Travel & Tourism: Hotels

Introduction

Jack: Hello my name’s Jack

Rowan: My name’s Rowan

Rich: and I’m Rich

Rowan: And welcome to this week’s Premier Skills English podcast.

Jack: In the Premier Skills English podcast, we talk about football and help you with your English.

Rowan: Don’t forget you can find the transcript for all our podcasts on the Premier Skills English website.

Rich: This podcast is one in a series of podcasts that focuses on travel and tourism. Last week we spoke about different types of transport: buses, trains and planes.

Jack: This week we want to help you with some of the language you need when you stay in a hotel. We will look at words and phrases you need when you check-in, talk about the facilities in a hotel and when you want to make a complaint about something.

Rowan: In our roleplays this week, I take the best room when we check in to a hotel and Rich is bored to tears by a member of hotel staff.

Jack: And then, worst of all, the TV in Rich’s room doesn’t work when he is trying to watch the match.

Rich: Your task this week is to complain about something and respond to some complaints.

Rowan: If you are listening to us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or any other podcast platform, you should also check out our website.

Jack: On the Premier Skills English website you’ll find 
the transcript, examples and activities to help you understand the language, and a task for you to complete with other listeners.

Rich: Before we do the roleplays let’s look back at last week’s football phrase.

Last week’s Football Phrase 

Rowan: Before we start this week’s roleplay we need to look back at last week’s football phrase.

Rich: OK, our football phrase. If you’ve not listened to the podcast before, every week we set our listeners a language challenge. We explain a football phrase or word and you have to guess what it is.

Rowan: When you know the answer, go to the Premier Skills English website and write the word or phrase in the comments section for this podcast. If you’re correct we’ll announce your name on next week’s podcast.

Rich: We had lots of correct answers last week but a big congratulations to Alex from Ukraine who was the first to get the correct answer for the second week in a row.

Jack: And a big well done to the following listeners who also got the correct answer: Liubomyr from Ukraine, Pawalele from Poland, Marco Zapien from Mexico, HSN and MoBeckham from Turkey, Elghoul from Algeria and Robert Tavares from Brazil.

Rowan: The new football phrase is at the end of this podcast but we’re going to give you one more chance to guess last week’s football phrase. Are you ready?

Rich: The phrase was **** **** ****. We also use this phrase when football teams are not playing in their own stadiums. Manchester City are **** **** **** this weekend - they’re playing at Anfield.

Rowan: We’ll give you the answer and a new football phrase at the end of this podcast.

Jack: If you remember, our last podcast was all about transport. We spoke about bus trips, train journeys and flights.

Rich: Thanks to all of you who told us about an exciting journey they had been on by road, rail or air.

Rowan: Liubomyr from Ukraine told us about a trip to London he made a few years ago. He had a few problems getting to the airport and back due to maintenance work and a storm but everything was all right in the end.

Jack: Shohei Komatsu from Japan also told us about a trip to London. He had a great time and especially enjoyed the pubs.

Rich: And MoBeckham from Turkey told us about a trip to see Fenerbache play his team, Manchester United, in Istanbul. He seemed to have a good, if tiring, time and even got to throw the ball to Marcus Rashford during the match!

Rowan: Thanks for all your comments and your answers to the tasks. We do enjoy reading all of them and think it’s a really good way to practise your English so keep writing those comments!

Jack: If you haven’t heard this podcast it’s called Travel and Tourism: Transport and you can find it on the Premier Skills English website or on Apple Podcasts.

Introduction to roleplay: 

Rowan: We have three roleplays for you this week. In the first roleplay, we’re checking into a hotel.

Rich: In the second roleplay, a member of hotel staff is talking about all the facilities that the hotel has.

Jack: And in the third roleplay, Rich is complaining to reception because the TV in his room isn’t working.

Rowan: As always, the main focus is the language. After each roleplay, we’re going to focus on words and phrases which we have used in each roleplay which should be useful if you ever stay in a hotel where you need to speak English.

Jack: While you listen to each roleplay we want you to answer two questions. Here are your questions for the first roleplay.

Rich: Question one: Who gets the best room?

Rowan: Question two: Why should Jack be worried?

Roleplay 1: Checking-in

Rowan: Where’s Rich going? The hotel’s just here.

Jack: He wants to catch the last 15 minutes of the Liverpool match. He said he’d give us a call once we’ve checked-in to the hotel.

Rowan: OK, come on. Reception is over there. I want to check-in and hit the sack. Flying always makes me really tired.

Receptionist: Hello there. Welcome to the Three Seasons. How can I help you this evening?

Jack: Hi. We have a reservation for five nights.

Receptionist: A double room for five nights? What name is it under?

Rowan: We’ve booked three single rooms. Under the name of Radford.

Receptionist: One moment, please. Ah, yes. Three single rooms under the name of Radford, Jack Radford.

Jack: It’s all paid in advance. We made the reservation online - I have a reference number here somewhere.

Receptionist: The booking number is not necessary. We’re actually fully-booked tonight. Would one of you mind taking a double room?

Rowan: Yes, please. I’ll have the double.

Receptionist: Perfect, now, if I could take a copy of your passports and a credit card.

Rowan: Sure.

Jack: Hey, you were quick to jump in there. Maybe I wanted the double room.

Rowan: Too slow, Jack!

Receptionist: There are your passports and your card Mr Radford. Room numbers 241 and 242 on the second floor and the double is room number 306 on the third floor.

Jack: Is there anywhere we could get a bite to eat?

Receptionist: The restaurant is about to close but room service is available until eleven and there is a mini-bar with drinks and snacks in your room. These will be charged directly to your credit card.

Jack: OK, thank you.

Rowan: Thanks.

Receptionist: Have a nice evening.

Rowan: Did you hear that? Everything charged directly to the credit card. Your credit card!

Language Focus 1

Rowan: Before the roleplay, we asked you two questions. The first question was: Who gets the best room?

Jack: The answer is Rowan. She got a double room while Rich and I only got single rooms.

Rich: Our second question was: Why should Jack be worried?

Rowan: He should be worried because anything Rich and I take out of the mini bar gets put on his credit card.

Jack: Yes, that’s very worrying. In the roleplay, we used lots of language connected to checking in.

Rich: To check in is a phrasal verb that means to tell someone that you have arrived. It’s used in airports and hotels.

Rowan: We check in at reception. At the hotel reception, you’ll find hotel staff ready to give you your room keys.

Jack: I think it’s really important to know the words and phrases to use when you check in. Have a listen to this section of the roleplay again:

Jack: Hi. We have a reservation for five nights.

Receptionist: A double room for five nights? What name is it under?

Rowan: We’ve booked three single rooms. Under the name of Radford.

Receptionist: One moment, please. Ah, yes. Three single rooms under the name of Radford, Jack Radford.

Jack: It’s all paid in advance. We made the reservation online - I have a reference number here somewhere.

Receptionist: The booking number is not necessary. We’re actually fully-booked tonight. Would one of you mind taking a double room?

Rowan: Yes, please. I’ll have the double.

Rich: Let’s look at the words ‘booking’ and ‘reservation’. These two words mean the same. A booking or reservation is an arrangement with a business such as a hotel, a restaurant, or an airline to keep something for you.

Jack: We had a reservation or a booking for five nights.

Rowan: You book or reserve a hotel room. We had booked or reserved three single rooms.

Rich: And you make a booking or you make a reservation. We made our reservation online.

Jack: You often get a booking number or reservation number that you have to show when you check in.

Rowan: The receptionist said that the hotel was fully booked. This means that all the rooms are occupied. We can only say fully-booked here - we can’t say fully-reserved.

Rich: The receptionist said: ‘what name is it under?’ This is a common first question when you have a reservation. You just need to give your name or surname.

Rowan: I said the reservation was under the name of Radford, Jack Radford.

Jack: I think the type of room is also important. We booked three single rooms. A single room is a room for one person.

Rich: A double is a room for two people - it has a double bed - a bed for two people.

Jack: There are many types of rooms: twin beds, family rooms, triple rooms, or even suites. Do you know what they all are?

Rowan: Remember you can check your understanding of all this vocabulary on the Premier Skills English website.

...

Jack: Let’s move on to our second roleplay. Rich arrives at the hotel and a member of staff kindly helps him with his bags.

Rich: Here are the two questions we want you to answer as you listen.

Jack: Question one: What hotel facilities do you hear mentioned?

Rowan: Question two: What facility do you think Rich needs to use during the roleplay?

Roleplay 2: Facilities

Rich: Hello there. Yes, I have a reservation for tonight. I think my colleague checked me in a few hours ago. I think it’s under Radford.

Receptionist: Hold on one second. Yes, your key is here. Room 242. Could I just take a copy of your passport?

Rich: Sure no problem.

Receptionist: There you go. I’m afraid the lift is out of order but I’ll just give the porter a shout. He can help you with your bags.

Rich: Thanks. That’s very kind.

Receptionist: Tony!

Tony: Yep, I’m here.

Receptionist: Would you mind helping this guest with his bags? It’s room 242.

Tony: Sure, no problem. This way, sir. Is this your first time at the Three Seasons?

Rich: It is - it’s very nice. I actually need to print out an important document in the morning. Is there a business lounge?

Tony: Of course, sir. The business centre is on the first floor - there are computers and printers as well as meeting rooms if you need them. We have everything you need at the Three Seasons to make your stay more comfortable.

Rich: Yes, I’ve seen there is a gym but I’m here for work really.

Tony: The gym and sauna are on the ground floor and there are three pools in the spa area. You can go for a massage or a facial.

Rich: Sounds great. Is this my room here? Thanks so much.

Tony: And there are plenty more facilities. There’s free WIFI throughout the hotel. Do you have the code?

Rich: I do, thank you. I really need to go ...

Tony: And you must go up to the roof during your stay. There’s a pool, restaurant and bar up there.

Rich: An outdoor pool - wonderful, but …

Tony: Here let me help you with the door. Then there are the room facilities: Phone, TV, iron, hairdryer, bath and shower, desk - it’s an enormous room.

Rich: OK …

Tony: And our guest facilities include our laundry service, in-room breakfasts, free airport transfers, a babysitting service …

Rich: Thank you, Tony. I really need to use the facilities now. Have a nice evening.

Rich: Oh my life.

Language Focus 2: Facilities

Rowan: Before the roleplay, we asked you two questions. The first question was: What hotel facilities do you hear mentioned?

Jack: The answer is lots and I think Tony the porter told Rich every single last one from the roof-top terrace and pool to the babysitting service.

Rich: It was all a bit too much. Couldn’t he see that I didn’t have a baby!

Rowan: Our second question was: Which facility did Rich need to use during the roleplay?

Rich: I asked to use the business centre because I needed to print out a document but I didn’t need that until the next morning. The facility I really needed to use was the toilet! I needed to pee and Tony carried on talking and talking.

Jack: In English, a polite way of saying I need to go to the toilet is to say I need to use the facilities.

Rowan: In the roleplay, we used lots of language to describe different facilities in a hotel. Let’s look at some of them now.

Rich: I mentioned that I needed to print out a document so I asked if the hotel had a business centre or a business lounge.

Jack: I think this is quite common if you go away on business. You usually have a laptop with you but you don’t usually have a printer.

Rowan: The hotel did have a business centre and it had lots of other facilities, too.

Rich: Have a listen to this part of the roleplay again. What hotel facilities do you hear mentioned?

Tony: And you must go up to the roof during your stay. There’s a pool, restaurant and bar up there.

Rich: An outdoor pool - wonderful, but …

Tony: Here let me help you with the door. Then there are the room facilities: Phone, TV, iron, hairdryer, bath and shower, desk - it’s an enormous room.

Rich: OK …

Tony: And our guest facilities include our laundry service, in-room breakfasts, free airport transfers, a babysitting service …

Jack: If I travel for business one of the most important things I need in my room is an iron.

Rich: I agree. Clothes can get all creased and crumpled in your suitcase and if you have an important meeting you need to be able to iron your shirt in the morning.

Rowan: Or even the laundry service if you’re staying for a week or more.

Jack: Have you ever seen the price lists of getting your clothes washed in a hotel? What a rip off!

Rich: What else is important?

Rowan: A hairdryer. Can’t go to important meetings looking like I’ve just stepped out of the swimming pool.

Jack: Even if that was the truth having used the hotel spa early in the morning.

Rich: I know this is boring but the most important thing for me are airport transfers. I want to know that there is a mini-bus waiting to take me to the hotel and back to the airport when I’m ready to go home.

Rowan: We mentioned lots more hotel facilities in the roleplay and we have activities on the website to check your understanding of these words and phrases.

Jack: And we want you to use some of these words when you have a go at the task we have for you a little later on.

...

Rowan: Let’s move on to our final roleplay. Rich has a problem in his hotel room.

Rich: Here are the two questions we want you to answer as you listen.

Jack: Question one: What is the problem in Rich’s room?

Rowan: Question two: Why do you think nobody came to Rich’s room?

Roleplay 3: Making a complaint

Receptionist 1: Three Seasons reception. How can I help you this evening?

Rich: Hello, yes. It’s the TV in my room. Room number 242. I’m really sorry but I’m afraid there is a problem with my TV. I can’t get it to turn on. I’m trying to watch the match.

Receptionist 1: We’re watching that down here. Are you a United fan?

Rich: Liverpool.

Receptionist: Ahh! Have you tried plugging it in sir?

Rich: I’m serious. There’s just a black screen with the channel number.

Receptionist: I’m so sorry to hear that, sir. We will send someone up to have a look at it.

Rich: If you could hurry that would be great. I’ve missed most of the first half already.

… 
Receptionist 2: Three Seasons reception. How can I help you this evening?

Rich: I’m really sorry to bother you again but I rang a while ago about my TV not working and you said you would send someone up to look at it and nobody has come.

Receptionist 2: I’m terribly sorry about that. You must have spoken to my colleague. What’s your room number?

Rich: It’s 242. Some of the channels are working but I can’t get Sports 1.

Receptionist 2: Ah you’re the Liverpool fan trying to watch the match?

Rich: I’m trying to, yes.

Receptionist: The signal is fine down here. They’re losing 1-0. Ten minutes left.

Rich: Could you send someone up, please?

…

Rich: Good morning. I’d like to make a complaint about two of your receptionists.

Hotel manager: Certainly, sir. How can I help?

Rich: I’m sorry to say this but I found them to be both rude and unhelpful. I was trying to watch the Liverpool - United match last night but the TV didn’t work.

Hotel manager: Liverpool fan, you say?

Rich: Yes, and these receptionists said they would send someone up to fix it but no-one arrived.

Hotel manager: Liverpool lost did they, sir?

Rich: That is not why I am complaining. The service in this hotel was horrendous. I missed the entire match.

Hotel manager: Probably, best, sir. It finished 3-0, didn’t it? A good result, eh?

Rich: Sorry?

Hotel manager: Nothing sir. Don’t you worry. I’m really sorry about all of this. We’ll send someone up to your room right away.

Rich: Too late now, isn’t it?

Language Focus 3: Making a complaint

Rowan: Before the roleplay, we asked you two questions. The first question was: What problem did Rich have?

Rich: The answer is that the TV in my room wasn’t working.

Jack: Our second question was: Why don’t you think anybody came to Rich’s room?

Rich: This is more difficult to answer. It could be that the staff were incompetent but I think it was because they knew I was a Liverpool fan and they were United fans and didn’t want me to watch the match.

Rowan: Sound like paranoia to me, Rich. In the roleplay, Rich complained about his TV. Let’s look at some words and phrases we use to complain and how we can respond to a complaint.

Jack: The most important word is complain. Rich made a complaint about the TV in his room. To complain means to tell someone you are not happy about something. You can complain about something or make a complaint about something.

Rich: When we complain about something in a place like a hotel we usually try to be polite unless we are very angry.

Rowan: In the conversation, Rich wasn’t angry at first, just a little bit annoyed, so he was polite.

Jack: When you make a complaint about something in a polite way in English it is common to apologise or say sorry for making the complaint.

Rich: This is weird. I don’t know if it happens in other countries. It’s like when someone stands on my foot in a lift and I have to apologise.

Rowan: It’s true, but it’s just a way of being indirect and less confrontational or argumentative.

Jack: So, in the roleplay, we used the phrases ‘I’m really sorry but …’ and ‘I’m afraid …’ to be indirect. Actually, Rich put both of these phrases together when he said, ’I’m really sorry but I’m afraid there is a problem with my TV.’

Rich: So, when we complain about something in a polite way we can be apologetic and indirect. The receptionist replied to the complaint in a similar way - I’m so sorry to hear that and I’m terribly sorry about that.

Rowan: Words like ‘so’, ‘really’ and ‘ terribly’ are used to add extra emphasis and sincerity to your apology. They are all similar in meaning to ‘very’.

Rich: The word bother is also useful when we want to make a complaint. ‘Sorry, to bother you’ is a polite phrase we can use when we need to interrupt someone.

Jack: Let’s listen to one clip from the roleplay again which should help you with this week’s task:

…

Rich: I’m really sorry to bother you again but I rang a while ago about my TV not working and you said you would send someone up to look at it and nobody has come.

Receptionist 2: I’m terribly sorry about that. You must have spoken to my colleague. What’s your room number?

Jack: Remember that we’ve got vocabulary activities for you to check your understanding of everything we’ve looked at today on the Premier Skills English website.

TASK

Rich: In this week’s task, we want you to complain to someone about something.

Rowan: We want you to imagine that you are in a hotel and there is something wrong. Rich had a problem with the TV in his room - maybe something similar happens to you.

Jack: Or you might want to complain about some of the hotel facilities. Maybe there is a problem with the food, the sports equipment or in the business centre.

Rich: We want you to imagine that you are a guest at a hotel and you are complaining. We want you to write your complaint in the comments section on the Premier Skills English website.

Rowan: We also want you to be a hotel manager. When you see a complaint in the comments section we want you to respond to that complaint.

Jack: And, most importantly, we want you to use some of the language connected to hotels we’ve introduced in this podcast.

Football Phrase

Rowan: It’s time for this week’s football phrase. Have you got one Rich?

Rich: I have. This week’s football phrase is ***** ***** ****. The phrase describes a cup match where one team wins following thirty minutes of additional time. I watched Everton beat Tottenham 5-4 ***** ***** **** this week. It was a very exciting match. It was four-all after 90 minutes but Everton won ***** ***** ****.

Rowan: You often see the letters A E T after the result when a team wins in this way.

Jack: Let’s see if anyone gets it right and who is first this week. If you are still wondering what the answer was to last week’s football phrase it was a hospital pass.

Rowan: Right, that’s all we have time for this week! Don’t forget to write your answers to our questions and make a guess at our football phrase in the comments below. If you get it right, we’ll announce your name on next week’s podcast.

Rich: If you have a question for us about football or English you can email us at premierskills@britishcouncil.org

Jack: or you can leave your questions and comments on the website in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

Rowan: or you could give us a rating and a fantastic review on Apple Podcasts.

Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football