A VISIT TO A HOTEL

We stayed in the Carlton Hotel for three days in July, but I booked our room three months in advance, i. e. in April, because July is the middle of the tourist season. When we arrived we checked in at reception, then the porter carried our suitcases up to our room. I gave him a small tip — about 50p, I think. The staff were very friendly — we had a very nice chamber-maid (the woman who cleans the room) — and the room was very comfortable. The only problem we had, in fact, was with the shower which didn't work very well. (You could also say 'There was something wrong with the shower'.)

USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Could I book (= reserve) a room for next Thursday?	Чи можу я забронювати (замовити) номер на наступний четвер
Could I have an early morning call at 7 a.m. please? (Could you wake me at 7 a.m.?)	Не могли б ви розбудити мене завтра о 7 годині ранку?
Could you put it on my bill, please? (add the cost to the bill, e.g. for a drink you have in the hotel bar)	Не могли б ви записати це на мій рахунок?

Could I pay my bill, please? (pay for everything)	Чи можу я заплатити за рахунком ?
Could you order (call) a taxi for me to go to the airport?	Не могли б ви замовити мені таксі в аеропорт ?
Are you fully booked (completely full) next week?	У вас усе зарезервовано на наступний тиждень ?
Is breakfast/dinner included? (Does the price include breakfast/dinner?)	Чи входить у вартість сніданок/вечеря ?
Where's the lift? (the machine, which takes you up or down a floor) [амер. = elevator]	Де знаходиться ліфт ?
Excuse me. How do I get to the underground station from here?	Вибачте, як звідси добратися до станції метро ?

VOCABULARY

to book = to reserve — бронювати місця

in advance [əd'va:ns] — авансом, заздалегідь, наперед

to check in — реєструвати(ся), записувати(ся)

tip — гроші «на чай»; давати «на чай»

chamber-maid ['tʃeɪmbəmeɪd] — покоївка

EXERCISES

I. Put these sentences in а logical order. Then retell the text.

1.I paid my bill.

2. I checked in at reception.

3. I left the hotel.

4. I went up to my room.

5. I spent the night in the hotel.

6. I had an early morning call at seven о 'clock.

7.I booked a room at the hotel.

8. I went out for dinner in a local restaurant.

9. I arrived at the hotel.

10.I got up and had a shower.

11.I had breakfast.

12.I tipped the porter who carried my luggage upstairs.

II. WHAT would you say in these situations?

I. You want to stay in a hotel for two nights next week with your husband/wife. You phone the hotel. What do you ask or say?

2. You are at the hotel reception and you are planning to leave in about 15 minutes. What could you ask the receptionist?

3. You want to wake up at 7 a.m. but you don't have an alarm clock. What do you ask reception ?

4. You have a drink in the hotel bar. The barman asks how you want to pay. What's your reply?

5. When you turn on the shower in your room, the water comes out very very slowly. What could you say at reception ?

6. You want to go to the nearest bank but don't know where it is. What do you ask at reception ?

III. You are staying in quite a good hotel (e.g. two-star or three-star) in your country. Would you expect to have the following?

1) a room without a private bathroom

2) a hairdryer in the bathroom

3) a colour television in the room

4) a telephone in the room

5) writing-paper in the room

6) a machine for making tea and coffee in the room

7) an electric trouser press (a machine which presses/irons your trousers for you) in the room

8) air conditioning in the room

If possible, compare your answers with someone from a different country.

Відвідування готелю

Ми зупинилися в готелі «Карлтон» на три дні в липні, але я забронював наш номер заздалегідь, ще три місяці тому, тобто у квітні, оскільки саме на липень

припадає середина туристського сезону. Коли ми приїхали, ми зареєструвалися у адміністратора, потім швейцар відніс наші валізи в наш номер. Я дав йому невеликі чайові — думаю, приблизно 50 пенсів. Обслуговий персонал був дуже доброзичливий, у нас була дуже хороша покоївка, і номер був дуже зручний. Єдина проблема, яка у нас була насправді, — це те, що душ працював погано.