Hutarka
English Phrases for Hotel Check-in
One sentence opens the exchange, four questions come back at you, and three requests make your stay better. Here's the whole script.
What do I say when I arrive?
Walk to the front desk and use the standard opener:
- "Hi, I have a reservation under [your last name]." — the phrase that starts every check-in with a booking.
- "I'd like to check in, please." — works too; they'll ask for the name.
- No booking? "Do you have any rooms available for tonight?" and "How much is a double room per night?"
Spell your name if it's unusual in English: "That's V-A-I-T — V as in Victor…". Receptionists appreciate it and it avoids the awkward second ask.
What will the receptionist ask me?
| Receptionist says | It means | You answer |
|---|---|---|
| "May I see your passport / some ID?" | They must register guests | "Sure, here you are." |
| "Could I have a credit card for incidentals?" | A hold for minibar/damages — not a charge | "Of course." (Ask: "How much is the hold?") |
| "Could you fill in this form?" | Registration card | "No problem." |
| "Would you like a wake-up call?" | Phone call to wake you | "Yes, at 7 a.m., please." / "No, thanks." |
Which questions are worth asking?
Three questions, asked at check-in, prevent 90% of hotel confusion:
- "What time is breakfast, and is it included?"
- "What's the Wi-Fi password?"
- "What time is checkout?" — and if your flight is late: "Is a late checkout possible?"
Also useful: "Could you call me a taxi for tomorrow morning?", "Is there a gym / a pool?", and "Could you recommend a good restaurant nearby?" — front desks know the neighbourhood better than any app.
What if something's wrong with the room?
Report problems with "There's a problem with…" or "The … isn't working", then ask for the fix:
- "The air conditioning isn't working. Could someone take a look?"
- "The Wi-Fi isn't working in my room."
- "Could I have extra towels / another pillow, please?"
- "It's very noisy. Could I move to a quieter room?"
Drill the whole front-desk script before your trip
Hutarka's Hotel Check-in pack covers ~40 phrases for exactly this exchange — arrival, ID and deposits, questions, problems — at your level from A1 to C1. You build each sentence word by word, prompted in your own language, so the phrases are there when the receptionist looks up.
Try the Hotel Check-in pack — free
A 60-second self-test
Cover the page and say, out loud: (1) your arrival line with your own surname, (2) the answer to the credit-card question, (3) the three worth-asking questions, (4) one complaint about a broken shower. If any of the four stalled, that's the phrase to drill — stalling at the desk is exactly the translate-in-your-head habit showing up under pressure. Checking out is the easy mirror image: "I'd like to check out, please. Could I have the bill?"