Everyday situations
How to check in at a hotel in English
A2
Booking, checking in, asking for a service, reporting a problem, paying: the phrases you need for a stress-free stay.
Quick answer
A hotel is one of the easiest places to speak English: the staff are trained, the vocabulary is limited, and 80% of conversations follow a known script. The real difficulty is in the cultural details. At a British check-in, two sentences are enough to get your key (I have a reservation under Clark). At an American check-in, the receptionist often asks for a credit card pre-authorization, which can surprise you. The money is not really taken, but it is blocked on your card. The most common word trap: a double room has one big bed, while a twin room has two separate beds.
Step by step
Each step follows a typical conversation. Lines marked “or” are other possible answers, depending on the situation.
1. Booking by phone or online
Give the dates, the number of people and the type of room. Always check the price.
- You
I'd like to book a room for two nights, please.
Formal - Other person
What dates are you looking at?
- You
From the 15th to the 17th of March.
- Other person
For how many people?
- You
Two adults and one child.
- You
Do you have any availability for a double room?
- Other person
Yes, we do.
orI'm sorry, we're fully booked on those dates.
→ Another possible answer: the hotel is full, so you try other dates. - You
How much is it per night?
- Other person
It's £95 a night.
- You
Does that include breakfast?
- Other person
Yes, breakfast is included.
orNo, breakfast is £12 per person.
- You
Could you confirm by email?
- Other person
Of course. I just need your email address.
2. Arriving and checking in
Show your passport and a card. In the US, expect a pre-authorization.
- You
Hi, I have a reservation under Clark.
- Other person
Could I see your passport, please?
- You
Here you are.
- Other person
Could you fill in this form?
- You
Sure, no problem.
- Other person
I'll need a credit card for the deposit.
- You
Of course, here's my card.
- Other person
Here's your key card. You're in room 412 on the fourth floor.
- You
Thank you. What time is breakfast?
- Other person
Breakfast is served between 7 and 10 in the restaurant downstairs.
- You
And what time is check-out?
- Other person
Check-out is at 11 AM.
3. Asking for a service or information
Wi-Fi, room service, the concierge, the restaurant: always start with Could.
- You
What's the Wi-Fi password?
→ The question everyone asks first. The password is often printed on the key card holder. - Other person
It's written on your key card holder.
- You
Could I have a wake-up call at 7 AM, please?
- Other person
Of course. Seven o'clock, room 412.
- You
Could you call me a taxi for 9?
- Other person
Certainly, I'll book one for nine.
- You
Do you have any restaurant recommendations nearby?
- Other person
There's a good Italian place two streets away. I can book a table for you.
- You
Could I get extra towels, please?
- Other person
Of course, housekeeping will bring them up.
- You
What time does the gym close?
- Other person
It closes at 10 PM.
- You
Is there a safe in the room?
- Other person
Yes, it's in the wardrobe.
- You
Could I order room service?
- Other person
Of course. The menu is on the desk.
4. Reporting a problem
A polite opening + the exact problem + a request for a solution.
- You
Hi, sorry to bother you. The shower isn't working.
→ Sorry to bother you opens the request politely.orThe air conditioning is too loud.
orThe Wi-Fi isn't working in my room.
orThere's no hot water.
orThe TV remote doesn't work.
- Other person
I'm so sorry, I'll send maintenance up right away.
- You
The room next door is very noisy. Could we change rooms?
- Other person
Would you like to be upgraded to another room?
- You
Yes, please. That would be great.
5. Checking out and paying
Check the charges (mini-bar, services) and ask for a detailed receipt.
- You
I'd like to check out, please.
- Other person
Certainly. Your total is £230, including two drinks from the mini-bar.
- You
There seems to be a mistake on the bill, I didn't have anything from the mini-bar.
- Other person
I'm so sorry, let me correct that.
- You
Could I have the bill, please?
UKorCould I have the check, please?
US - Other person
How would you like to pay?
- You
By card, please.
- Other person
Would you like a receipt?
- You
Could I have an itemized receipt?
→ An itemized receipt (UK spelling: itemised) lists every charge, such as the mini-bar and services. - Other person
Of course. Here you go.
- You
Could I leave my bags here until 5 PM?
- Other person
Of course. We hope you enjoyed your stay.
Useful vocabulary
Types of room
- a single rooma room for one person
- a double rooma room with one big bed
- a twin rooma room with two single beds
- a suitea large room with a living area
- an en-suite rooma room with its own bathroom
- a room with a viewa room that looks out on something beautiful
- a sea view / city viewyou see the sea / the city
- an adjoining rooma room with a door to the next one
Services and equipment
- breakfast includedthe price covers the morning meal
- room servicefood brought to your room
- a wake-up calla phone call to wake you up
- a key carda plastic card that opens your door
- the mini-bara small fridge with drinks and snacks
- a safea locked box for valuable things
- a hairdryera machine that dries your hair
- an iron / ironing boardtools to make clothes smooth
Your stay
- check-in / check-outarriving / leaving the hotel officially
- reception / front deskthe desk where guests are welcomed
- lobbythe big entrance hall
- a depositmoney kept until you leave
- a bill / invoicea list of what you owe
- pre-authorizationmoney blocked on your card
- taxes and feesextra charges on top of the price
- a tip / gratuityextra money for good service
Common problems
- isn't working / out of ordernot doing its job
- noisywith too much sound
- too cold / too hotnot the right temperature
- dirtynot clean
- brokendamaged, in pieces
- leakingletting water out
- a complainttelling staff you are not happy
- maintenancethe team that repairs things
UK vs US: what changes
| You want to say… | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay at the end | The bill | The check |
| Saving a room in advance | A booking / to book | A reservation / to make a reservation |
| Desk where you arrive | Reception | Front desk |
| Machine that carries you between floors | Lift | Elevator |
| Floor at street level | Ground floor (then 1st floor) | 1st floor (then 2nd floor) |
| Where water comes out over the sink | Tap | Faucet |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. A double room ❌ (when you want two beds)
A double room has one big bed for two people. If you want two separate beds, ask for a twin room. A single room is for one person only: if two of you travel together, it gives you one bed for one. If you are not sure, add for two people or with two beds.
2. First floor: not the same in the UK and the US
In the UK, the floor at street level is the ground floor, and the floor above it is the first floor. In the US, the 1st floor is at street level. So a British person on the first floor is one floor up, but an American on the first floor is at street level. If you are not sure, check in the lift.
3. A pre-authorization is not a payment
In the US, and in some UK hotels, check-in needs a card for a pre-authorization (often $/£100 to 200 per night). It is not a payment: the money is blocked for a short time and freed when you leave. You only pay the final amount at check-out. Don't panic if the money available on your card suddenly drops: this is normal.
4. Where is the toilet? ❌ in a US hotel
In the UK, saying toilet at reception is neutral. In the US, it sounds very direct: people say restroom or bathroom. Where is the toilet? sounds strange in an American hotel; Where is the restroom? is what people expect.
5. I want a refund ❌ (too direct)
To ask for money back, I want a refund sounds aggressive. Use a more professional pattern: I'm sorry to ask, but given + problem + , would it be possible to have + solution? Example: I'm sorry to ask, but given the noise problem we had, would it be possible to have a partial refund? The more polite you are, the better it works.
Practice quiz
Related pages: At the hotel
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Frequently asked questions
How do you book a hotel room in English?+
Start with I'd like to book a room for + number + nights, please. Then give the details: the dates (From the 15th to the 17th), the number of people (Two adults and one child) and the type of room (a double room / a twin room / a single room). Always ask Does that include breakfast? and How much is it per night?
What is the difference between a double room and a twin room?+
A single room is for 1 person (1 single bed). A double room is for 2 people, with 1 big bed (a queen or a king). A twin room is for 2 people, with 2 separate single beds. If it is not clear, always add for + number + people.
How do you check in at a hotel in English?+
Say I have a reservation under + your surname. The receptionist will ask for your passport and a credit card (for a deposit or a pre-authorization, especially in the US). You will get a key card with your room number. Then ask What time is breakfast?, What's the Wi-Fi password? and Where's the lift? (UK) or Where's the elevator? (US).
How do you complain about a hotel room in English?+
Use a polite phrase: Sorry to bother you, + the problem + isn't working / is too loud / is dirty. Give your room number: in room 412. The receptionist will send someone from maintenance or offer you another room (sometimes an upgrade, a better room). If the problem is serious, ask Could we change rooms? and Would a partial refund be possible?
How do you ask for the bill at a hotel?+
In the UK: the bill. In the US: the check. The full phrase: Could I have the bill / check, please? Ask for an itemised receipt if you want a detailed receipt (useful to check the mini-bar, services and taxes). Always read it before you pay: mistakes on the mini-bar are common.
Can you leave your bags at a hotel after check-out?+
Yes. Ask Could I leave my bags here until + time + , please? Most hotels do this for free (luggage storage). The receptionist will give you a ticket to show when you come back. When you return, say Hi, I'd like to collect my bags and show the ticket.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/situations/at-the-hotel
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.