Tourism & Hospitality Vocabulary: 200 Key English Terms
Hotel and tourism staff speak English with guests from all over the world every day: at the front desk, on the phone, in the restaurant and on tour. This glossary covers the words you need for reservations, check-in and check-out, housekeeping, food and beverage service, guiding, complaints and agency work, each explained with examples from everyday working life.
200 terms
12 topics
95 core terms
404 example sentences
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Hotel Departments & Facilities
amenities
noun
Meaning
Useful or pleasant features and services a hotel offers, such as a pool, gym or free Wi-Fi; also the small items provided in rooms.
Where you use it
Used in hotel descriptions and sales: hotel amenities, in-room amenities, family-friendly amenities. Housekeeping says guest amenities for items like shampoo, slippers and dental kits. VIP amenities are special welcome gifts such as fruit or wine.
Examples
Amenities include an indoor pool, a spa and a kids' club.
Please put the VIP amenities in 501 before the guests arrive at four.
Usage note
Usually plural. It is common in hotel listings but less common in everyday speech; with guests you can also say facilities.
Common phrases
hotel amenities · in-room amenities · guest amenities · VIP amenities · modern amenities
Friendly and generous treatment of guests; also the industry of hotels, restaurants, catering and other businesses that serve guests.
Where you use it
Common in job titles and education: the hospitality industry, hospitality management, a hospitality degree. In service talk it means a warm welcome: "Thank you for your hospitality."
Examples
She studied hospitality management and started her career at a resort in Bodrum.
Thank you so much for your hospitality. We'll definitely come back next year.
Common phrases
hospitality industry · hospitality management · warm hospitality · work in hospitality · Turkish hospitality
The percentage of a hotel's available rooms that are sold over a certain period, such as a night, a month or a season.
Where you use it
A key figure in daily reports: rooms sold divided by rooms available, times 100. Managers look at it together with ADR (average daily rate) and RevPAR (revenue per available room). People often just say occupancy: "We're at 95% occupancy."
Examples
Our occupancy rate in August was 97%, the highest in five years.
If the occupancy rate stays below 60%, we'll close one of the restaurants in November.
Common phrases
high occupancy rate · average occupancy rate · occupancy rate forecast · boost the occupancy rate
The manager in charge of the whole hotel during a shift, especially in the evening and at night, who deals with problems and emergencies.
Where you use it
When a guest with a serious complaint asks to speak to a manager, staff call the duty manager. The duty manager handles escalated complaints, overbooking, security issues and accidents, and writes a report for the next morning's meeting.
Examples
The guest wants to speak to a manager. Can you call the duty manager?
Good evening, I'm the duty manager tonight. How can I help?
Common phrases
call the duty manager · duty manager on shift · duty manager report · night duty manager
A fixed period of work, such as morning, evening or night, in a job where different teams work at different times.
Where you use it
Hotels work around the clock in shifts: morning shift, afternoon or evening shift, night shift. Staff do a shift handover, swap shifts with colleagues and sometimes work double shifts in busy periods. A split shift has a long break in the middle.
Examples
I'm on the night shift this week, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Before you leave, please write any open guest requests in the shift handover log.
Common phrases
night shift · morning shift · shift handover · swap shifts · work a double shift
A hotel or holiday place with many facilities, such as pools, restaurants, sports and entertainment, where people stay for leisure.
Where you use it
Used for one large hotel (a five-star resort, an all-inclusive resort) or a whole holiday area (a beach resort, a ski resort, a seaside resort). A resort fee is an extra daily charge that some hotels add for the use of facilities.
Examples
The resort has five pools, a water park and a private beach.
Side and Alanya are popular seaside resorts on the Mediterranean coast.
Usage note
Pronounced with a z sound (ri-ZORT). Do not confuse it with the verb phrase resort to, meaning to use something as a last option.
The work of keeping a hotel's building and equipment in good condition, and the department that repairs things such as air conditioning, lights and plumbing.
Where you use it
When a guest reports a fault, staff say "I'll send someone from maintenance." Large hotels may call the department engineering. Preventive maintenance is planned work, and each job is recorded as a maintenance request or work order.
Examples
The shower in 233 is leaking. I'll ask maintenance to have a look right away.
The spa will be closed on Monday for maintenance.
Usage note
Spelled maintenance, not "maintainance", even though the verb is maintain.
Common phrases
call maintenance · maintenance team · maintenance request · closed for maintenance · preventive maintenance
The group of hotel staff who organise daytime activities, sports, kids' club games and evening shows for guests.
Where you use it
A central part of resort life in Turkey and around the Mediterranean. Team members lead aerobics, water polo and darts, run the mini club and present the evening show. Turkish hotels often say animation team and animators, words that many European guests also know.
Examples
The entertainment team runs aqua gym in the main pool at eleven.
Tonight the entertainment team presents a Turkish night show in the amphitheatre.
Usage note
In general English, animation usually means cartoons, so guests from outside Europe may understand entertainment team more easily than animation team.
Common phrases
entertainment programme · evening entertainment · entertainment manager · join the entertainment team
A place to stay, such as a hotel room, apartment or guesthouse, or the service of providing somewhere to sleep for travellers.
Where you use it
A key word in booking texts and contracts: accommodation only, accommodation costs, hotel accommodation. Hotels, apartments and hostels are all types of accommodation. In British English it is usually uncountable; American English often uses the plural accommodations.
Examples
The price includes return flights, transfers and seven nights' accommodation.
We can help you find accommodation near the congress centre.
Usage note
It is spelled with double c and double m. Turkish speakers often write "accomodation" or say "an accommodation"; in British English say "somewhere to stay" or "a place to stay".
Common phrases
find accommodation · provide accommodation · hotel accommodation · accommodation costs · accommodation only
A bus or minibus that travels regularly between two places, such as a hotel and the airport, the beach or the city centre.
Where you use it
Hotels advertise a free shuttle, an airport shuttle or a shuttle service to the beach or town. Guests ask about the shuttle timetable and where it stops. A shuttle runs on a fixed schedule for everyone; a transfer usually takes one guest or group directly.
Examples
The free shuttle to the city centre leaves every hour from the main entrance.
Is there a shuttle to the airport, or should I book a taxi?
Common phrases
free shuttle · airport shuttle · shuttle bus · shuttle service · shuttle timetable
The most senior manager of a hotel, responsible for all departments, the budget, the staff and the guest experience.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to GM in hotels: "The GM wants to meet all VIP arrivals." Department heads such as the front office manager, the executive housekeeper and the F&B manager report to the GM, in large hotels often through a hotel manager or resident manager.
Examples
The general manager holds a short meeting with all department heads every morning.
The general manager personally welcomed the VIP group at the entrance.
Common phrases
hotel general manager · GM · report to the general manager · assistant general manager
An area of a hotel where guests can relax and have treatments such as massages, facials, sauna, a steam room and a Turkish bath.
Where you use it
Hotels advertise the spa, spa treatments and spa packages; guests book a treatment or an appointment at the spa reception. Some facilities, such as the sauna, may be free, while massages cost extra. Many Turkish hotel spas include a hamam.
Examples
The spa is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the sauna is free for hotel guests.
Would you like me to book a massage for you at the spa?
Common phrases
spa treatment · spa package · book a spa appointment · spa reception · spa and wellness
A supervised area and activity programme in a hotel or resort where children play and take part in games while their parents relax.
Where you use it
Standard in family resorts, often for ages 4 to 12, with a daily programme of games, crafts and a mini disco. Staff register each child and check who picks them up. Turkish resorts usually call it the mini club, a name English-speaking guests also understand.
Examples
The kids' club is free and open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Children under four can join the kids' club only with a parent.
Common phrases
kids' club programme · join the kids' club · kids' club staff · mini club · mini disco
The buildings, rooms, equipment and services a hotel provides for guests, such as pools, restaurants, a gym, meeting rooms and parking.
Where you use it
Almost always plural in this sense: hotel facilities, leisure facilities, conference facilities, facilities for disabled guests. Facilities are usually shared areas and services, while amenities are often smaller comforts in the room. Hotel websites have a Facilities page.
Examples
Guests can use all the hotel facilities until 6 p.m. on the day of departure.
The resort's facilities include four pools, a spa and two tennis courts.
Usage note
"Where are the facilities?" can also be a polite way of asking for the toilets.
Common phrases
hotel facilities · leisure facilities · conference facilities · use the facilities · facilities for disabled guests
Working at a particular time, especially during a shift, and responsible for dealing with guests or problems during that time.
Where you use it
Used for shifts and responsibilities: "Who's on duty tonight?", "the manager on duty", "the doctor on duty". The opposite is off duty. Staff on duty must wear their uniform and name badge.
Examples
The receptionist on duty that night didn't record the guest's request.
A doctor is on duty at the hotel clinic until midnight.
Common phrases
be on duty · manager on duty · off duty · go on duty · staff on duty
Passing on information and responsibility at the end of a shift, so that the next team knows about guests, problems and tasks still open.
Where you use it
Front desk, housekeeping and F&B teams do a handover at every shift change, often with a logbook or handover sheet: VIP arrivals, complaints, wake-up calls, cash. The verb is hand over: "Please hand over to the night team before you leave."
Examples
At the handover, the morning shift mentioned that the plumber still hadn't come to 412.
Write everything in the logbook so the handover takes five minutes, not thirty.
Common phrases
shift handover · handover meeting · handover notes · do a handover · hand over to the next shift
A system that classifies hotels from one to five stars according to their facilities, services and quality.
Where you use it
There is no single worldwide system; each country or organisation sets its own criteria, so a five-star hotel in one country may be quite different from one in another. In Turkey, hotels licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism are classified by stars.
Examples
The resort has a five-star rating and four à la carte restaurants.
Guests often expect more than the star rating promises.
Usage note
As an adjective, the number takes a hyphen and star has no plural s: a four-star hotel, a five-star resort, never "a five stars hotel".
Common phrases
five-star hotel · star rating system · hotel star rating · official star rating
An arrangement made in advance to keep a room, table, seat or service for a guest on a particular date.
Where you use it
Used in hotels, restaurants and tours. You make, confirm, change, cancel or hold a reservation, and staff look up a reservation by name or confirmation number. The reservations department handles bookings by phone, email and online channels.
Examples
I have a reservation under the name Müller for three nights.
I'm sorry, I can't find your reservation. Do you have the confirmation number?
Would you like me to make a reservation at the fish restaurant for tonight?
Usage note
Turkish speakers often say "do a reservation" because of "rezervasyon yapmak". The natural verb is make: "make a reservation".
Common phrases
make a reservation · confirm a reservation · cancel a reservation · reservation under the name · reservations department
To arrange in advance to have a room, table, ticket or tour on a certain date, by phone, online or through an agency.
Where you use it
Very common in British English and in tourism everywhere. You book a room, book a table, book a tour or book a guest into a hotel. The noun is booking; "The room is booked" means it is already reserved.
Examples
I'd like to book a double room from the 12th to the 15th of June.
The guest booked through an online agency, so the payment was taken in advance.
Usage note
Booking and reservation mean the same thing in hotels. American English prefers reservation; booking sounds more British.
Common phrases
book a room · book a table · book in advance · book online · book through an agency
Whether rooms, tables, seats or places on a tour are free to be booked on a particular date.
Where you use it
Reservations and front desk staff check availability before quoting a price. Common phrases: "Let me check availability", "subject to availability" (only if something is free) and "We have limited availability that weekend."
Examples
Let me check availability for a sea-view room on those dates.
Late check-out is free for our members, subject to availability.
Common phrases
check availability · subject to availability · limited availability · room availability · no availability
Having no free rooms, tables or places left for a particular date because everything has already been reserved.
Where you use it
Said by reservations and front desk staff when they cannot accept a booking: "I'm afraid we're fully booked that weekend." Similar phrases are sold out, full and no availability. Staff often offer another date, a waiting list or a sister hotel.
Examples
I'm sorry, we're fully booked on the 20th, but we have rooms from the 21st.
The boat trip is fully booked tomorrow. Shall I put you on the list for Thursday?
Usage note
Turkish speakers sometimes say "full booked". The adverb is needed: "We're fully booked." You can also simply say "We're full."
Common phrases
be fully booked · fully booked weekend · fully booked until · almost fully booked
The price a hotel charges for a room for one night, which can change with the season, room type and booking channel.
Where you use it
Hotels say rate rather than price: room rate, nightly rate, best available rate, corporate rate, group rate. Staff quote a rate to a guest and say whether it includes breakfast and taxes.
Examples
The room rate is 140 euros per night, including breakfast and taxes.
Corporate guests get a special room rate on weekdays.
Common phrases
quote a room rate · nightly room rate · corporate rate · best available rate · room rate per night
Money paid in advance to secure a booking, or money held by the hotel during a stay to cover possible extra charges or damage.
Where you use it
Reservations ask for a deposit to guarantee a booking, often one night or a percentage. Some hotels take a cash or card security deposit at check-in and return it at check-out. A deposit may be refundable or non-refundable.
Examples
To confirm your reservation, we need a deposit of one night by Friday.
The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel less than seven days before arrival.
Usage note
English uses deposit for two things that Turkish separates: kapora or ön ödeme (an advance payment) and depozito (a refundable guarantee).
Common phrases
pay a deposit · take a deposit · non-refundable deposit · security deposit · refund a deposit
The rules of a hotel or agency about how and when a booking can be cancelled and what the guest pays after a late cancellation.
Where you use it
Stated in booking confirmations and contracts, for example "free cancellation up to 48 hours before arrival". Staff explain the cancellation policy, apply a cancellation fee and sometimes waive it as a gesture of goodwill.
Examples
Our cancellation policy allows free cancellation until 6 p.m. on the day before arrival.
According to the cancellation policy, the first night will be charged.
Usage note
The noun cancellation has double l in both British and American English, but the past tense of the verb is canceled in the US and cancelled in the UK.
A unique code given to a guest when a booking is confirmed, used to find and manage the reservation later.
Where you use it
Sent in the confirmation email and asked for when a guest calls to change or cancel a booking. Also called booking reference, reservation number or confirmation code. Staff often read it back letter by letter to avoid mistakes.
Examples
Could you give me your confirmation number, please? – Yes, it's 4-7-2-B-K.
Your confirmation number is in the email we sent you this morning.
Common phrases
give a confirmation number · booking confirmation number · quote your confirmation number · confirmation email
A guest who has a reservation but neither arrives nor cancels; the word also describes the booking itself.
Where you use it
Hotels mark a booking as a no-show after the arrival day ends, usually during the night audit, and may charge a no-show fee, often the first night. Restaurants and tour companies use the same word.
Examples
We had four no-shows last night, all from the same online agency.
If the guest is a no-show, we'll charge the first night to the card on file.
Common phrases
no-show fee · no-show charge · mark as a no-show · no-show rate
Accepting more reservations than there are rooms or seats, expecting that some guests will cancel or not arrive.
Where you use it
A common practice in hotels and airlines to avoid empty rooms and seats. If everyone arrives, the hotel must walk a guest: move them to another hotel of a similar standard, usually at its own cost. The verb is overbook.
Examples
Because of overbooking, we have to move three guests to our sister hotel tonight.
Overbooking is risky in high season because very few guests cancel.
Common phrases
overbooking policy · be overbooked · walk a guest · overbooking situation
The hotel's full, standard price for a room before any discounts, special offers or contract rates are applied.
Where you use it
Used inside the hotel and in negotiations: discounts are calculated from the rack rate, and few guests actually pay it. The name comes from the rack at the front desk where room cards and prices were once kept.
Examples
The rack rate for this room is 300 euros, but your corporate rate is 190.
Walk-in guests are usually quoted the rack rate.
Common phrases
quote the rack rate · discount off the rack rate · below rack rate · published rack rate
Booking a holiday or hotel stay months in advance, often to get a discount offered for bookings made before a certain date.
Where you use it
Hotels and tour operators run early booking campaigns, usually in winter for the following summer. Common phrases: early booking discount, early booking period, early booking deadline. In English, early bird offer is also common.
Examples
Book before 31 January to get our 25% early booking discount.
Guests with early booking rates can't change their dates without paying the difference.
Common phrases
early booking discount · early booking period · early booking campaign · early booking deadline
A room in a hotel, guesthouse or motel that is free and can be booked; often used in the plural on signs.
Where you use it
Seen on signs outside small hotels and motels: "Vacancies" or "No vacancies". In conversation, hotel staff more often say "We have rooms available" or "We're fully booked." The word also means an open job, so the context matters.
Examples
Sorry, we have no vacancies this weekend because of the festival.
The guesthouse still had a few vacancies in early June.
Common phrases
no vacancies · have a vacancy · vacancies available · vacancy sign
Something extra a guest asks for, such as a quiet room, a high floor, a cot or a birthday cake, which the hotel tries to provide but may not promise.
Where you use it
Booking forms have a special requests box, and these notes appear in the PMS. Hotels usually reply that requests are "subject to availability" or "cannot be guaranteed". Front desk and guest relations staff check special requests for the next day's arrivals.
Examples
We've noted your special request for a room on a high floor.
There's a special request on this booking: it's the guests' wedding anniversary.
Common phrases
make a special request · special requests box · note a special request · subject to availability
Describes a rate or payment that the guest does not get back if they cancel, change or do not use the booking.
Where you use it
Non-refundable rates are cheaper than flexible rates and are usually paid in full at the time of booking. Front desk staff often have to explain politely that a non-refundable booking cannot be refunded, even if the guest leaves early.
Examples
This is a non-refundable rate, so the full amount will be charged today.
I'm sorry, your booking was non-refundable, so we can't give the money back for the unused nights.
A booking condition that lets the guest cancel without paying anything, usually only until a certain date or time before arrival.
Where you use it
Shown on booking sites as "Free cancellation until 18:00 on 12 May". After that deadline, the cancellation policy applies and the hotel may charge one night or the full stay. Rates with free cancellation are usually more expensive than non-refundable ones.
Examples
Your rate includes free cancellation up to 48 hours before arrival.
Free cancellation ended yesterday, so we'll have to charge the first night.
Common phrases
free cancellation until · with free cancellation · free cancellation period · flexible rate
A reservation secured with a credit card or deposit, so the hotel keeps the room all night but may charge the guest if they do not arrive.
Where you use it
Front office staff separate guaranteed and non-guaranteed bookings. A non-guaranteed booking may be released at a set time, often 6 p.m., if the guest has not arrived. Also called a guaranteed reservation. If the guest never comes, a guaranteed booking becomes a no-show charge.
Examples
Your booking is guaranteed with your credit card, so we'll hold the room even if you arrive after midnight.
Non-guaranteed bookings are released at 6 p.m.; guaranteed bookings are kept all night.
Common phrases
guarantee a booking · non-guaranteed booking · guaranteed late arrival · credit card guarantee
The number of nights a guest stays at a hotel, from the arrival date to the departure date.
Where you use it
Shortened to LOS in revenue management and reports. Hotels set prices and rules by length of stay, such as discounts for seven nights or more. Front desk staff confirm it at check-in: "So that's four nights, leaving on Sunday."
Examples
The average length of stay at our resort is about seven nights.
The discount you get depends on the length of stay.
Common phrases
average length of stay · LOS · length of stay discount · extend the length of stay
The smallest number of nights a guest must book to get a room or a certain rate, often used on busy dates.
Where you use it
Hotels set a minimum stay for holidays, festivals and weekends, for example three nights over New Year. It appears in contracts and booking systems as a restriction. Staff may tell a guest: "I'm sorry, we have a two-night minimum on Saturdays."
Examples
There's a minimum stay of three nights over the New Year period.
Can I book just one night, or is there a minimum stay?
Common phrases
minimum stay requirement · minimum stay of three nights · two-night minimum · minimum stay restriction
A single reservation for many rooms or people travelling together, such as a tour group, a wedding party or a company event.
Where you use it
Hotels often define a group as ten rooms or more. Group bookings have special rates, deposit dates and a rooming list deadline, and are usually handled by the sales or groups team. Staff talk about group check-in, group arrivals and group billing.
Examples
We have a group booking of 40 rooms arriving from Germany on Friday.
For group bookings, we need the rooming list at least seven days before arrival.
Common phrases
make a group booking · group booking rate · group check-in · group arrival · group rate
An extra charge paid by a person travelling alone who uses a room meant for two, because package prices are usually per person sharing.
Where you use it
Common in tour brochures and hotel contracts: "€450 per person sharing, single supplement €120." Solo travellers often complain about it, and some operators offer dates with no single supplement. Hotels may instead charge a single occupancy rate.
Examples
The tour costs €890 per person in a double room, plus a single supplement of €210.
Is there a single supplement if I travel on my own?
Common phrases
pay a single supplement · no single supplement · single supplement applies · per person sharing
A way of giving a price for one guest for one night, common in resorts and package holidays where rates depend on the number of people.
Where you use it
Often shortened to pppn in contracts and price lists. Resorts usually quote all-inclusive prices per person per night, while city hotels quote per room per night. Staff must make clear which one they mean, because the difference is large for a family.
Examples
The all-inclusive rate in July is €110 per person per night.
Is that price per room, or per person per night?
Common phrases
pppn · per room per night · price per person · per person sharing
A hotel room for two people with one large bed that they share, as opposed to a twin room with two separate beds.
Where you use it
One of the basic room types in booking systems, often written DBL. Hotels also describe the bed size: queen, king or simply double bed. Staff should check whether guests want one bed (double) or two beds (twin).
Examples
We have a double room with a balcony available for those dates.
Would you prefer a double room or a twin room?
Usage note
Turkish "çift kişilik oda" can mean a room for two people with either bed type. In English, double means one shared bed; two separate beds make a twin room.
Common phrases
book a double room · double room for single use · double room with a balcony · standard double room
A hotel room with two separate single beds, usually for two people who do not want to share a bed.
Where you use it
Often booked by friends, colleagues or a parent with a child. Written TWN or TWIN on room lists. Some hotels can push the beds together, so the room is sold as twin/double; staff must check which set-up the guest needs before arrival.
Examples
The two colleagues from the conference asked for a twin room.
I booked a twin room, but there's only one bed in here.
Common phrases
book a twin room · twin beds · twin share · standard twin room
A hotel room meant for one person, usually with a single bed or a small double bed.
Where you use it
Written SGL in booking systems. When one person stays in a double room, hotels talk about single use or single occupancy, and the price may be different. Tour operators often add a single supplement for guests travelling alone.
Examples
We don't have any single rooms left, but I can offer you a double for single use.
The tour price is per person in a double room; a single room costs 80 euros more.
Common phrases
book a single room · single supplement · single occupancy · single use
Describes a holiday or hotel price that covers the room, all meals, most drinks and many activities, so guests pay little extra on site.
Where you use it
A key board type in Turkish resort tourism, written AI. Hotels list what is not included, such as imported drinks, à la carte dinners or spa treatments. Some hotels also sell an ultra all-inclusive package with extra services.
Examples
Your stay is all-inclusive, so drinks at the pool bar are included until midnight.
Please wear your all-inclusive wristband at all times in the restaurants and bars.
A hotel arrangement where the price includes the room, breakfast and one other main meal, usually dinner.
Where you use it
Common in tour operator contracts and written HB. Drinks with meals are usually charged extra unless the offer says otherwise. American English sometimes calls it the modified American plan (MAP), but most guests in Europe know half board.
Examples
You're on half board, so breakfast and dinner are included, but lunch is extra.
Can we change from half board to all-inclusive for the last three nights?
Common phrases
on half board · half-board basis · half board supplement · upgrade to half board
A hotel arrangement where the price includes the room and three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Where you use it
Written FB in contracts and on vouchers. Drinks are usually not included, which is the main difference from all-inclusive. American English sometimes calls it the American plan (AP).
Examples
Full board includes three meals a day, but drinks are charged separately.
Most of our German groups come on full board.
Common phrases
on full board · full-board basis · full board package · upgrade to full board
A hotel rate that includes the room and breakfast only; also a small, often family-run guest house that offers this.
Where you use it
Written BB or B&B. A hotel can sell a room on a B&B basis or as room only (RO, no meals). In the UK and Ireland, a B&B is also a type of small accommodation in a private house.
Examples
The rate is 95 euros per night on a bed and breakfast basis.
We stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast in Cappadocia run by a local family.
Common phrases
bed and breakfast basis · bed and breakfast rate · stay at a bed and breakfast · family-run bed and breakfast
A large hotel room or set of rooms, usually with a separate living area as well as a bedroom.
Where you use it
Hotels sell different suite types: junior suite (a large room with a seating area), family suite, honeymoon suite and presidential suite. Suites are often given as an upgrade to VIPs or repeat guests.
Examples
The honeymoon suite has a private terrace and a jacuzzi.
We've upgraded you to a junior suite at no extra cost.
Usage note
Pronounced exactly like "sweet", not like "suit" (a jacket and trousers).
Common phrases
junior suite · honeymoon suite · family suite · presidential suite · upgrade to a suite
A view of the sea from a hotel room, or a room that has this view, usually sold at a higher price.
Where you use it
Used as a room category: sea-view room, partial sea view (side view) and full sea view. Other rooms are described by what they face: garden view, pool view, city view or mountain view. Guests often ask, "Does the room have a sea view?"
Examples
All our sea-view rooms are on the upper floors and have a balcony.
The guest booked a sea view, but her room faces the car park. Can we move her?
Common phrases
sea-view room · partial sea view · full sea view · sea view supplement · with a sea view
An additional bed, often a folding one, placed in a hotel room for a third person, usually for a fee.
Where you use it
Guests request an extra bed for a child or a third adult, and staff check that the room is big enough. For babies, hotels provide a cot instead. Extra beds are usually subject to availability and charged per night.
Examples
Can we have an extra bed for our son? He's eleven.
An extra bed costs 30 euros per night, and a baby cot is free.
Usage note
For a baby, the usual words are cot (British) and crib (American). "Baby bed" is understood but rarely used in hotels.
Common phrases
request an extra bed · add an extra bed · extra bed charge · rollaway extra bed
Two hotel rooms next to each other with a private inside door between them, often booked by families.
Where you use it
Families with children or small groups request connecting rooms, and the hotel blocks them in advance because there are only a few. When none are available, guests may ask for rooms close to each other instead.
Examples
We've booked two connecting rooms for you, so the children can sleep next door.
I'm afraid we have no connecting rooms left, but I can give you two rooms opposite each other.
Usage note
Adjoining rooms usually means rooms side by side without an inside door, but hotels use the two words differently, so always check what the guest needs.
Common phrases
request connecting rooms · two connecting rooms · connecting door · guaranteed connecting rooms
A room for three people, usually with three single beds or with a double bed plus a single or extra bed.
Where you use it
Common in tour operator contracts and group bookings, often shortened to TRP or TPL on rooming lists. Many hotels have no real triple rooms and create them by adding an extra bed to a double, which makes the room tighter, so staff should explain the set-up.
Examples
We're two adults and a twelve-year-old, so we'll need a triple room.
Please note that our triple rooms are double rooms with an extra bed.
Common phrases
book a triple room · triple occupancy · triple room rate · triple room with extra bed
A larger room, or two connected rooms, designed for parents and children, often with a separate sleeping area or bunk beds for the children.
Where you use it
A key room type in resorts, but each hotel defines it differently: some family rooms have a sliding door between two bedrooms, others are one big room with a sofa bed. Staff should check the maximum occupancy, such as two adults and two children, before confirming.
Examples
Our family rooms have two separate bedrooms and one bathroom.
The family room can sleep up to two adults and three children.
Common phrases
book a family room · family room with two bedrooms · family room for four · spacious family room
A small platform with a rail or low wall on the outside of a room, where guests can sit, dry their swimwear or enjoy the view.
Where you use it
Often part of the room description: a room with a balcony, a sea-view balcony, a French balcony (a rail outside a door, with no space to stand). Guests also ask whether smoking is allowed on the balcony. A larger open space is a terrace.
Examples
All our superior rooms have a private balcony with a sea view.
Please don't leave towels on the balcony rail when it's windy.
Usage note
Stress the first syllable: BAL-co-ny, not bal-CO-ny as in Turkish "balkon".
Common phrases
room with a balcony · private balcony · sea-view balcony · French balcony · on the balcony
A small bed with high sides for a baby or young child, which hotels put in the room on request, often free of charge.
Where you use it
British English; American English says crib, and in the US a cot is a folding camp bed, so check which one the guest means. Hotels usually ask for cot requests in advance because they have only a limited number. A cot that folds up for travelling is a travel cot.
Examples
We're travelling with a ten-month-old baby. Could we have a cot in the room?
Cots are free of charge, but please request one when you book.
Common phrases
baby cot · request a cot · travel cot · cot in the room · cot free of charge
A board type in which the price covers only the room, with no meals included; guests pay for any food separately.
Where you use it
Shortened to RO in contracts, on booking platforms and in the PMS, next to BB, HB, FB and AI. It is common in city hotels and apartments, less so in Turkish coastal resorts. Guests on a room-only rate can usually add breakfast at the front desk for an extra charge.
Examples
The room-only rate is €95, or €115 with breakfast for two.
You booked room only, but you can add breakfast for €12 per person.
Common phrases
room-only rate · book room only · on a room-only basis · add breakfast
A small, strong metal box with a lock or code, where guests keep passports, money and valuables in their room or at reception.
Where you use it
Hotels talk about an in-room safe or a safe deposit box at reception. Guests often call when the safe is locked or its battery is flat, and security or maintenance staff open it with a master code. Some resorts charge a small daily fee for the safe.
Examples
We recommend keeping your passports in the safe in your room.
My safe won't open. I think I've entered the wrong code three times.
Common phrases
in-room safe · safe deposit box · lock the safe · open the safe · safe code
The counter near the hotel entrance where guests check in, check out, pay and ask for help; also the team that works there.
Where you use it
The main contact point between guests and the hotel. Guests are told to "call the front desk" or "ask at the front desk", and staff say they work at the front desk. British English often uses reception for the same place.
Examples
If you need anything during your stay, just dial 0 for the front desk.
Two guests are waiting at the front desk to check out. Can you give me a hand?
Usage note
The front office is the whole department (front desk, reservations, concierge, switchboard); the front desk is the counter itself.
Common phrases
at the front desk · call the front desk · front desk agent · front desk staff · work at the front desk
A plastic card used instead of a metal key to open a hotel room door; in many rooms it also switches on the electricity.
Where you use it
Front desk staff encode (program) key cards at check-in. When a key card stops working, the guest comes back to the desk and staff re-encode it or make a new one. Useful phrases: "Insert your key card in the slot", "I'll re-encode your key card."
Examples
Here are your key cards. Your room is on the third floor, and the lifts are on your right.
Put the key card in the slot by the door to turn on the lights.
My key card isn't working. – I'm sorry about that. I'll make you a new one right away.
Common phrases
encode a key card · key card slot · spare key card · deactivate a key card
A hotel employee who helps guests with information and arrangements, such as restaurant bookings, tickets, tours and transport.
Where you use it
Found mainly in city and luxury hotels, often with a separate desk in the lobby. Guests ask the concierge for recommendations; the word can mean the person or the desk. In smaller hotels the front desk does the same job.
Examples
The concierge can book you a table at a fish restaurant in Kumkapı.
Could you ask the concierge to arrange a taxi to the airport at 6 a.m.?
Usage note
The word comes from French and is pronounced roughly "kon-see-AIRZH"; the last sound is like the s in "measure".
Common phrases
ask the concierge · concierge desk · head concierge · concierge service
A phone call that a hotel makes at a time the guest has asked for, in order to wake them up.
Where you use it
Guests request a wake-up call at the front desk or through the TV system; many hotels now use automated calls. Night staff check the wake-up list during the shift. It is also used figuratively: "The bad reviews were a wake-up call for us."
Examples
Could I have a wake-up call at 5:30, please? Our flight is at nine.
I've set your wake-up call for 6:15. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Common phrases
book a wake-up call · request a wake-up call · set a wake-up call · wake-up call list
A person who works at the hotel front desk, welcoming guests, checking them in and out and answering their questions.
Where you use it
The everyday word for front desk staff. Larger hotels use job titles such as front desk agent, front office agent or guest service agent. Receptionists also handle phone calls, payments, key cards and messages.
Examples
The receptionist upgraded us to a room with a sea view because it was our honeymoon.
We're looking for a receptionist who speaks English and Russian for the summer season.
Common phrases
hotel receptionist · night receptionist · work as a receptionist · front desk receptionist
The bags and suitcases that guests bring with them when they travel; in English it is an uncountable noun.
Where you use it
Bellboys carry, store and deliver luggage. Hotels offer luggage storage (a luggage room or left-luggage) for guests who arrive early or leave late. Airlines and American English often say baggage.
Examples
You can leave your luggage with us and enjoy the pool until your room is ready.
How many pieces of luggage do you have? – Two suitcases and a small bag.
Usage note
Luggage is uncountable: say "How much luggage?" or "How many pieces of luggage?", never "luggages".
Common phrases
leave your luggage · store luggage · luggage room · piece of luggage · luggage trolley
A hotel employee who carries guests' luggage, shows them to their rooms and helps with small tasks.
Where you use it
Bellboys work at the bell desk near the entrance, often under a bell captain. American English also uses bellhop or bellman, and British English often says porter. Many hotels now use neutral titles such as bell attendant.
Examples
The bellboy will take your bags up to the room.
Can you send a bellboy to 618? The guests are checking out and have five suitcases.
Common phrases
call a bellboy · bell desk · tip the bellboy · head bellboy
A guest who arrives at a hotel and asks for a room without having made a reservation.
Where you use it
Front desk staff check availability and quote a rate for walk-ins, often the rack rate or a special walk-in rate, and usually take payment or a deposit at check-in. Restaurants use the same word for guests without a table reservation.
Examples
We had three walk-ins last night, so we were almost full.
Walk-in guests must pay for the first night at check-in.
A move to a better room, seat or service than the one booked, either free of charge or for an extra payment.
Where you use it
Hotels give complimentary upgrades to VIPs, loyalty members, honeymooners or guests who had a problem, and sell paid upgrades at check-in. Also a verb: "We've upgraded you to a sea-view room." The opposite is downgrade.
Examples
As it's your anniversary, we've given you a free upgrade to a junior suite.
Would you like to upgrade to a room with a private pool for 60 euros a night?
Usage note
The noun is stressed on the first syllable (UP-grade); the verb is often stressed on the second (up-GRADE).
Common phrases
complimentary upgrade · free upgrade · paid upgrade · upgrade to a suite · room upgrade
A daily process, done late at night, of checking all the day's transactions, posting room charges and closing the hotel's business day.
Where you use it
Done by the night auditor, usually a front office employee on the night shift. During the night audit the PMS moves to the next date, no-shows are processed, and reports such as occupancy and revenue are produced for management.
Examples
I can't change the date on that folio until the night audit is finished.
The night audit showed a difference of 200 lira in the restaurant cash.
Common phrases
run the night audit · night audit report · night auditor · after the night audit
Short for property management system: the hotel software used for reservations, check-in and check-out, room status and guest bills.
Where you use it
Front office, reservations and housekeeping work in the PMS every day. It connects to door locks, restaurant tills (POS), the channel manager and accounting. Staff say "It's in the system" or "Let me check the PMS". Opera and Protel are well-known examples.
Examples
Please update the room status in the PMS as soon as the room is clean.
The PMS is down, so we're checking guests in manually for now.
Common phrases
hotel PMS · update the PMS · PMS training · the PMS is down
The large area just inside a hotel's main entrance, where guests arrive, wait, meet people and find the front desk.
Where you use it
Used constantly for directions and meeting times: "Please wait in the lobby", "The bus leaves from the lobby at nine." Many hotels also have a lobby bar or a lobby lounge where guests can sit with a drink.
Examples
Your guide will meet you in the lobby at 8:30 tomorrow morning.
The lobby gets very crowded between 11 and 12, when most guests check out.
Common phrases
hotel lobby · in the lobby · lobby bar · lobby area · meet in the lobby
The desk or area near a hotel entrance where staff welcome guests, check them in and out, and answer their questions.
Where you use it
British English for what Americans often call the front desk. Guests say "I'll ask at reception" or "Call reception", and room phones usually have a button for it. Reception also means a formal party, for example a wedding reception or a welcome reception.
Examples
If you need anything during the night, just dial 9 for reception.
Please leave your key card at reception when you go out.
Usage note
Use at, not in, and no article in British English: "Ask at reception."
A hotel employee who carries guests' luggage to and from their rooms and helps with doors, taxis and deliveries.
Where you use it
Mainly British; American hotels say bellhop or bellman, and Turkish hotels usually say bellboy. In small British hotels the night porter also looks after reception at night. Common phrases: "I'll call a porter", "The porter will bring your bags up."
Examples
Leave your suitcases here; the porter will take them up to your room.
The night porter can make you a sandwich if the kitchen is closed.
Common phrases
hotel porter · night porter · call a porter · luggage porter
A service or locked room where a hotel keeps guests' bags safely before check-in or after check-out.
Where you use it
Very common on departure days, when guests check out at noon but fly in the evening. Staff tag each bag, give the guest a matching ticket and keep the bag in the luggage room. British English also says left luggage.
Examples
Your flight isn't until 9 p.m.? No problem, you can leave your bags in luggage storage.
Luggage storage is free for our guests on the day of arrival and departure.
Common phrases
leave bags in luggage storage · luggage storage room · left luggage · luggage tag · store luggage
Short for estimated time of arrival: the time when a guest, group or transfer is expected to arrive at the hotel.
Where you use it
Front desk staff ask "What's your ETA?" or note it in the booking so the room is ready on time and a late arrival is not released. Tour operators send ETAs for flights and transfers. The departure equivalent is ETD, estimated time of departure.
Examples
Could you let us know your ETA so we can have the room ready?
The group's ETA is 23:30 because their flight has been delayed.
Common phrases
What's your ETA? · confirm your ETA · late ETA · ETA and ETD
Moving a guest from one room to another during their stay, either because they ask or because of a problem with the first room.
Where you use it
Also called a room move. The front desk updates the PMS, makes new key cards and informs housekeeping, and a porter helps with the luggage. When nothing is free that night, staff say "I can offer you a room change tomorrow morning."
Examples
The air conditioning in 214 isn't working, so we've arranged a room change for the guest.
Please let housekeeping know about the room change from 318 to 402.
Common phrases
request a room change · arrange a room change · room move · room change form
To connect a phone caller to the person or department they want to speak to.
Where you use it
Used by operators and receptionists every day: "I'll put you through to reservations", "One moment, I'm putting you through." For security, staff never give out a guest's room number; they offer to put the caller through to the room instead.
Examples
Please hold the line, I'll put you through to the sales office.
I can't give out room numbers, but I can put you through to the guest's room.
Common phrases
put someone through to · put a call through · I'll put you through · hold the line
Describes guests who are staying in the hotel at the moment, or services and staff that the hotel provides itself rather than using an outside company.
Where you use it
Front office staff speak of in-house guests and the in-house list, which shows everyone currently staying. It also describes work done inside the hotel: an in-house laundry, an in-house bakery, in-house training. The opposite is outside or external.
Examples
We have 320 in-house guests tonight and 45 arrivals tomorrow.
All our bread and pastries are made in-house every morning.
Common phrases
in-house guests · in-house list · in-house laundry · in-house training · made in-house
A record in the hotel system with a guest's personal details, past stays, preferences and special notes.
Where you use it
Staff check the guest profile before arrival to see preferences such as a feather-free pillow, a high floor or a favourite newspaper, and add new notes during the stay. Also called guest history. Profiles contain personal data, so they must be handled according to data protection rules.
Examples
According to her guest profile, Ms Laurent prefers a quiet room away from the lift.
Please add his nut allergy to the guest profile.
Common phrases
update the guest profile · guest profile notes · guest history · guest preferences
A service in which a hotel employee parks a guest's car and brings it back when the guest needs it.
Where you use it
Common in city hotels, restaurants and event venues. The guest hands over the key at the entrance and gets a ticket; the person who parks the car is the valet or parking attendant. Hotels state whether valet parking is free or charged per day.
Examples
Valet parking costs €25 per night and is charged to your room.
Please call valet parking ten minutes before you need your car.
Usage note
Turkish "vale" comes from this word, but in English the service is valet parking and the person is a valet.
Common phrases
valet parking service · free valet parking · valet ticket · call the valet
To arrive at a hotel, register your details and receive your room key. Staff also check a guest in.
Where you use it
Guests check in, and front desk staff check guests in. The noun is written with a hyphen: check-in time, online check-in, early check-in. Hotels usually state a check-in time, often in the afternoon.
Examples
Good afternoon, I'd like to check in, please. The booking is under Novak.
Can you check in the Schmidt family while I take this call?
Check-in starts at 2 p.m., but you're welcome to leave your bags with us.
Usage note
Say "I'd like to check in", not "I'd like to make check-in" or "do check-in". The verb is check in; check-in with a hyphen is the noun.
Common phrases
check in at the hotel · check a guest in · check-in time · early check-in · online check-in
To pay your bill, return your key and leave a hotel at the end of your stay.
Where you use it
Guests check out, and staff check guests out. The noun is check-out (also checkout): check-out time, express check-out, late check-out. Check-out time is usually late morning or noon, so rooms can be cleaned for new arrivals.
Examples
What time do we have to check out tomorrow?
Room 214 checked out early, so housekeeping can start on it now.
Usage note
In informal English, "check out" also means "have a look at": "Check out the view from the terrace!" The context shows which meaning is meant.
Common phrases
check out of the hotel · check a guest out · check-out time · express check-out · late check-out
A document showing what a guest must pay for the room, meals and other services, or the total amount itself.
Where you use it
Guests ask for the bill at the restaurant and at check-out. Staff charge items to the bill, print or email it, and the guest pays or settles it. In hotel systems the guest's running bill is called a folio; a formal tax document for a company is an invoice.
Examples
Could we have the bill, please? We're in a bit of a hurry.
Here's your bill. Please check the minibar charges before you sign.
Usage note
In a US restaurant, guests ask for the check rather than the bill. In both varieties, an invoice is a formal document, usually for a company.
Common phrases
ask for the bill · charge to the bill · pay the bill · itemized bill · split the bill
Permission for a guest to leave the room later than the hotel's normal check-out time, sometimes for an extra charge.
Where you use it
Guests ask for late check-out before arrival or on the departure day. Hotels give it subject to availability, often free for VIPs or loyalty members and otherwise for a fee. The opposite is early check-in.
Examples
Our flight is at 10 p.m. Is it possible to have a late check-out?
I can offer you a free late check-out until 2 p.m.; after that we charge half a day's rate.
Common phrases
request a late check-out · offer a late check-out · late check-out fee · late check-out until
A form a guest fills in and signs at check-in, with personal details, stay dates, room rate and hotel conditions.
Where you use it
Often shortened to reg card. Staff print or display it at check-in, ask guests to check the details and sign, and keep it on file; many hotels now use a digital signature on a tablet. Passport or ID details are recorded at the same time, as local law requires.
Examples
Could you please check your details on the registration card and sign at the bottom?
Every adult guest needs to sign a registration card.
Common phrases
fill in a registration card · sign the registration card · reg card · registration card details
A temporary hold placed on a guest's credit card to make sure enough money is available for the stay and any extras.
Where you use it
Taken at check-in and released, or turned into a final charge, at check-out. Guests often see it in their banking app and ask about it, so staff explain that it is a hold, not a payment. Also written pre-auth; the British spelling is pre-authorisation.
Examples
We'll take a pre-authorization of 100 euros per night for incidentals.
Your bank will release the pre-authorization within a few working days.
Usage note
Turkish hotel staff say provizyon; English speakers say pre-authorization or simply "a hold on your card". The English word provision means supply and is not used for this.
Common phrases
take a pre-authorization · release a pre-authorization · pre-authorization amount · card pre-authorization
Extra charges a guest makes during a stay that are not part of the room rate, such as minibar, room service or phone calls.
Where you use it
Usually plural. Hotels ask for a card or a deposit for incidentals at check-in. When a company pays for the room only, the guest pays the incidentals personally at check-out.
Examples
Your company is paying for the room, so you only need to settle the incidentals.
We need a credit card for incidentals, even though the room is prepaid.
Common phrases
card for incidentals · deposit for incidentals · settle the incidentals · incidental charges
To pay everything a guest owes at the end of a stay or a meal, so that the account is closed.
Where you use it
A polite, slightly formal phrase used at check-out: "How would you like to settle the bill?" Variations are settle your account and settle up (informal). Guests settle by card, cash or bank transfer, or the bill is sent to a company.
Examples
How would you like to settle the bill, by card or in cash?
The guest settled the bill last night because he's leaving at 4 a.m.
Common phrases
settle the bill by card · settle the bill in cash · settle your account · settle up
Getting into the room before the hotel's standard check-in time, which depends on availability and may cost extra.
Where you use it
Guests on early morning flights often ask for it. Staff usually say "I can't guarantee early check-in, but I'll make a note" or offer to store the luggage until the room is ready. Some hotels charge half a night for check-in before a certain time. The opposite is late check-out.
Examples
Our flight lands at 6 a.m. Would an early check-in be possible?
Early check-in is subject to availability, but you're welcome to use the pool while you wait.
Common phrases
request an early check-in · guarantee early check-in · early check-in fee · subject to availability
An official document that lists goods or services with their prices and taxes, and asks a company or person to pay or records the payment.
Where you use it
Business travellers often ask for an invoice in their company's name, so front desk staff check the company name, address and tax number before check-out. A bill is what the guest sees and pays; an invoice is the formal tax document. Agencies and companies are also invoiced for group stays.
Examples
Could you issue the invoice in my company's name, please?
We'll email the invoice to your accounts department after check-out.
Usage note
Turkish "fatura kesmek" is "issue an invoice" or simply "invoice someone", not "cut an invoice".
Common phrases
issue an invoice · send an invoice · company invoice · invoice address · pay an invoice
A piece of paper or an email showing that money has been paid, with the amount, the date and what it was paid for.
Where you use it
Guests ask for a receipt after paying at the bar, spa or front desk, especially if they need it for expenses. Common phrases: "Would you like a receipt?", "Here's your receipt", "Can I have a copy of the receipt?" The slip from the card machine is a card receipt.
Examples
Here's your receipt. The amount has been charged to your Visa card.
I need a receipt for the taxi so my company can pay me back.
Usage note
The p is silent: re-SEET. Do not confuse receipt with recipe, which means instructions for cooking a dish.
Common phrases
ask for a receipt · keep the receipt · print a receipt · card receipt · copy of the receipt
A plastic or fabric band that guests wear on their wrist to show which board type or services are included in their stay.
Where you use it
Put on at check-in in all-inclusive resorts; the colour often shows the board type or a VIP or ultra all-inclusive package. Bar and restaurant staff check wristbands before serving. Guests are asked to keep the wristband on for their whole stay.
Examples
Here's your all-inclusive wristband. Please wear it for the whole of your stay.
Guests with a blue wristband can also use the à la carte restaurants.
Common phrases
all-inclusive wristband · wear a wristband · put on a wristband · check wristbands · wristband colour
A free drink, such as juice, lemonade or sparkling wine, that a hotel offers guests when they arrive, often while they check in.
Where you use it
A small but expected gesture in resorts: "Please enjoy a welcome drink while we prepare your key cards." Some hotels also offer a cold towel. Tour operator welcome meetings and gala nights may also start with a welcome drink.
Examples
Welcome to the resort! Here's a welcome drink while I check you in.
The welcome drink is served on the terrace before the gala dinner.
Common phrases
offer a welcome drink · complimentary welcome drink · welcome drink and cold towel · welcome cocktail
To add the cost of food, drinks or services to a guest's room bill so they can pay for everything together at check-out.
Where you use it
Guests say "Can I charge it to my room?" or "Put it on my room, please." Staff ask for the room number and the guest's name or signature on the bill, and may check that charging is allowed, for example that a credit card guarantee is in place.
Examples
Would you like to pay now, or shall I charge the drinks to the room?
Spa treatments can be charged to the room and paid at check-out.
Common phrases
charge it to the room · put it on the room · room charge · sign for room charges
The hotel department that cleans and prepares guest rooms and public areas and looks after towels, sheets and room supplies.
Where you use it
Guests call housekeeping for extra towels, pillows or cleaning. Inside the hotel, staff say housekeeping has released a room when it is clean and ready. The head of the department is the executive housekeeper or housekeeping manager.
Examples
Housekeeping will bring you an extra blanket in a few minutes.
The guests for 412 are waiting in the lobby. Can you ask housekeeping when the room will be ready?
Common phrases
call housekeeping · housekeeping department · housekeeping staff · executive housekeeper · housekeeping service
A housekeeping employee who cleans guest rooms, makes the beds and restocks towels and supplies.
Where you use it
The standard modern job title; older words such as maid or chambermaid can sound outdated. Each room attendant gets a list of rooms for the shift and reports problems such as broken items or forgotten belongings to the housekeeping office.
Examples
In high season, each room attendant cleans about fourteen rooms a day.
The room attendant found a phone under the bed and took it to lost and found.
Common phrases
work as a room attendant · room attendant trolley · assign rooms to room attendants · room attendant checklist
In a hotel, all the cloth items used in rooms and restaurants, such as sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, towels and tablecloths.
Where you use it
Housekeeping talks about bed linen, bath linen, a linen change and the linen room, where clean linen is stored. As part of environmental programmes, many hotels change linen every few days unless guests ask for it more often.
Examples
Fresh bed linen is in the linen room on the second floor.
The guest in 207 asked us not to change the linen every day.
Usage note
Linen is also the fabric keten, but in hotels it means sheets and towels made of any material, usually cotton.
Common phrases
bed linen · bath linen · change the linen · linen room · table linen
Small personal care products such as shampoo, shower gel, soap and body lotion, provided for guests in the bathroom.
Where you use it
Room attendants check and replace toiletries every day. More and more hotels use large refillable dispensers instead of small bottles. Guests may ask for extra toiletries or for items such as a dental kit, shaving kit or sewing kit.
Examples
Could you send up some more toiletries? We've run out of shampoo.
All our toiletries are made locally with natural olive oil.
Usage note
Toiletries has nothing to do with the toilet itself; it means products for washing and personal care.
A sign or setting that tells hotel staff not to enter or knock on a room because the guest wants privacy.
Where you use it
Guests hang a Do Not Disturb sign on the door or press a DND button that lights up outside. Housekeeping notes DND on the room list and comes back later. For safety, many hotels have a rule to check rooms that stay on DND for too long.
Examples
Room 310 still has the Do Not Disturb sign on, so I'll clean it after lunch.
If you'd like some privacy, just switch on the Do Not Disturb light by the door.
Common phrases
Do Not Disturb sign · put on Do Not Disturb · DND light · on DND
A small fridge in a hotel room with drinks and snacks that guests pay for, or that are included in some packages.
Where you use it
Housekeeping or a minibar attendant checks and restocks the minibar and posts what was used to the guest's bill. Guests sometimes question minibar charges at check-out. In many all-inclusive hotels, water and soft drinks in the minibar are refilled daily at no charge.
Examples
Nobody used the minibar in 112, so there's nothing to charge.
Water and soft drinks in the minibar are included and refilled every day.
Common phrases
minibar charges · restock the minibar · check the minibar · minibar consumption
An evening housekeeping service in which the room is tidied, the bed is prepared for sleeping and the curtains are closed.
Where you use it
Common in upscale hotels. The attendant folds back the duvet, replaces used towels and may leave a chocolate, a bottle of water or a card with the next day's weather. Guests can request or decline turndown service.
Examples
Turndown service is available every evening between 6 and 9 p.m.
Please skip turndown service for 402 tonight. The guest asked not to be disturbed.
Common phrases
evening turndown service · turndown chocolate · request turndown service · decline turndown
To clean and tidy a hotel room, make the bed and replace towels and supplies so that it is ready for the guest.
Where you use it
Guests hang a Make Up Room sign or press a button when they want their room cleaned. Room attendants ask, "Shall I make up the room now or later?" Preparing an empty room for new guests is usually called a check-out clean or departure clean.
Examples
Would you like me to make up the room now, or shall I come back later?
The guest in 115 has asked us to make up her room before 11.
Usage note
Do not confuse it with makeup (cosmetics) or make up meaning "invent a story" or "become friends again". In a hotel, making up a room means cleaning and preparing it.
Common phrases
make up the room · Make Up Room sign · make up a room for arrival · rooms to make up
The place or system in a hotel for keeping items that guests have lost or left behind until they are collected or sent back.
Where you use it
Usually managed by housekeeping or security. Found items are logged with the date, place and finder's name and kept for a fixed period. Guests call to ask whether something is in lost and found; British English also says lost property.
Examples
I left my charger in room 220 yesterday. Could you check lost and found?
Please log the sunglasses in the lost and found book before you take them to the office.
Common phrases
check lost and found · lost and found log · hand in to lost and found · lost property
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn tourism & hospitality vocabulary
Learn whole phrases, not single words: "Let me check availability", "I'll look into it right away" and "Sorry for the inconvenience" are used on every shift.
Read real hotel and travel texts in English, such as booking confirmations, vouchers, menus, tour programmes and guest reviews, and notice how each term is used.
Follow the guest journey when you study: booking, arrival, stay, departure and feedback. Group new words by the moment you need them.
Practise saying dates, prices and room numbers and spelling names aloud; they come up in almost every conversation with a guest.
Notice British and American differences (bill and check, luggage and baggage, lift and elevator) and use the words your guests use.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between half board, full board and all-inclusive?
Half board (HB) includes breakfast and one main meal, usually dinner. Full board (FB) includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, but drinks are normally extra. All-inclusive (AI) adds drinks, snacks and many activities. Each hotel defines exactly what is included, so it is always worth checking the details.
What is the difference between a double room and a twin room?
A double room has one bed that two people share; a twin room has two separate single beds. The Turkish "çift kişilik oda" can mean either, so always check which bed set-up the guest wants.
Should I say guest or customer in a hotel?
Say guest. Hotels, resorts and restaurants use guest for everyone they serve, even though guests pay. Customer is more common in shops, banks and call centres and can sound cold in a hotel.
How do I respond to a guest complaint politely in English?
Listen without interrupting, apologise, and repeat the problem to show you understood. Then say what you will do and when, and check back later. Useful phrases: "I'm very sorry about that", "Let me look into it right away" and "I'll call you back within ten minutes."
Why do Turkish hotels use English words like check-in, no-show and upgrade?
Hotel software, contracts with foreign tour operators and international training are mostly in English, so many front office terms are used as they are: check-in, check-out, no-show, walk-in, upgrade, rooming list. Knowing their exact English meaning helps you use them correctly with both guests and colleagues.
