Unit 11 Vocabulary: Reception and Reservations

Verb (infinitive)
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UK
Block
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to make unavailable so that it cannot be booked
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UK
"The rooms are blocked in November for renovation."
Noun (thing)
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UK
Brochure
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UK
a small catalog, used primarily for advertising
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UK
"The prices shown in the brochure are the standard rates."
Verb (infinitive)
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Deal with
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UK
take care of something (possibly unpleasant or annoying)
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"The manager dealt with the complaint immediately."
Noun (thing)
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Deposit
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UK
an amount of money which is paid in advance to secure a transaction
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UK
"The reservation will be confirmed with a deposit of $50."
Noun (thing)
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Discount
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UK
a reduction in the cost of something
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UK
"After Jane found a fly in her soup, the restaurant manager offered her a 30% discount on the meal."
Noun (thing)
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UK
ID (identification)
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an official document or card containing personal information and a photo which acts as proof of who you are
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UK
"All foreign guests are required to show their passports for identification."
Verb (infinitive)
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Inform
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to give information about, to tell
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"The receptionist informed the guests of breakfast times."
Noun (thing)
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Key-card
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a plastic card with a magnetic strip on the back which can open doors when inserted into a slot
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"Most large hotels use key-cards instead of keys now as they are more convenient to carry."
Noun (thing)
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UK
Occupancy
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the condition or state of being occupied, usually expressed as a percentage
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"The owner was very happy with the new manager because he had increased occupancy from sixty to eighty four percent."
Adjective
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Off-peak
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related to a period of lower demand, need or frequency
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"The off-peak prices apply from the 30th of September to the 1st of April, excluding Christmas and other public holidays."
Adjective
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UK
Peak
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UK
related to the period of highest demand, use or frequency
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"It can be expensive for families to take holidays during the school breaks, as this is usually the peak time for hotels."
Proper noun (thing)
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UK
Pre-authorization
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the process of checking if a credit card has sufficient funds on it to cover a particular cost
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"The hotel takes a pre-authorization on credit cards to ensure that guests are able to pay for their stay."
Preposition
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Prior to
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UK
before, in advance
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"The restaurant is so popular that you have to book a table three months prior to the date of your visit."
Verb (infinitive)
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UK
Provide
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UK
to supply or make available for use
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"If you have any questions, please contact our reception who will be happy to provide you with information."
Noun (thing)
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Rack rates
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UK
standard prices without discount or special offers
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"It is often better to book early to avoid paying rack rates."
Proper noun (thing)
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Requirement
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something which is needed, wanted or demanded
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"The guest had some very unusual requirements about the color of the bedding, which had to be yellow."
Noun (thing)
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UK
Tariff
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UK
a list or table of rates and charges
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UK
"The hotel's tariff is shown on their website, but guests are encouraged to call for details of special offers."
Noun (thing)
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UK
Upgrade
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UK
an increase or improvement in service or accommodation
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"The hotel usually tries to offer newlyweds an upgrade to their reservation, but this is not always possible."
Verb (infinitive)
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UK
Upsell
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to sell a customer a better and more expensive product than they originally wanted
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UK
"The reservation department work on commission, so they try to up-sell guests to better rooms."
Noun (thing)
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UK
Vacancy
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UK
the state of a room being empty and available for immediate booking
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UK
"The hotel was fully booked, so he had to look for another which had vacancies."
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