Staying at a hotel · A2. Distinguish these meanings in context: suite = a set of connected rooms in a hotel; lobby = a large entrance area in a hotel or other building; lift = a machine that carries people between floors; British English; corridor = a long passage inside a building with doors to rooms.
Learn twelve useful words in this topic. Study independent examples, then practise them in new situations. The level is an editorial guide, not a certification.
Our suite has a separate sitting room.
Our suite has a separate sitting room.
These match this sense. Word families can change meaning; near meanings are not always interchangeable.
Practise “a hotel suite” as a word partnership. In this unit “suite” means a set of connected rooms in a hotel.
Distinguish these meanings in context: suite = a set of connected rooms in a hotel; lobby = a large entrance area in a hotel or other building; lift = a machine that carries people between floors; British English; corridor = a long passage inside a building with doors to rooms.
Our suite has a separate sitting room.
Distinguish these meanings in context: balcony = an outdoor platform connected to a room above ground level; minibar = a small fridge in a hotel room with drinks and snacks for sale; safe = a strong lockable box used for keeping valuables; keycard = a plastic card used as an electronic key.
We eat breakfast on the balcony.
Distinguish these meanings in context: pillow = a soft support for your head in bed; blanket = a thick cover used to keep you warm in bed; towel = a piece of absorbent cloth used for drying your body; hairdryer = an electrical device that blows air to dry hair.
This pillow is too high for me.
They booked a ___ with two connected bedrooms and a private lounge.
Distinguish these meanings in context: suite = a set of connected rooms in a hotel; lobby = a large entrance area in a hotel or other building; lift = a machine that carries people between floors; British English; corridor = a long passage inside a building with doors to rooms.
Our suite has a separate sitting room.Distinguish these meanings in context: balcony = an outdoor platform connected to a room above ground level; minibar = a small fridge in a hotel room with drinks and snacks for sale; safe = a strong lockable box used for keeping valuables; keycard = a plastic card used as an electronic key.
We eat breakfast on the balcony.Distinguish these meanings in context: pillow = a soft support for your head in bed; blanket = a thick cover used to keep you warm in bed; towel = a piece of absorbent cloth used for drying your body; hairdryer = an electrical device that blows air to dry hair.
This pillow is too high for me.Keep the first try. Understand the change. Check it in a fresh situation.
No practice notes yet. Try a short warm-up.
a set of connected rooms in a hotel
a large entrance area in a hotel or other building
a machine that carries people between floors; British English
a long passage inside a building with doors to rooms
an outdoor platform connected to a room above ground level
a small fridge in a hotel room with drinks and snacks for sale
a strong lockable box used for keeping valuables
a plastic card used as an electronic key
a soft support for your head in bed
a thick cover used to keep you warm in bed
a piece of absorbent cloth used for drying your body
an electrical device that blows air to dry hair
Opening an answer records help for that question.
They booked a ___ with two connected bedrooms and a private lounge.
Look at “two connected bedrooms”. Here we need “a set of connected rooms in a hotel”: “suite”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “They booked a suite with two connected bedrooms and a private lounge.”.
Open the room’s outside door and step onto the ___ to enjoy the view.
Look at “outside door”. Here we need “an outdoor platform connected to a room above ground level”: “balcony”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Open the room’s outside door and step onto the balcony to enjoy the view.”.
The soft filled cushion designed to support your head in bed is a ___.
Look at “soft filled cushion”. Here we need “a soft support for your head in bed”: “pillow”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “The soft filled cushion designed to support your head in bed is a pillow.”.
The large open entrance hall where hotel guests arrive and wait is called the ___.
Look at “entrance hall”. Here we need “a large entrance area in a hotel or other building”: “lobby”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “The large open entrance hall where hotel guests arrive and wait is called the lobby.”.
Press the button for floor six inside the ___; you do not need the stairs.
Look at “floor six”. Here we need “a machine that carries people between floors; British English”: “lift”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “Press the button for floor six inside the lift; you do not need the stairs.”.
Walk along the long ___ past rooms 201 to 210.
Look at “past rooms 201 to 210”. Here we need “a long passage inside a building with doors to rooms”: “corridor”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “Walk along the long corridor past rooms 201 to 210.”.
The small refrigerated ___ in our room contains drinks we can buy.
Look at “refrigerated”. Here we need “a small fridge in a hotel room with drinks and snacks for sale”: “minibar”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “The small refrigerated minibar in our room contains drinks we can buy.”.
Lock your jewellery in the room’s strong metal ___.
Look at “Lock your jewellery”. Here we need “a strong lockable box used for keeping valuables”: “safe”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Lock your jewellery in the room’s strong metal safe.”.
Hold your plastic ___ against the electronic lock to open your room.
Look at “electronic lock”. Here we need “a plastic card used as an electronic key”: “keycard”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Hold your plastic keycard against the electronic lock to open your room.”.
I need a thick woollen bed cover, not an absorbent bath cloth or a cushion. Please bring me a ___.
Look at “woollen bed cover”. Here we need “a thick cover used to keep you warm in bed”: “blanket”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “I need a thick woollen bed cover, not an absorbent bath cloth or a cushion. Please bring me a blanket.” / “I am cold in bed; please bring me an extra blanket to put over my body.”.
Use this absorbent piece of cloth, a bath ___, to dry your skin after a shower.
Look at “dry your skin”. Here we need “a piece of absorbent cloth used for drying your body”: “towel”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Use this absorbent piece of cloth, a bath towel, to dry your skin after a shower.”.
Plug in the ___ and use its warm air to dry your hair.
Look at “warm air”. Here we need “an electrical device that blows air to dry hair”: “hairdryer”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Plug in the hairdryer and use its warm air to dry your hair.”.
This ___ is a set of connected hotel rooms, not a single bedroom.
Look at “set of connected hotel rooms”. Here we need “a set of connected rooms in a hotel”: “suite”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “This suite is a set of connected hotel rooms, not a single bedroom.”.
After entering the main doors, meet me in the ___: the open entrance hall, not a narrow passage to bedrooms.
Look at “open entrance hall”. Here we need “a large entrance area in a hotel or other building”: “lobby”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “After entering the main doors, meet me in the lobby: the open entrance hall, not a narrow passage to bedrooms.”.
The room has a small outdoor ___ with a railing and two chairs.
Look at “outdoor”. Here we need “an outdoor platform connected to a room above ground level”: “balcony”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “The room has a small outdoor balcony with a railing and two chairs.”.
Check the price list before taking a drink from the room’s ___.
Look at “taking a drink”. Here we need “a small fridge in a hotel room with drinks and snacks for sale”: “minibar”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Check the price list before taking a drink from the room’s minibar.”.
Could I have another ___? I need a filled cushion under my head, not a flat sheet or cover.
Look at “filled cushion”. Here we need “a soft support for your head in bed”: “pillow”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Could I have another pillow? I need a filled cushion under my head, not a flat sheet or cover.”.
There is a thick woollen ___ on the bed to keep you warm.
Look at “keep you warm”. Here we need “a thick cover used to keep you warm in bed”: “blanket”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “There is a thick woollen blanket on the bed to keep you warm.”.
The ___ doors close, and the machine carries us up to our floor.
Look at “carries us up”. Here we need “a machine that carries people between floors; British English”: “lift”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “The lift doors close, and the machine carries us up to our floor.”.
There are bedroom doors on both sides of this narrow indoor ___.
Look at “doors on both sides”. Here we need “a long passage inside a building with doors to rooms”: “corridor”. Name the space or machine: connected guest rooms, entrance hall, vertical transport or passage past doors. Completed sentence: “There are bedroom doors on both sides of this narrow indoor corridor.”.
Enter a code on the small ___ to secure your money inside it.
Look at “secure your money”. Here we need “a strong lockable box used for keeping valuables”: “safe”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Enter a code on the small safe to secure your money inside it.”.
Reception gave us a ___ instead of a metal key for the bedroom door.
Look at “instead of a metal key”. Here we need “a plastic card used as an electronic key”: “keycard”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “Reception gave us a keycard instead of a metal key for the bedroom door.”.
There is no absorbent hand ___ beside the sink, so I cannot dry my hands with a cloth.
Look at “dry my hands”. Here we need “a piece of absorbent cloth used for drying your body”: “towel”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “There is no absorbent hand towel beside the sink, so I cannot dry my hands with a cloth.”.
My hair is wet; does the room have an electric ___?
Look at “hair is wet”. Here we need “an electrical device that blows air to dry hair”: “hairdryer”. Use the item’s designed function and stated material or shape; being usable as a substitute does not give it the same name. Completed sentence: “My hair is wet; does the room have an electric hairdryer?”.