Working in a Hotel – Bilingual English–Spanish Story, Audio & Grammar Practice (A1–C2)

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Vocabulary: front desk clerk · key card · reservation system · luggage cart

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A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 ☕ Support me

Grammar focus: los verbos del texto inglés aparecen destacados en azul. Debajo de cada lectura puedes abrir Past tense version para comparar la misma historia en presente y en pasado, y Grammar point para aprender una estructura útil del nivel.

A1 | BEGINNER

I work as a front desk clerk at a hotel. I am at the front desk. A guest comes in with a suitcase. I welcome her and find her reservation on the computer. Then I hand her a key card. The guest smiles and walks toward the elevator.

A1 | PRINCIPIANTE

Trabajo como recepcionista en un hotel. Estoy en el mostrador de recepción. Una huésped entra con una maleta. Le doy la bienvenida y busco su reserva en el ordenador. Después le entrego una tarjeta de acceso. La huésped sonríe y se dirige al ascensor.

🎵 I learned everything I know at LecturaBilingue.com — the place where stories come alive. 🎵 Todo lo que sé lo aprendí en LecturaBilingue.com, el lugar donde las historias cobran vida.

⏳ A1 | Past tense version Present → Past

La misma historia transformada al pasado. Los verbos que cambian aparecen destacados.

I worked as a front desk clerk at a hotel. I was at the front desk. A guest came in with a suitcase. I welcomed her and found her reservation on the computer. Then I handed her a key card. The guest smiled and walked toward the elevator.

Main changes

work→workedam→wascomes→camewelcome→welcomedfind→foundhand→handedsmiles→smiledwalks→walked

💡 A1 | Grammar point hand someone something

Utilizamos esta estructura cuando entregamos algo directamente a una persona. Primero aparece la persona que recibe el objeto y después el objeto entregado.

hand + person + object
hand + object + to + person

I hand her a key card.I hand the guest a check-in form.She hands me her passport.I hand a key card to her.

Atención: no añadimos to delante de la persona cuando esta aparece primero: I hand her a key card, no I hand to her a key card.

🔊 AUDIO A1

🇺🇸 English

Spoken

Song

🇪🇸 Español

Spoken

Song

A1 | Practice

Practice the Story — A1

Working in a Hotel

Vocabulary

• front desk clerk — recepcionista de hotel
• hotel — hotel
• front desk — mostrador de recepción
• guest — huésped
• suitcase — maleta

• welcome someone — dar la bienvenida a alguien
• reservation — reserva
• computer — ordenador
• key card — tarjeta de acceso
• elevator — ascensor

Complete the sentence

I work as a front desk .A guest comes in with a .I find her on the computer.I hand her a key .She walks toward the .

Choose the correct answer

Where do I work? ChooseAt a hotelAt a restaurantAt a grocery storeWhere am I standing? ChooseAt the front deskInside a guest roomIn the lobby caféWhat does the guest carry? ChooseA suitcaseA luggage cartA radioWhere do I find the reservation? ChooseOn the computerOn the key cardIn the elevatorWhat do I give the guest? ChooseA key cardA passportA menu

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the correct order:

cardherIkeyahand

Reading comprehension

1. Where do I work?
2. What does the guest bring with her?
3. How do I find her reservation?
4. Where does the guest go after receiving the key card?

Translation practice

Translate into Spanish:

• I work as a front desk clerk.
• I find her reservation on the computer.
• I hand her a key card.

Translate into English:

• Una huésped entra con una maleta.
• Le doy la bienvenida.
• La huésped se dirige al ascensor.

Reading and translation are bonus practice and are not included in the score.

A2 | ELEMENTARY

I work as a front desk clerk at a hotel. Every day, I welcome guests from different places. I check their reservations, check them in, and program their key cards. Then I explain where their room is. I also answer questions about breakfast, check-out time, and local attractions.

A2 | BÁSICO

Trabajo como recepcionista en un hotel. Cada día recibo a huéspedes de distintos lugares. Compruebo sus reservas, registro su llegada y programo sus tarjetas de acceso. Después les explico dónde está su habitación. También respondo preguntas sobre el desayuno, la hora de salida y los lugares de interés de la ciudad.

🎵 I learned everything I know at LecturaBilingue.com — the place where stories come alive. 🎵 Todo lo que sé lo aprendí en LecturaBilingue.com, el lugar donde las historias cobran vida.

⏳ A2 | Past tense version Present → Past

La misma historia transformada al pasado. Los verbos que cambian aparecen destacados.

I worked as a front desk clerk at a hotel. Every day, I welcomed guests from different places. I checked their reservations, checked them in, and programmed their key cards. Then I explained where their room was. I also answered questions about breakfast, check-out time, and local attractions.

Main changes

work→workedwelcome→welcomedcheck→checkedcheck in→checked inprogram→programmedexplain→explainedis→wasanswer→answered

💡 A2 | Grammar point separable phrasal verb: check in

Check in significa registrarse en un hotel. Cuando la recepcionista realiza el registro de otra persona, utilizamos check someone in.

check + person + in

I check the guests in.I check them in.She checks a family in.The front desk clerk checked us in quickly.

Atención: con un pronombre, este debe colocarse entre check e in: I check them in, no I check in them.

🔊 AUDIO A2

🇺🇸 English

Spoken

Song

🇪🇸 Español

Spoken

Song

A2 | Practice

Practice the Story — A2

Working in a Hotel

Vocabulary

• welcome guests — recibir a los huéspedes
• from different places — de distintos lugares
• check a reservation — comprobar una reserva
• check someone in — registrar la llegada de alguien
• program a key card — programar una tarjeta de acceso
• explain where the room is — explicar dónde está la habitación

• answer questions — responder preguntas
• breakfast — desayuno
• check-out time — hora de salida
• local attraction — lugar de interés de la zona
• room information — información de la habitación
• front desk service — servicio de recepción

Complete the sentence

I welcome from different places.I check their .I check them .I program their key .I answer questions about check-out .

Choose the correct answer

Whom do I welcome? ChooseGuests from different placesTaxi drivers onlyOnly hotel employeesWhat do I check first? ChooseThe guests’ reservationsThe weather forecastThe restaurant menusWhat do I program? ChooseThe key cardsThe elevatorThe suitcasesWhat do I explain? ChooseWhere the room isHow to cook breakfastHow to repair a carWhat local information do guests request? ChooseInformation about local attractionsInformation about phone repairsInformation about bread recipes

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the correct order:

deskthemIfrontatinthecheck

Reading comprehension

1. Where do the guests come from?
2. Which three tasks do I complete before explaining where the room is?
3. What does checking a guest in mean?
4. Which questions do I answer?

Translation practice

Translate into Spanish:

• I welcome guests from different places.
• I check them in at the front desk.
• I answer questions about local attractions.

Translate into English:

• Compruebo sus reservas.
• Programo sus tarjetas de acceso.
• Les explico dónde está su habitación.

Reading and translation are bonus practice and are not included in the score.

B1 | INTERMEDIATE

My day at the hotel begins when I review the arrivals and departures in the reservation system. I prepare the check-in forms, test the key cards, and make sure the luggage cart is ready. Some guests arrive tired after a long trip; others are in a hurry to drop off their bags and go out. If a problem comes up with a reservation, I stay calm and look for a solution. At the front desk, good organization makes a difference.

B1 | INTERMEDIO

Mi día en el hotel empieza cuando reviso la lista de llegadas y salidas en el sistema de reservas. Preparo las fichas de registro, compruebo las tarjetas de acceso y me aseguro de que el carrito portaequipajes esté listo. Algunos huéspedes llegan cansados después de un viaje largo; otros tienen prisa por dejar las maletas y salir. Si surge un problema con una reserva, mantengo la calma y busco una solución. En recepción, una buena organización marca la diferencia.

🎵 I learned everything I know at LecturaBilingue.com — the place where stories come alive. 🎵 Todo lo que sé lo aprendí en LecturaBilingue.com, el lugar donde las historias cobran vida.

⏳ B1 | Past tense version Present → Past

La misma historia transformada al pasado. Los verbos que cambian aparecen destacados.

My day at the hotel began when I reviewed the arrivals and departures in the reservation system. I prepared the check-in forms, tested the key cards, and made sure the luggage cart was ready. Some guests arrived tired after a long trip; others were in a hurry to drop off their bags and go out. If a problem came up with a reservation, I stayed calm and looked for a solution. At the front desk, good organization made a difference.

Main changes

begins→beganreview→reviewedprepare→preparedtest→testedmake sure→made sureis→wasarrive→arrivedare→werecomes up→came upstay→stayedlook→lookedmakes→made

💡 B1 | Grammar point make sure + clause

Utilizamos make sure para expresar que comprobamos o garantizamos que algo esté preparado o sea correcto.

make sure + subject + verb

I make sure the luggage cart is ready.I make sure every key card works.I make sure the reservation details are correct.I made sure the room was available.

Atención: después de make sure utilizamos una oración completa: I make sure the key card works, no I make sure the key card to work.

🔊 AUDIO B1

🇺🇸 English

Spoken

Song

🇪🇸 Español

Spoken

Song

B1 | Practice

Practice the Story — B1

Working in a Hotel

Vocabulary

• arrival — llegada
• departure — salida
• reservation system — sistema de reservas
• check-in form — ficha de registro
• test a key card — comprobar una tarjeta de acceso
• make sure — asegurarse
• luggage cart — carrito portaequipajes

• long trip — viaje largo
• be in a hurry — tener prisa
• drop off one’s bags — dejar las maletas
• go out — salir
• a problem comes up — surge un problema
• stay calm — mantener la calma
• make a difference — marcar la diferencia

Complete the sentence

I review the arrivals and .I prepare the check-in .I test the key .The luggage is ready.I stay when a problem comes up.

Choose the correct answer

Where do I review arrivals and departures? ChooseIn the reservation systemOn the hotel radioOn a key cardWhat paperwork do I prepare? ChooseThe check-in formsThe breakfast menusStore receiptsWhat piece of equipment must be ready? ChooseThe luggage cartThe hotel ovenA hair dryerWhy are some guests in a hurry? ChooseThey want to drop off their bags and go outThey need to work at the front deskThey need to clean their roomWhat do I do if a problem comes up? ChooseI stay calm and look for a solutionI ignore the reservationI leave the hotel

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the correct order:

readysurecartIisluggagethemake

Reading comprehension

1. What do I review at the start of my day?
2. Which forms and equipment do I prepare?
3. Why might a guest be in a hurry?
4. How do I react when a reservation problem comes up?

Translation practice

Translate into Spanish:

• I review the arrivals and departures.
• I make sure the luggage cart is ready.
• Good organization makes a difference.

Translate into English:

• Preparo las fichas de registro.
• Algunos huéspedes llegan después de un viaje largo.
• Mantengo la calma y busco una solución.

Reading and translation are bonus practice and are not included in the score.

B2 | UPPER-INTERMEDIATE

Working as a front desk clerk requires organization, courtesy, and the ability to respond to unexpected situations. Today, a room is not ready on time, and a guest arrives earlier than expected. I offer to store his luggage, point out the lobby café, and contact housekeeping on my radio. I cannot always fix everything on the spot, but I can step up, keep the guest informed, and explain the situation clearly.

B2 | INTERMEDIO ALTO

Trabajar como recepcionista exige organización, cortesía y capacidad para reaccionar ante los imprevistos. Hoy una habitación no está lista a tiempo y un huésped llega antes de lo previsto. Le ofrezco guardar su equipaje, le indico dónde está la cafetería del vestíbulo y me comunico con el personal de limpieza mediante la radio. No siempre puedo solucionarlo todo al instante, pero sí puedo dar un paso al frente, mantener informado al huésped y explicar la situación con claridad.

🎵 I learned everything I know at LecturaBilingue.com — the place where stories come alive. 🎵 Todo lo que sé lo aprendí en LecturaBilingue.com, el lugar donde las historias cobran vida.

⏳ B2 | Past tense version Present → Past

La misma historia transformada al pasado. Los verbos que cambian aparecen destacados.

Working as a front desk clerk required organization, courtesy, and the ability to respond to unexpected situations. That day, a room was not ready on time, and a guest arrived earlier than expected. I offered to store his luggage, pointed out the lobby café, and contacted housekeeping on my radio. I could not always fix everything on the spot, but I could step up, keep the guest informed, and explain the situation clearly.

Main changes

requires→requiredtoday→that dayis not→was notarrives→arrivedoffer→offeredpoint out→pointed outcontact→contactedcannot→could notcan→could

💡 B2 | Grammar point offer to + verb

Utilizamos offer to cuando nos ofrecemos voluntariamente a realizar una acción. También podemos ofrecerle una cosa a alguien con una estructura diferente.

offer to + base verb
offer + person + noun

I offer to store his luggage.I offer to contact housekeeping.I offer to call a taxi.I offer the guest a drink.

Atención: I offer to store the luggage significa que me ofrezco a guardarlo; I offer the guest a drink significa que le ofrezco una bebida.

🔊 AUDIO B2

🇺🇸 English

Spoken

Song

🇪🇸 Español

Spoken

Song

B2 | Practice

Practice the Story — B2

Working in a Hotel

Vocabulary

• organization — organización
• courtesy — cortesía
• respond to an unexpected situation — reaccionar ante un imprevisto
• not be ready on time — no estar listo a tiempo
• earlier than expected — antes de lo previsto
• store someone’s luggage — guardar el equipaje de alguien
• point out — indicar o señalar
• lobby café — cafetería del vestíbulo

• housekeeping — personal o departamento de limpieza
• radio — radio de comunicación
• on the spot — al instante
• step up — dar un paso al frente
• keep someone informed — mantener informado a alguien
• fix a problem — solucionar un problema
• explain something clearly — explicar algo con claridad

Complete the sentence

A guest arrives earlier than .I offer to his luggage.I contact on my radio.I cannot fix everything on the .I keep the guest .

Choose the correct answer

Why is the guest inconvenienced? ChooseHis room is not ready on timeHe lost his key cardHis taxi is lateWhat do I offer to do? ChooseStore his luggageClean the room myselfCook his breakfastWhere can the guest wait? ChooseIn the lobby caféIn the hotel officeInside the elevatorWhom do I contact? ChooseHousekeepingThe policeA local bakeryHow do I handle the delay? ChooseI step up and keep the guest informedI hide the problemI promise the room is ready

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the correct order:

luggagetoIhisstoreoffer

Reading comprehension

1. Which unexpected situation occurs?
2. What alternatives do I offer the guest?
3. How do I communicate with housekeeping?
4. What can I do even when I cannot solve everything immediately?

Translation practice

Translate into Spanish:

• The guest arrives earlier than expected.
• I offer to store his luggage.
• I keep the guest informed.

Translate into English:

• La habitación no está lista a tiempo.
• Me comunico con el personal de limpieza mediante la radio.
• Explico la situación con claridad.

Reading and translation are bonus practice and are not included in the score.

C1 | ADVANCED

Over the years, I have learned that a hotel’s front desk is far more than a counter: it sets the tone for the entire stay. With every arrival, I try to read the guest’s tone, anticipate their needs, and project confidence even during tense moments. I also have to balance efficiency with a personal approach. I have found that a thoughtful gesture can go a long way and reshape how a guest sees the entire experience.

C1 | AVANZADO

Con los años, he aprendido que la recepción de un hotel es mucho más que un mostrador: marca el tono de toda la estancia. En cada llegada, intento interpretar el tono del huésped, anticiparme a sus necesidades y transmitir seguridad incluso en momentos de tensión. También debo equilibrar la eficacia con un trato cercano. He comprobado que un gesto atento puede tener un gran efecto y transformar la percepción que el huésped tiene de toda la experiencia.

🎵 I learned everything I know at LecturaBilingue.com — the place where stories come alive. 🎵 Todo lo que sé lo aprendí en LecturaBilingue.com, el lugar donde las historias cobran vida.

⏳ C1 | Past tense version Present → Past

La misma historia transformada al pasado. Los verbos que cambian aparecen destacados.

By then, I had learned that a hotel’s front desk was far more than a counter: it set the tone for the entire stay. With every arrival, I tried to read the guest’s tone, anticipate their needs, and project confidence even during tense moments. I also had to balance efficiency with a personal approach. I had found that a thoughtful gesture could go a long way and reshape how a guest saw the entire experience.

Main changes

have learned→had learnedis→wassets→settry→triedhave to→had tohave found→had foundcan go→could gosees→saw

💡 C1 | Grammar point embedded clauses with how

Después de verbos como see, understand, explain o know, podemos utilizar una oración introducida por how. Esta mantiene el orden normal de una afirmación.

verb + how + subject + verb

A thoughtful gesture can reshape how a guest sees the experience.I understand how the guest feels.I explain how the key card works.I know how this situation affects the guest.

Atención: no invertimos sujeto y verbo: I understand how the guest feels, no I understand how does the guest feel.

🔊 AUDIO C1

🇺🇸 English

Spoken

Song

🇪🇸 Español

Spoken

Song

C1 | Practice

Practice the Story — C1

Working in a Hotel

Vocabulary

• over the years — con los años
• far more than — mucho más que
• set the tone — marcar el tono
• entire stay — estancia completa
• read someone’s tone — interpretar el tono de alguien
• anticipate someone’s needs — anticiparse a las necesidades de alguien

• project confidence — transmitir seguridad
• tense moment — momento de tensión
• balance efficiency with a personal approach — equilibrar la eficacia con un trato cercano
• thoughtful gesture — gesto atento
• go a long way — tener un gran efecto

Complete the sentence

The front desk sets the for the stay.I anticipate the guest’s .I project during tense moments.I balance efficiency with a personal .A thoughtful gesture can go a long .

Choose the correct answer

Why is the front desk more than a counter? ChooseIt sets the tone for the entire stayIt is expensive furnitureIt stores every suitcaseWhat do I try to read? ChooseThe guest’s toneA travel bookOnly the computer screenWhat do I anticipate? ChooseThe guest’s needsNext year’s weatherAirline pricesWhat do I balance? ChooseEfficiency and a personal approachSpeed and silenceBreakfast and dinnerHow can a thoughtful gesture help? ChooseIt can reshape how a guest sees the experienceIt can clean a room automaticallyIt can program a key card

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the correct order:

waygesturegoAlongcanathoughtful

Reading comprehension

1. Why does the front desk set the tone for a stay?
2. Which signals do I interpret when a guest arrives?
3. What professional qualities do I balance?
4. How can a thoughtful gesture change the guest’s perception?

Translation practice

Translate into Spanish:

• The front desk sets the tone for the stay.
• I anticipate the guest’s needs.
• A thoughtful gesture can go a long way.

Translate into English:

• Intento interpretar el tono del huésped.
• Transmito seguridad en momentos de tensión.
• Equilibro la eficacia con un trato cercano.

Reading and translation are bonus practice and are not included in the score.

C2 | PROFICIENCY

My work at the hotel has taught me that hospitality is not limited to handing over a key card. My job is to create a sense of order, welcome, and trust in a place that is still unfamiliar to the guest. Behind every reservation, I encounter expectations, exhaustion, excitement, or urgency. That is why I see my role as guiding that transition with discretion, precision, and a human touch, without allowing efficiency to crowd out empathy.

C2 | MAESTRÍA

Mi trabajo en el hotel me ha enseñado que la hospitalidad no se limita a entregar una tarjeta de acceso. Mi labor consiste en crear una sensación de orden, acogida y confianza en un lugar que todavía resulta desconocido para el huésped. Detrás de cada reserva encuentro expectativas, cansancio, ilusión o urgencia. Por eso considero que mi función es acompañar esa transición con discreción, precisión y un trato humano, sin permitir que la eficiencia desplace la empatía.

🎵 I learned everything I know at LecturaBilingue.com — the place where stories come alive. 🎵 Todo lo que sé lo aprendí en LecturaBilingue.com, el lugar donde las historias cobran vida.

⏳ C2 | Past tense version Present → Past

La misma historia transformada al pasado. Los verbos que cambian aparecen destacados.

By then, my work at the hotel had taught me that hospitality was not limited to handing over a key card. My job was to create a sense of order, welcome, and trust in a place that was still unfamiliar to the guest. Behind every reservation, I encountered expectations, exhaustion, excitement, or urgency. That was why I saw my role as guiding that transition with discretion, precision, and a human touch, without allowing efficiency to crowd out empathy.

Main changes

has taught→had taughtis not limited→was not limitedis→wasencounter→encounteredthat is why→that was whysee→saw

💡 C2 | Grammar point see one’s role as + -ing

Utilizamos esta estructura para explicar cómo interpretamos nuestra función o responsabilidad profesional.

see + possessive + role/job + as + verb-ing

I see my role as guiding the guest through the transition.I see my job as creating a welcoming environment.She sees her role as solving problems calmly.We see our work as building trust.

Atención: después de as utilizamos -ing: I see my role as guiding the guest, no as to guide the guest.

🔊 AUDIO C2

🇺🇸 English

Spoken

Song

🇪🇸 Español

Spoken

Song

C2 | Practice

Practice the Story — C2

Working in a Hotel

Vocabulary

• hospitality — hospitalidad
• be limited to — limitarse a
• hand over — entregar
• a sense of order — sensación de orden
• welcome and trust — acogida y confianza
• unfamiliar — desconocido o poco familiar
• behind every reservation — detrás de cada reserva

• encounter different expectations — encontrar distintas expectativas
• exhaustion, excitement, or urgency — cansancio, ilusión o urgencia
• guide a transition — acompañar una transición
• discretion and precision — discreción y precisión
• a human touch — trato humano
• crowd out empathy — desplazar la empatía

Complete the sentence

Hospitality is not to handing over a key card.I create a sense of order and .The hotel is still to the guest.I guide the transition with .Efficiency must not crowd out .

Choose the correct answer

What is hospitality not limited to? ChooseHanding over a key cardServing breakfastCleaning the lobbyWhat feeling do I try to create? ChooseOrder, welcome, and trustUrgency and pressureDistance and formalityWhat may lie behind a reservation? ChooseExpectations, exhaustion, excitement, or urgencyOnly hotel equipmentOnly a paymentHow do I guide the transition? ChooseWith discretion, precision, and a human touchWithout speaking to the guestWith speed aloneWhat must efficiency not replace? ChooseEmpathyThe reservation systemThe check-in forms

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the correct order:

transitionasIthatguidingrolemysee

Reading comprehension

1. Why is hospitality about more than handing over a key card?
2. What should an unfamiliar hotel feel like to the guest?
3. Which different emotions can exist behind a reservation?
4. Why must efficiency never crowd out empathy?

Translation practice

Translate into Spanish:

• Hospitality is not limited to handing over a key card.
• I see my role as guiding that transition.
• Efficiency must not crowd out empathy.

Translate into English:

• Creo una sensación de orden y confianza.
• Detrás de cada reserva encuentro distintas expectativas.
• Trabajo con discreción, precisión y un trato humano.

Reading and translation are bonus practice and are not included in the score.