LESSON No 4: Checking in to a Hotel
Objective: Students will practice their vocabulary and their reading and conversation skills through activities
which can help them deal with checking in procedure.
Lesson plan:
[Link] introduces the structure of the lesson
[Link] 1: Students work on tasks prepared by the teacher
[Link] 2: Students meet on-line
[Link] 3: Self-evaluation of the work done ( steps 1 and 2)
Receptionist Guest
Pre-lesson task:
Get ready to speak on the following topics:
Steps to be taken when checking in the guest
Vocabulary used when dealing with checking in
Step 1
Get acquainted with Get acquainted with
1. Room types 1. Room types
SGL S x single room SGL S x single room
TWIN S2 x/x twin room TWIN S2 x/x twin room
FD one-bed suite FD one-bed suite
DBL D xx double room – (one DBL D xx double room – (one
2xDBL S2D xx/xx bed) 2xDBL S2D xx/xx bed)
DB double room – (two DB double room – (two
JS YB beds) JS YB beds)
LUX S2A superior double LUX S2A superior double
JLUX DA junior suite JLUX DA junior suite
P FP de-luxe twin P FP de-luxe twin
de-luxe double de-luxe double
presidential suite presidential suite
2. Hotel facilities 2. Hotel facilities
Bar, restaurant Bar, restaurant
Building of historic interest Building of historic interest
Business Centre Business Centre
Central heating/ Air conditioning Central heating/ Air conditioning
Foreign languages spoken Foreign languages spoken
Four-poster bed Four-poster bed
Jacuzzi Jacuzzi
Laundry/valet service Laundry/valet service
Mini-bar Mini-bar
Parking Parking
Pool Pool
Recreation/games room Recreation/games room
Rooftops bar Rooftops bar
Room service Room service
Safe deposit Safe deposit
Sauna Sauna
Solarium Solarium
Special Holiday arrangements Special Holiday arrangements
Swimming pool Swimming pool
Tennis Tennis
Wireless Internet Access Wireless Internet Access
3. A list of records used by a typical hotel
front office:
Hotel Register
Reservation Form/Card
Daily Arrival Register
Guest Index
Room Status Board
4. Stages in the process of checking in a 4. Stages in the process of checking in a
guest guest
5. A list of terms used in Reception 5. A list of terms used in Reception
All inclusive All inclusive
Arrival Arrival
Availability/available Availability/available
Booking/reservation Booking/reservation
Cancellation Cancellation
Card key Card key
Clientele Clientele
Confirmation Confirmation
Departure Departure
Full board Full board
No shows No shows
Occupancy Occupancy
Pigeon-hole Regulars
Regulars Rescheduling
Rescheduling Room rate (rate of the day)
Room rate (rate of the day)
Room status
Walk-in customer
6. A list of phrases used while checking in 6. A list of phrases used while checking
Are you planning on checking out in
tomorrow? Can we get a room for tonight?
Can I take your credit card details? Can we get a wake-up call?
Can you tell me the license plate number of Do you have any vacancies?
your car? How do we get to our room from here?
Complimentary breakfast is served in the Is it too early to check in?
dining area between 8 and 10 am. Is the hotel fully booked?
How long will you be staying? Is there any single room available?
I'll give you a card key. We have a reservation under Jill Brown.
I'm afraid you can't check in until after 4:00 What time is breakfast served at?
pm. What time is the sauna open until?
Just call the reception if you need any extra When is check out time, please?
towels or pillows, please.
The dining room is on the ground floor at
the end of the hall.
The swimming pool and sauna are on the
top floor.
Is it just for one more night?
What name is the reservation under?
c) Upload the prepared materials c) Upload the prepared materials
Step 2 On-line
Practice prepared material in real life situations Practice prepared material in real life
on-line situations on-line
1. Read and practise the dialogue with your 1. Read and practise the dialogue with your
partner and list the stages of the reservation in the partner and list the stages of the reservation in
order they happen. (R stands for Receptionist, G- the order they happen. (R stands for Receptionist,
for Guest.) G- for Guest.)
R Good afternoon.
G Good afternoon. I am Vincent Krieg.
R Welcome to Newcastle, Mr. Krieg. Do you have
a reservation?
G Yes, I do
R Let me check, please... A single room for two
nights?
G That’s right.
R Can I see your passport or ID card, please?
G Here you are.
R Thank you. May I ask you to sign here, please?
G Certainly.
R Here is your key. Your room number is 305, on
the third floor; the lift is over there. Breakfast is
between 7:00 and 10:00 a. m. in the dining area on G Thanks a lot. By the way, are there any
the ground floor. swimming facilities?
R Yes. There is a swimming pool in the basement.
You can get a swim from 6 a.m. to 10 p. m.
Do you need help with your luggage?
G No, I am fine, thanks
R Enjoy your stay!
G Thanks.
2. You are a receptionist and a guest. Role play 2. You are a receptionist and a guest. Role play
similar dialogues with the one you have just similar dialogues with the one you have just
practiced practiced
Welcome the guest Give your name
Check the reservation Say you have a reservation for a
Ask to see a passport / ID card double/single etc. room for 2/3 nights, etc.
Ask to fill in registration form/declaration Give your passport
Tell about breakfast and how to find the Agree to fill the registration form
room Ask what time breakfast is
Wish a pleasant stay to your guest Ask what catering, SPA etc. facilities hotel
offers
Ask for help with your luggage
3. This is a part of conversation between a 3. This is a part of conversation between a
receptionist and a guest checking in without a receptionist and a guest checking in without a
reservation but only the receptionist’s part is reservation but only the receptionist’s part is
provided. First work together and write out the provided. First work together and write out the
words from the conversation in the correct order. words from the conversation in the correct order.
Then add the guest’s responses to match the Then add the guest’s responses to match the
receptionist’s utterances. Role-play the dialogue in receptionist’s utterances. Role-play the dialogue
order to identify missing stages of the check-in in order to identify missing stages of the check-in
procedure. procedure.
Complete the dialogue covering the missing stages Complete the dialogue covering the missing
and role-play it! stages and role-play it!
one Just the night? one Just the night?
like you Standard €85 at at Executive an €130 like you Standard €85 at at Executive an €130
Would a or ? Would a or ?
207 are in OK, room you 207 are in OK, room you
settling account, will your be sir How you ? settling account, will your be sir How you ?
card, see, I Visa thanks card, see, I Visa thanks
may please I address take home your And ? may please I address take home your And ?
your complete require the will order registration to your complete require the will order registration
I passport to I passport
order can service room in charge your through order can service room in charge your through
service at extra no You breakfast room service at extra no You breakfast room
card, here your credit Here passport, is and key is card, here your credit Here passport, is and key is
your your
stay your enjoy stay your enjoy
4. Role play. Give a Visitor’s card to the guest. The 4. Role play. A receptionist gives a Visitor’s card
guest looks confused and asks for explanations of to you. Ask for explanations of the usefulness of
the usefulness of the card. Explain politely why the the card.
guest needs to keep the card!
5. You are about to fill in a Non-resident’s
5. Your guest is about to fill in a Non-resident’s Declaration while checking-in. It turns out you
Declaration while checking-in. It turns out your have forgotten your glasses and thus require
guest has forgotten his/her glasses and thus Receptionist’s assistance. Answer his/her
requires your assistance. Find out information questions to get the form filled for you!
needed by asking your guest the corresponding
questions and fill in the form for him/her.
Step 3
Evaluate your own work. Answer questions as Evaluate your own work. Answer questions as
honestly as you can without regard to what you think honestly as you can without regard to what you think
others may others may expect of you
expect of you
Teacher’s feedback on the work done
Resources: Glossary ‘Receptionist’ and Glossary ‘Politeness phrases‘;
[Link]
[Link]
Francis O- Hara – Be MZ Guest, CUP
Bibliography:
Kaith Harding & Paul Henderson ‘High Season’ (English for the Hotel and Tourist Industry), OUP
1997
Alison Pohj ‘Test your professional English’ Hotel and Catering, Pearson Education Ltd, 2004
Neil Wood ‘Tourism and catering’ OUP 2003
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
