English for Hospitality & Tourism: Essential Vocabulary

"reservation confirmation"

A document or message that verifies a guest's booking details including dates, room type, and rate

""Could I see your reservation confirmation, please?" — The guest produced the email printout at check-in."

"check-in time"

The earliest hour at which a hotel room is officially available for a newly arriving guest

""Our standard check-in time is 3 p.m., but I'll note your early arrival and call you as soon as your room is ready.""

"early check-in"

Access to a hotel room before the standard check-in hour, sometimes available for a fee

"The front desk agent offered early check-in at no charge because an identical room had been vacated that morning."

"room upgrade"

A complimentary or paid move to a higher-category room than the one originally booked

""As a loyalty member, I'm pleased to offer you a complimentary room upgrade to our executive suite.""

"incidental hold"

A temporary pre-authorisation placed on a credit card to cover potential additional charges during a stay

""We place an incidental hold of $100 per night on your card, which is released upon checkout.""

"wake-up call"

A scheduled telephone call from hotel staff to wake a guest at a requested time

""Would you like a wake-up call for 6 a.m.? I'll arrange that on our system right away.""

"guest folio"

An itemised account of all charges and payments accumulated by a guest during their stay

"The front desk printed the guest folio and reviewed each line item with the guest before final payment."

"do not disturb"

A request by a guest, typically indicated by a door sign, asking hotel staff not to enter the room

"Housekeeping noted the do not disturb sign and skipped the room, returning to service it later in the afternoon."

"à la carte"

A menu style where individual dishes are ordered and priced separately rather than as part of a set meal

""Tonight we offer both a tasting menu and à la carte options — would you prefer to order individually?""

"table d'hôte"

A fixed-price meal with a set number of courses offering limited choices

"The hotel's table d'hôte dinner at €55 included an amuse-bouche, three courses, and a pre-dessert."

"dietary restriction"

A limitation on the foods a guest can eat due to allergy, intolerance, medical need, or personal preference

""Could you let the kitchen know about any dietary restrictions before I take your order?""

"sommelier"

A trained wine professional in a restaurant who advises guests on wine selection and manages the cellar

"The sommelier recommended a Burgundy Pinot Noir to complement the duck confit on the tasting menu."

"mise en place"

The preparation and arrangement of all ingredients and equipment needed before service begins

"The sous-chef checked that mise en place was complete — every station stocked and every sauce reduced — by 5 p.m."

"upselling"

Encouraging a guest to purchase a higher-value item or add-on to increase revenue

""Our wagyu beef is exceptional tonight — just £8 more than the sirloin and well worth it," said the server, upselling confidently."

"cover charge"

A fixed fee per person added to a restaurant bill, sometimes covering bread, water, or live entertainment

"The menu noted a €5 cover charge per guest, which included freshly baked bread and mineral water."

"allergen menu"

A document listing all 14 major allergens present in each dish to help guests with food allergies

""I'll fetch the allergen menu so you can check which dishes are safe for your nut allergy.""

"local attraction"

A notable point of interest, landmark, or activity near the hotel that guests may wish to visit

""I'd highly recommend the botanical gardens as a local attraction — it's only a ten-minute walk from here.""

"itinerary"

A detailed plan of travel arrangements and activities prepared for a guest's trip

"The concierge spent an hour crafting a personalised itinerary for the couple's three-day anniversary stay."

"transfer service"

Arranged transportation between an airport, station, or attraction and the hotel

""Shall I book a transfer service for your arrival at Heathrow? We have a luxury car available at 9 a.m.""

"porterage"

The service of carrying guests' luggage to and from their rooms

"The bellman provided porterage, escorting the family to their suite and explaining every amenity on the way."

"concierge desk"

The hotel station staffed by specialists who assist guests with reservations, recommendations, and special requests

"The guest stopped by the concierge desk to ask for restaurant reservations and theatre tickets for the same evening."

"VIP amenity"

A complimentary gift or upgrade arranged for a valued or specially designated guest

"A handwritten note and a VIP amenity of champagne and strawberries greeted the honeymooners on arrival."

"butler service"

A highly personalised in-room service where a dedicated attendant manages all aspects of a guest's stay

"In the presidential suite, butler service included unpacking luggage, drawing baths, and pre-pressing garments each morning."

"special occasion package"

A bundled hotel offer combining accommodation with extras designed for birthdays, anniversaries, or other celebrations

""We offer a special occasion package that includes breakfast in bed, late checkout, and a floral arrangement.""

"turndown service"

An evening housekeeping visit to prepare the room for sleep by folding back the bed and setting out amenities

"During turndown service, the housekeeper left chocolates on the pillow and dimmed the lights to a warm setting."

"room status"

A code indicating the current condition of a hotel room such as occupied, vacant, clean, or dirty

"The housekeeper updated room status on the tablet from "Occupied Clean" to "Vacant Clean" after the guest checked out."

"deep cleaning"

A thorough cleaning of a room beyond the standard daily service, covering areas not normally attended to each day

"Rooms scheduled for deep cleaning had the mattress turned, grout scrubbed, and all upholstery vacuumed."

"linen change"

The replacement of bed sheets, pillowcases, and towels with fresh items

""Would you prefer a linen change every day, or would you like to participate in our eco-friendly linen reuse programme?""

"amenity restocking"

The process of replenishing bathroom toiletries, coffee supplies, and other in-room consumables

"The housekeeper noted the mini-bar was low and requested amenity restocking before the next guest arrived."

"preventive maintenance"

Scheduled inspections and servicing of equipment to prevent breakdowns before they affect guests

"The engineering team conducted preventive maintenance on all HVAC units during the low-occupancy period in January."

"out of order"

A designation for a room or facility that is temporarily unavailable due to damage or repair

"The lift on the west wing was marked out of order after a cable inspection revealed worn components."

"occupied dirty"

A room status indicating a guest is currently staying and the room has not yet been serviced for the day

"The housekeeper's morning report showed twelve rooms still occupied dirty by 11 a.m., prioritised for immediate service."

"guided excursion"

A structured outing led by a knowledgeable guide to a specific attraction or area of interest

""Our guided excursion to the old city departs at 9 a.m. and lasts approximately three hours with commentary in English.""

"all-inclusive package"

A holiday arrangement where accommodation, meals, drinks, and activities are bundled into a single price

"The resort's all-inclusive package eliminated the need to carry cash, covering everything from snorkelling gear to cocktails."

"group rate"

A discounted price per person offered to a party booking a minimum number of rooms or seats together

""For groups of ten or more, we offer a group rate that includes a complimentary dinner on the first night.""

"destination management company"

A specialist local operator that organises logistics, transport, venues, and activities for events or tours in a specific location

"The conference organiser hired a destination management company to arrange airport transfers, gala dinners, and cultural tours."

"peak season"

The period of highest tourist demand when prices and occupancy are typically at their maximum

"During peak season in August, the coastal resort ran at 100% occupancy and rates doubled compared to spring."

"off-season rate"

A reduced price offered during periods of lower tourist demand to maintain occupancy

""Book in November and enjoy our off-season rate — 40% lower than summer prices with the same sea views.""

"shore excursion"

An optional guided trip offered to cruise passengers during a port stop

"The cruise line listed over twenty shore excursions in Dubrovnik, ranging from wine tastings to kayaking tours."

"MICE tourism"

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions — a segment of business travel distinct from leisure tourism

"The hotel invested heavily in its conference facilities to capture the growing MICE tourism market from corporate clients."

"service recovery"

The process of addressing a guest's complaint and turning a negative experience into a positive one

"The manager's prompt service recovery — a complimentary upgrade and a bottle of wine — converted an upset guest into a loyal advocate."

"LAST technique"

A guest complaint framework: Listen, Apologise, Solve, and Thank

"Staff were trained in the LAST technique so they could resolve complaints calmly without escalating to management."

"empathy statement"

A phrase that acknowledges a guest's feelings and demonstrates understanding before offering a solution

""I completely understand how frustrating that must have been, and I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.""

"compensation"

An offer of a refund, upgrade, voucher, or other benefit given to a guest to make amends for a poor experience

"As compensation for the noise disruption, the hotel offered a full refund of one night's accommodation."

"escalation"

Referring a complaint to a more senior staff member when a front-line employee cannot resolve it

""I'm going to escalate this to our guest relations manager, who will contact you within the hour with a resolution.""

"guest satisfaction score"

A metric, often derived from post-stay surveys, measuring how satisfied guests are with their overall experience

"The property's guest satisfaction score rose from 7.8 to 9.1 after a six-month focus on first-contact resolution."

"loyalty programme"

A rewards scheme that incentivises repeat bookings by offering points, free nights, or exclusive benefits

""As a Platinum member of our loyalty programme, you automatically receive free breakfast and a guaranteed late checkout.""

"follow-up call"

A proactive phone call made to a guest after an incident or during a stay to ensure the issue was resolved satisfactorily

"The duty manager made a follow-up call the next morning to confirm the noise complaint had been resolved and the guest was comfortable."