The receptionist

The receptionist works in the front office of a hotel.

The receptionist is in charge of the check-in. She meets and greets guests, registers guests and assigns rooms to them.

The receptionist must ensure that the check-in procedure is brief and convenient.

The receptionist must help guests do the hotel formalities. She takes the guest’s name. If the guest is a foreign visitor, the receptionist must take the guest’s passport number. Then she asks the guest to sign the hotel register. In larger hotels the receptionist asks the guest to fill in a registration card and to sign it. She must explain how to do it correctly.

The receptionist must send the signed registration card to the cashier’s office.

The receptionist answers the phone. She answers questions of visitors who have come to see the hotel guests. She can help the visitors find the hotel guests. She may take messages for the hotel guests when they are not in.

In smaller hotels the receptionist is in charge of the room keys.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Where does the receptionist work?

2. What is the receptionist in charge of?

3. What must the receptionist ensure?

4. How must the receptionist help the guests?

5. What does the receptionist ask the guests to do?

6. What must the receptionist do with a signed registration card?

7. How can the receptionist help the visitors who have come to see
the hotel guests?

8. What is the receptionist in charge of in smaller hotels?

THE CONCIERGE

The concierge works at a hotel’s information desk.

The concierge must speak a few languages because she has to help guests from other countries. Usually the concierge speaks major world languages: English, French, German and Spanish. Sometimes she speaks other languages, too. It depends on the language of the customers whom the hotel receives.

The concierge must help guests in all ways. She can give orientations in the city, arrange taxis and sightseeing tours. She can offer entertainment. She can make theatre bookings. She can recommend shops, restaurants or nightclubs.

Actually the concierge in a hotel can act as a travel agent: book flights, tours, visits. She may find a guide or a guide-interpreter for the guest.

The concierge can find a babysitter.

The concierge must help guests mail letters and packages. She may even provide paper and a pen for writing letters.

In some hotels the concierge is in charge of messages.

In some hotels the concierge may be in charge of the room keys.