How do I say I have a reservation in Spanish?

The standard phrase is Tengo una reservacion a nombre de followed by your name. In Spain, you might hear reserva instead of reservacion. For example, Buenas tardes, tengo una reserva a nombre de Garcia (Good afternoon, I have a reservation under Garcia). You can also say Hice una reservacion para esta noche (I made a reservation for tonight) if you want to specify when you booked.

What essential hotel vocabulary should I know in Spanish?

The most important hotel words include habitacion (room), reservacion or reserva (reservation), recepcion (front desk), llave or tarjeta (key or key card), piso (floor), ascensor or elevador (elevator), desayuno (breakfast), cuenta (bill), maleta (suitcase), toalla (towel), sabanas (sheets), and almohada (pillow). For room types, know individual (single), doble (double), and suite. These words cover the vast majority of hotel interactions.

How do I report a problem with my hotel room in Spanish?

Start with Disculpe (Excuse me) to get attention politely, then describe the issue using no funciona (it does not work) for broken equipment, no hay (there is no) for missing items, or a descriptive adjective for conditions. For example, El aire acondicionado no funciona (The AC does not work), No hay toallas en el bano (There are no towels in the bathroom), or La habitacion esta muy fria (The room is very cold). End with Podrian solucionarlo (Could you fix it) for a polite resolution request.

beginnerConversational Spanish

Hotel Check-in Conversation

Checking into a hotel in a Spanish-speaking country is often the first sustained conversation a traveler has after arriving, and it sets the tone for the entire trip. The good news is that hotel check-in conversations follow a highly predictable script, which means learning a focused set of phrases gives you complete confidence to handle the interaction smoothly. The vocabulary you learn here also transfers directly to booking accommodations online, communicating with hosts on rental platforms, and discussing your travel plans with friends. Hotel interactions combine several practical grammar concepts in a natural context. You will use polite request forms to ask for things, question structures to inquire about services, possessive constructions to claim your reservation, and conditional expressions to handle special requests. Each of these grammar points serves a real communicative purpose, which makes them far easier to remember than abstract textbook examples. Beyond the check-in counter, hotel vocabulary extends to describing rooms, reporting problems, requesting services, and checking out. This lesson covers the full range of hotel-related interactions so you are prepared for anything from a smooth check-in to handling an issue with your room. The Turtle Tune app includes travel-themed songs that teach this vocabulary through music, helping you memorize key phrases before your trip so they are ready when you need them at the front desk.

Buenas noches, tengo una reservacion para dos noches a nombre de Martinez. Podria darme una habitacion con vista a la ciudad? Tambien, a que hora es el desayuno y esta incluido en el precio?

Good evening, I have a reservation for two nights under the name Martinez. Could you give me a room with a city view? Also, what time is breakfast and is it included in the price?

Analysis

This three-sentence hotel check-in dialogue demonstrates the essential structures and vocabulary that travelers need for smooth hotel interactions in Spanish-speaking countries. The passage progresses naturally from identifying yourself and your reservation to making a special request to asking practical questions about services. The opening "buenas noches" (good evening) is the appropriate greeting for evening arrivals. "Tengo una reservacion" (I have a reservation) uses the present tense of "tener" (to have) in a straightforward possessive statement. "Para dos noches" uses "para" to express duration or purpose of the reservation, and "a nombre de Martinez" (under the name Martinez) is the fixed expression for identifying hotel bookings. This phrase structure works identically whether your reservation is at a hotel, restaurant, or any other venue. The second sentence introduces the conditional tense for polite requests: "podria darme" (could you give me) combines the conditional of "poder" (to be able) with the infinitive "dar" (to give) plus the reflexive/indirect object pronoun "me" (to me). The conditional tense is the gold standard of politeness in Spanish requests, equivalent to "could you" or "would you" in English. "Una habitacion con vista a la ciudad" (a room with a view of the city) uses the preposition "con" (with) plus the noun "vista" (view) followed by "a la ciudad" (of/to the city). This "con + noun" pattern is how you specify room features: "con balcon" (with a balcony), "con bano privado" (with a private bathroom), "con aire acondicionado" (with air conditioning). The final sentence asks two questions linked by "y" (and). "A que hora es el desayuno?" (At what time is breakfast?) uses the interrogative phrase "a que hora" (at what time), which is one of the most frequently asked questions in travel contexts. Note that "es" (from ser) is used for the scheduled time of breakfast, not estar, because scheduled events use ser. "Esta incluido en el precio?" (Is it included in the price?) switches to estar because inclusion is a state or condition of the current booking arrangement. This juxtaposition of ser for event time and estar for a state within the same sentence beautifully illustrates the ser/estar distinction in a practical context. The word "tambien" (also) serves as a discourse connector that signals an additional question, making the conversation feel natural and flowing rather than a list of unrelated requests. This kind of conversational connector is essential for sounding natural in any Spanish dialogue.

Grammar Points

Conditional for polite requests: podria darme (could you give me) - respectful hotel languageSer for scheduled events: a que hora es el desayuno (what time is breakfast)Estar for states/conditions: esta incluido (is it included) - current state of the bookingPara for reservation duration: para dos noches (for two nights)Con + noun for specifications: con vista a la ciudad (with a view of the city)

Vocabulary Highlights

Spanish	English
reservacion	reservation
habitacion	room
vista	view
desayuno	breakfast
incluido	included
precio	price
a nombre de	under the name of

Arriving and Checking In

The check-in process begins the moment you approach the front desk. Having the right phrases ready means you can handle the interaction confidently even if you are tired from traveling. Start with a greeting and state your purpose: "Buenas tardes, tengo una reservacion a nombre de [your name]" (Good afternoon, I have a reservation in the name of [your name]). The phrase "a nombre de" (in the name of) is the standard way to identify your booking. If you do not have a reservation, you can ask "Tienen habitaciones disponibles?" (Do you have rooms available?) using the formal plural "tienen" and the adjective "disponibles" (available). The receptionist may ask you questions. "Para cuantas noches?" (For how many nights?) uses "para" for duration/purpose. "Su documento de identidad, por favor" (Your ID document, please) uses the possessive "su" in formal address. "A que hora llego?" might be asked if you are checking in at an unusual time. Being prepared for these questions means you will not be caught off guard. Useful responses include "Para tres noches" (For three nights), "Aqui tiene" (Here you are, when handing over your ID), and "Salimos el viernes" (We leave on Friday) for clarifying your departure.

Room Requests and Preferences

Making specific requests about your room requires conditional and polite request structures combined with room-specific vocabulary. These phrases let you customize your stay rather than simply accepting whatever is offered. For room type preferences, you might say "Podria ser una habitacion con vista al mar?" (Could it be a room with an ocean view?) using the conditional "podria" for politeness. Other requests include "Prefiero una habitacion en un piso alto" (I prefer a room on a high floor), "Necesitamos una cama extra para el nino" (We need an extra bed for the child), and "Tienen habitaciones mas tranquilas?" (Do you have quieter rooms?) using the comparative "mas tranquilas." Room vocabulary includes essential terms: "habitacion individual" (single room), "habitacion doble" (double room), "cama matrimonial" (double/queen bed), "camas gemelas" (twin beds), "bano privado" (private bathroom), "aire acondicionado" (air conditioning), "caja fuerte" (safe), "wifi" (wifi), and "desayuno incluido" (breakfast included). The question "El desayuno esta incluido?" (Is breakfast included?) uses estar because inclusion is a current state or condition of the booking. Knowing these terms lets you understand what the receptionist tells you about your room and make informed choices.

Solving Problems and Checking Out

Even at the best hotels, issues can arise. Being able to describe problems and make requests in Spanish means small inconveniences do not ruin your stay. The key is combining polite language with clear, specific descriptions. Common problem-reporting phrases include "Disculpe, el aire acondicionado no funciona" (Excuse me, the air conditioning does not work), "No hay agua caliente en la ducha" (There is no hot water in the shower), "La habitacion esta muy ruidosa" (The room is very noisy), and "Necesitamos toallas limpias" (We need clean towels). Each of these uses straightforward present tense grammar. The verb "funcionar" (to work/function) is essential for reporting any malfunctioning equipment. For checking out, the process is equally predictable. "Quisiera hacer el check-out" (I would like to check out) uses the subjunctive form "quisiera" as an ultra-polite request. "Puede preparar la cuenta?" (Can you prepare the bill?) asks for the final accounting. "Podemos dejar las maletas aqui hasta las tres?" (Can we leave the suitcases here until three?) is useful when you have a late flight. "Podria llamar un taxi al aeropuerto?" (Could you call a taxi to the airport?) uses the conditional for a polite request. When leaving, "Todo estuvo muy bien, gracias" (Everything was very good, thank you) uses the preterite "estuvo" because your stay is now a completed experience.