr. Peterson explains his room problems and asks about changing rooms. Complete the missing words and identify the phrases used to report a problem, apologize, and offer a solution.
Writing a short message to reception
Write five or six simple sentences. Include your room number, the problem or service needed, and a polite request. Begin with Hello and close with Best regards.
Model message for English practice:
Hello,
I am in room 412. There is a problem with the air conditioner. It is not working properly. The room is very hot. Could you please send someone to check it? Thank you for your help.
Best regards,
Sara
Change the example details to write your own message. Teachers can model a service request and a complaint before learners practice in pairs. For self-study, repeat the vocabulary audio, complete the interactive activities, and read your message aloud. Finish by sharing a phrase you can use to report a problem politely.
Review hotel check-in and reservation phrases in Lesson 25, or explore more free A1 English teaching materials.