TRAVELLING. At the Hotel

Hotel is a place where a traveller may find food and shelter. The ideal hotel has big rooms, with comfortable beds and good facilities, including a business centre. It should be as near the centre of the town as possible but within easy reach of the airport. There are several types of hotels: luxury, resort, commercial, congress, airport hotels, guest houses, country house hotels, B&B and motels.

Hotels are usually graded with stars from one-star to five-star. A 5-star hotel is a luxury hotel offering the highest international standards. A 4-star hotel offers a high standard of comfort and service with all bedrooms providing a private bathroom or shower with lavatory. A 3-star hotel offers a higher standard of accommodation 20 per cent of bedrooms containing a private bathroom or shower with lavatory. A 2-star hotel is a hotel with more spacious accommodation, with two thirds of the bedrooms containing a private bathroom or shower with lavatory, fuller meal facilities are provided. A 1-star hotel is a hotel and inn generally of small scale with good facilities and furnishings, adequate bath and lavatory arrangements.

Hotels may have different room types: single, double, twin, triple, family rooms, demi-suites and suites.

Hotels may have different room rates: full board or en-pension, half board or demi-pension, bed and breakfast or continental plan and European plan.

There are plenty of good hotels in London and you're nearly sure of finding a room in one of them. Still if you don't want to be disappointed, especially during the holiday season it's better to reserve a room beforehand. You'll find London hotels just the same as in all large cities. You enter a large entrance hall or lounge and go to the reception desk. The reception clerk will tell you which room is yours, what floor it is on and will give you the key. You will sign the register and give your luggage to the porter who will take it up in the lift to your room. If you need some help you can call the chambermaid by the room telephone. There is usually a laundry and a dry cleaning service at the hotel. You can have your clothes cleaned, washed, ironed, and delivered within 24 hours.

The people in the office will always help you if you don't know your way about the town. They'll tell you where to go and what to see. They'll book seats for you at the theatre and do all they can to make your stay a pleasant one. If you want a guide to show you round, or an interpreter for a business interview, they'll get you one. If you have to write business letters and can type, they'll provide you with the typewriter. If, on the other hand, you prefer to dictate your letter, they will get you a short-hand typist. If your wife is going to be with you she'll find plenty to amuse herself. She'll be able to spend her time looking at the shops while you are busy.

Many hotels have special weekly and monthly rates, so that it is cheaper to pay by the week, or by the month (residential rates) than by the day (transient rates). You will find rooms with and without a bath, single rooms, double rooms and complete suites consisting of two and more rooms. Guests are required to warn the clerk in advance when leaving (checking out) so that he can have the bill ready for them in time.

In the United States they also have motels. This is a roadside hotel providing both lodging for travellers and garage or parking space for their motor vehicles. In Britain there are caravan sites for travellers who come with trailers. No lodging is provided. The traveller lives in his trailer which is a house on wheels.

SHOPPING

Поиск по сайту: