an air purifier (to cleanse the air)
a humidifier (to make the air wetter)
Review
I wipe down the table after meals with a (cleaning/damp) cloth/sponge.
I swept up the mess on the floor with a dustpan and brush.
I wiped up/mopped up (“moppt”) the milk that I’d spilled on the floor with a mop.
shop shopped (add a second “p” in the past tense)
“pt” drop dropped – stop stopped – pop popped – swap swapped – drip dripped
I empty/unload the dishwasher when the washing cycle is complete.
I heated up/reheated my dinner in the oven the next day. (= to make it hot again)
I put away the milk and butter in the fridge after breakfast. Put your clothes away in the draw.
I picked up the rental car at the beginning of our holiday and dropped it off on our last day.
Don’t flush wet wipes/sanitary/hygiene products/paper towels down the toilet!
I use rubber gloves to protect my hands
If food is stuck to the saucepan, leave it in soak (= in hot water & detergent) for half an hour and it’ll be easier to clean off.
a metal scourer/a stainless steel scourer
I had to scour the saucepan after I burnt the potatoes.
a scrubbing brush
scrub – scrubbing
to scrub the floor

In groups:
Think of as many problems as possible that hotel guests might encounter during their stay and what you could do to solve them. Big or small!

Eg forgotten toothbrush, air conditioning not working, not enough coathangers etc

Problems:
The air conditioning isn’t working (present continuous)
The toilet isn’t flushing.
The toilet is blocked and I can’t use it.
The sheets are dirty./The sheets aren’t clean.
There are spots/splashes/smears/dead flies on the mirror
The shower mixer is broken
The toilet seat is dirty
The water pressure is low. (“presshur”)
I’ve ordered breakfast and I’ve been waiting for over 30 minutes
I’ve ordered breakfast and it still hasn’t arrived/been delivered.
There’s too much noise in the corridor
There’s no climate control in the room
It smells of cigarette smoke in my room/The car smells of cooked meat!
I’ve run out of shampoo/toothpaste
There are ants in my bathroom
the bathtub/the shower tray/the shower
the glassdoor is broken/it doesn’t close properly
It’s raining non-stop
It’s too cold here in November

Solutions:
I’ll/We’ll call maintenance (= I will) immediately/as soon as possible/right away/ at once
We’ll send someone up/along as soon as possible/ in 10 minutes/during the morning/afternoon
We can call a plumber/an electrician
You can borrow an umbrella.
We’ll provide you with a plastic raincoat and“welly” boots/rubber boots (Wellington boots)

 

Polite requests/problems to be solved for the guests
Could you bring me more towels? Yes of course/certainly. I’ll bring them up right away.
I’ve forgotten my toothbrush We have toothbrushes for sale/You can buy one at reception/There’s a complimentary dental kit in the room
The sink needs cleaning. I’ll send along/up a housekeeper/a member of our cleaning staff immediately
There’s hair in the plug hole
There’s no toilet paper I’ll bring some immediately
The mini bar is empty I’ll send someone to restock it as soon as possible.
There is no ashtray in the room
Unfortunately/I’m afraid smoking isn’t allowed/permitted in hotels in Sweden/the hotel.

Reporting maintenance issues
The sink/pipe is leaking. a spanner (UK)/a wrench (US)
There’s a problem with the air conditioning.
The light bulb is broken.
The toilet is blocked.

Responses
Of course, I’ll take care of that
I’ll send someone up right away

Hotel Room
1. The light bulb needs replacing/changing.
2. The air conditioning/heating isn’t working.
3. The TV remote is missing or broken/not working. The batteries need replacing.
4. There’s no hot water in the shower. There’s no water pressure
5. The window or balcony/shower door won’t close/shut properly.

Hotel Bathroom
The toilet is clogged/blocked or won’t flush/isn’t flushing. (will not – like a refusal)
The sink or shower is leaking. (drip, drip, drip!) licking leaking
The bathroom mirror light is not working. (“mirra”)

Restaurant Area
A chair or table is wobbly or broken. (unstable)
The fridge/freezer in the kitchen isn’t working/won’t close/cooling properly.
The dishwasher isn’t functioning/working/won’t start.
There’s a problem with the coffee machine or oven.
Guests are waiting too long for their orders.
Can you close the window? Can we move to another table?
Is it ok/alright if I close/open the window? Could I open… close/shut the window?
Are you showing the football final this evening? Is there somewhere nearby that is showing the match this evening?
Yes/Absolutely, we’ll be showing it in the guest lounge/TV room. You can buy a beer at the bar and take it with you.

Hotel Room
Guest: Excuse me, the light in my room isn’t working.
Staff: I’m sorry about that. I’ll ask maintenance to replace the (light)bulb right away.

Guest: The air conditioning in my room isn’t working.
Staff: I apologise for the inconvenience. I’ll report it to maintenance, and we’ll fix it as soon as possible.

Guest: I can’t find the remote (control) for the TV.
Staff: I’ll bring a new one/replacement/another one to your room immediately.

Guest: There’s no hot water in my shower.
Staff: I’m very sorry for the trouble/inconvenience. I’ll notify maintenance right away, and we’ll resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Guest: The window in my room won’t close.
Staff: I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll have someone come to fix it immediately/right away/as soon as possible. (how soon?)

How long will it take? How long do I need to wait? When do you think they will be here?
Always underpromise, but overdeliver.

Guest: The toilet in my bathroom isn’t working/flushing/ won’t flush
Staff: I apologise for the inconvenience. I’ll call maintenance to fix it right away/now.

Guest: There’s water leaking from the sink.
Staff: I’m sorry about that. I’ll send maintenance to check it immediately.

Guest: The light above the bathroom mirror isn’t working/won’t switch on.
Staff: Thank you for letting us know. I’ll arrange for maintenance to replace it as soon as possible. (“eye-yull”)

Customer: This chair is unstable/wobbly.
Staff: I’m very sorry. Let me bring you another one/chair.

Chef: The fridge isn’t cooling properly.
Maintenance Staff: I’ll check it immediately and see if it can be repaired or if we need a replacement.

Kitchen Staff: The dishwasher isn’t working.
Manager: Thanks for letting me know. I’ll call maintenance to repair it as soon as possible.

Waitstaff: I can’t switch the coffee machine on.
Manager: I’ll have maintenance check it as soon as possible. In the meantime, let’s use the spare coffee maker.

MAIN-ten-nance
fill the machine – feel happy
We have a spare bedroom if you want to stay over. (= extra)
a spare coffee machine

Payments
When was the last time you paid for something? What did you buy?
What are some ways people can pay for things?

You can pay in cash
notes/(dollar) bills coins
receipts (“ress-seets”) Would you like a receipt?
I’d like to pay by card
You must always leave a tip in American restaurants
a discount
to pay by Swish
The Swish payment system
Shall I swish you my share?
Can I pay online?
Shall we send you an invoice?
Can you invoice me directly?