Accommodation (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Accommodation
Types of accommodation
When travelling in Spanish-speaking countries, you'll encounter different types of accommodation. Here are the main options you should know:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| un albergue / un hostal | a hostel |
| un campamento de verano | a summer camp |
| un hotel de cinco estrellas | a five-star hotel |
| el alojamiento | accommodation |
| la habitación | room |
| el piso | apartment |
Example sentences in context:
- Vamos a quedarnos en un albergue. (We're going to stay in a hostel.)
- El hotel de cinco estrellas es muy caro. (The five-star hotel is very expensive.)
- ¿Dónde vas a quedarte? (Where are you going to stay?)
Grammar note: Quedarse means "to stay" and is used when talking about accommodation. It's a reflexive verb, so remember to use the reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se).
Hotel facilities and services
Hotels offer various facilities and services. Learning this vocabulary helps you understand what's available and make requests when staying at Spanish hotels:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la recepción (f.) | reception |
| la habitación individual (f.) | single room |
| la habitación doble (f.) | double room |
| la caja fuerte (f.) | safe |
| la piscina climatizada (f.) | heated pool |
| el salón de eventos (m.) | event room |
| el centro de belleza (m.) | beauty salon |
| el servicio de lavandería (m.) | laundry service |
| el servicio de habitaciones (m.) | room service |
| el aire acondicionado (m.) | air conditioning |
| el internet gratis (m.) | free internet |
| la conexión wifi (f.) | WiFi connection |
| el aparcamiento gratis (m.) | free parking |
Example sentences:
- El hotel tiene una piscina climatizada. (The hotel has a heated pool.)
- ¿Hay servicio de habitaciones? (Is there room service?)
- La conexión wifi es gratis. (The WiFi connection is free.)
Pronunciation tip: WiFi in Spanish can also be called una conexión inalámbrica or una red inalámbrica, which literally means "wireless connection" or "wireless network".
Expressing opinions about hotel services
When discussing hotel facilities with others, you'll need to express agreement or disagreement. These phrases are essential for conversations about hotel preferences:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Estoy de acuerdo | I agree |
| No estoy de acuerdo porque... | I don't agree because... |
| Creo que... | I think that... |
| Me gusta... | I like... |
Sample dialogue about hotel preferences:
- Creo que la piscina es la instalación más importante porque me gusta nadar. (I think the pool is the most important facility because I like to swim.)
- Estoy de acuerdo. (I agree.)
- No estoy de acuerdo porque prefiero el gimnasio. (I don't agree because I prefer the gym.)
Booking accommodation
When making hotel reservations, you'll use specific vocabulary and phrases. Understanding these terms is crucial for successful bookings:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| reservar | to book/reserve |
| ¿Cuándo? | when? |
| ¿Cuánto/a/os/as? | how much/many? |
| para | for |
| la noche | night |
| el desayuno | breakfast |
| la cena | evening meal |
| la maleta | suitcase |
| con vistas a | with a view of |
| cerca de | near to, close to |
| al lado de | next to |
Useful booking phrases:
- Quisiera reservar... (I would like to book/reserve...)
- ¿A qué hora se abre...? (What time does... open?)
- Buenos días. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? (Good morning. How can I help you?)
Example sentences:
- Quisiera reservar una habitación para dos noches. (I would like to book a room for two nights.)
- ¿Quiere una habitación con vistas a los jardines o a la piscina? (Do you want a room with a view of the gardens or the pool?)
Grammar focus: Contractions with a + el and de + el
Understanding contractions is fundamental to proper Spanish grammar. In Spanish, when the prepositions a (to/at) and de (of/from) are followed by the masculine definite article el, they form contractions:
Essential contraction rules:
- a + el = al
- de + el = del
Remember: This contraction only happens with the masculine singular article el. It does NOT happen with la, los, or las.
Worked examples of contractions:
- Llegamos al hotel a las cuatro. (We arrived at the hotel at four o'clock.)
- Fuimos al restaurante del hotel. (We went to the hotel restaurant.)
- Las habitaciones del hotel son cómodas. (The hotel rooms are comfortable.)
- La distancia del hotel al mar no es un problema. (The distance from the hotel to the sea is not a problem.)
Spanish hotel culture: Paradores de España
Paradores de España is a famous chain of luxury hotels in Spain with interesting cultural significance. These hotels represent a unique approach to hospitality and heritage preservation:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la cadena (f.) | chain |
| promover | to promote |
| competir | to compete |
| mediaeval | mediaeval |
| el patrimonio cultural (m.) | cultural heritage |
Cultural insight: Paradores are unique because they use historic buildings like castles, palaces, fortresses, convents and other historical structures as hotels. This helps preserve Spanish cultural heritage while providing luxury accommodation.
The hotels are divided into three categories:
- Paradores Esentia: Hotels in historic buildings
- Paradores Civia: Hotels in urban and modern cities
- Paradores Naturia: Hotels near the sea and nature
The oldest hotel in the world is a parador called el Hostal de los Reyes Católicos in Santiago de Compostela.
Common errors and fixes
Avoid these common mistakes:
-
Error: Voy a hotel ✗
Fix: Voy al hotel ✓ (Remember the contraction a + el = al) -
Error: Las habitaciones de el hotel ✗
Fix: Las habitaciones del hotel ✓ (Remember the contraction de + el = del) -
Error: Confusing dos (two) and doce (twelve)
Fix: Dos has one syllable, doce has two syllables ('do-thay') -
Error: Quiero reservar por dos noche ✗
Fix: Quiero reservar para dos noches ✓ (Use para for "for" with time periods, and remember noche is feminine)
Translation practice
Practice your translation skills:
Spanish to English:
- Las instalaciones en el hotel son geniales.
- Nuestra habitación tiene vistas a las montañas.
English to Spanish: 3. We decided to stay in an apartment. 4. There was a swimming pool and a sports centre.
Answers:
- The facilities in the hotel are great.
- Our room has views of the mountains.
- Decidimos quedarnos en un piso.
- Había una piscina y un centro de deportes.
Phrase bank
Essential phrases for hotel situations - memorise these for confident communication:
- ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? - How can I help you?
- Quisiera reservar una habitación - I would like to book a room
- ¿Para cuántas noches? - For how many nights?
- ¿Quiere desayuno incluido? - Do you want breakfast included?
- ¿A qué hora es el desayuno? - What time is breakfast?
- La habitación está en el segundo piso - The room is on the second floor
- ¿Dónde está el ascensor? - Where is the lift?
Key Points to Remember:
- Use al (a + el) and del (de + el) contractions with masculine singular nouns
- Quedarse means "to stay" at accommodation and requires reflexive pronouns
- Quisiera is the polite form for "I would like" when booking
- Paradores are luxury hotels in historic Spanish buildings
- Practice pronunciation: dos (one syllable) vs doce (two syllables)