When you want to reserve a room in another country, have you ever experienced the feeling of being lost in translation? Have you ever put down your phone only to be unsure if you were successful in getting a room for yourself or whether instead you booked a meeting place? Today, we are going to take on one of the most difficult challenges that people face when they travel – booking a hotel room in English!
Soon, we will be thrown into an actual hotel reservation process from beginning to end. However, there is a catch – we will not book just any kind of room. By using strategies and expressions as well as some secret language tricks that even locals hardly know about, it is guaranteed that our aim will be achieved: we will get ourselves a room and on top of that secure the best deal.
Hotel Booking Basics
When booking a hotel room, keep it simple and straightforward. Here’s what you need to know.
Starting the conversation
Greetings and Intention: Open with a formal greeting and state your purpose directly. For example, “Good Morning, May I enquire if you have a room available for three nights in July?”
Clarify Dates and Room Preferences: Provide specific check-in/check-out dates as well as preferred room types. For instance; “I would like to book a double room from 24th through 27th of July.”
Important Questions
Ask about Rates: It’s important to get the cost at the front end. Frame your question politely so that it does not seem confrontational. For example, “Can tell me how much is charged per night?”
Understanding Amenities: Make sure that everything you may possibly require is in the room. Example; Is there free Wi-Fi in the rooms? Does it also have air conditioning?
Policies under Question: Always inquire about cancellation policies and refund policies. Example, “How do you handle cancellations?”
Improving Your Booking Experience
To improve fluency and outcomes of conversations, knowing the basic structure of dialogue is a good start but it takes a bit more finesse.
Making Your Demands Clear
Make them clear without ambiguity or confusion while using plain language so as to avoid any misunderstanding that could arise let alone ruining the whole process. Again, if you want anything special then this is where you say it out loud when making your bookings. For instance; Can I please get a floor which will give me some nice viewings around? This could be possible maybe?
Checking Confirmation Details
Before ending the call or chat session, summarize all details. What did I make sure of, before putting down my phone after talking to him? Just book for me one double bedroom from 24th up to 27th July which should include breakfast too right?…. Double checking can always help you out.
Misunderstandings That Occur and How to Avoid Them
Sometimes, simple bookings can go wrong very easily. Here’s how you can avoid major pitfalls.
Double-Checking Before Confirmation
Summarize the most important details like schedules and prices so that there is nothing that may go wrong in the end of it all. This technique has been effective in avoiding commonest errors during reservations.
Get Written Confirmation: Ask for an email or text with your booking confirmation after making arrangements for a room. You will need this evidence if there are any problems later on. How to ask for it:
Email Request:
“Could you please email me my hotel booking confirmation?”
“I’ve got a request to make, could you please email me the confirmation details.”
“I would like if you could email my hotel booking confirmation to me.”
Text Request:
“Can you send me a text message with my hotel booking confirmation?”
“Can I receive the details of my hotel booking confirmation through text message?”
“If possible, kindly send a text containing my hotel booking confirmation.”
Plan Changes Should Not Catch You Unawares
Find Out Flexibility Options: There is no telling what tomorrow holds. It is therefore important to understand provisions for change of bookings or cancellation. For example; “What happens if I need to change my dates?”
Are you ready to turn around your experiences during your next trip abroad and avoid common mistakes by learning tips which can save you from those mistakes?
