Front Desk & Reception

Receptionist: Good afternoon, welcome to the Hotel Aurora. Are you checking in? Guest: Yes, the booking is under Novak. Receptionist: Thank you, Ms Novak. I have a double room for three nights, arriving today and leaving on Friday, at 110 euros per night with breakfast. Is that right? Guest: Yes, that's it.

Why: she reads back the five facts (name, dates, room type, rate, what is included) before anything else. If something is wrong, it is cheapest to find it now.

A strong answer does four things: 1. Acknowledges them: 'You've had a long journey.' 2. Gives the honest time, confirmed with housekeeping: 'Your room will be ready at about 2:30.' Never guess a time. 3. Offers what you can do now: store their luggage, the breakfast room or bar for a coffee, the toilets and somewhere to freshen up, Wi-Fi. 4. Takes a phone number and calls them the moment the room is ready, and asks housekeeping whether their room can be done first.

Weak answers: 'Check-in is at three' (a rule, not help); 'It'll be ready soon' (a promise you can't keep); or giving them a different, unclean room to make the problem go away.

Guest: There's a 9-euro minibar charge here. I didn't take anything from the minibar. Receptionist: Thank you for telling me. Let me check what was recorded. [Looks at the system.] It shows one bottle of water on Tuesday evening. Guest: I drank a bottle that was on the desk. I thought it was free. Receptionist: I understand. Let me remove that charge for you.

Why it works: the receptionist does not argue about who is right. She checks the record, listens to the guest's explanation, and corrects a small charge on the spot. Many hotels let reception remove a small disputed charge; check your own limit.