Lesson 1. Hotel Types and Hotel Activities

Luxury or deluxe hotels (e.g. Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons ) market to affluent travellers. They provide a high level of quality and service and charge high rates. The facilities include several restaurants with various types of service and cuisine, a fitness centre and various boutiques and gift shops in the lobby. These hotels also offer specialized personal services, complete room service for 24 hours, laundry and valet service, hair care, etc.

First-class or executive hotels (e.g. Hilton, Inter-continental, Sheraton) strive to maintain above-average quality and luxury. The characteristics of these facilities are very similar to deluxe hotels. Executive hotels are usually located in urban areas with business travellers as the primary target market. These hotels usually run large banqueting or congress departments and offer business suites to provide business executives with an office away from the office.

Mid-market hotels (e.g. Holiday Inn, Ramada) market to the average business travellers and vacationing families. The range of services offered by these hotels is smaller in comparison with the first two categories of hotels.

Economy establishments are designed to appeal to budget-conscious travellers. Services are limited, and staff and facilities are kept to a minimum to maintain low operating costs and, thus, to maintain below-average room rates.

There are other types of lodging establishments catering for ordinary, not such wealthy travellers. They are usually designed for a specialised market segment and provide only some on-the-premises catering service. Among these are motels, boarding houses, aparthotels, youth hostels, camping sites, etc.

Self-catering holidaymakers stay in self-contained apartments, which are usually offered in residences, resorts or condominiums. These self-contained apartments consist of a day room, one or more bedrooms and a kitchenette and a private bathroom. A very small apartment with a day room and a kitchenette only, i.e. without any bedroom, is called a studio. Apartments are rented for a longer period, usually at least one week. In case of a shorter holiday the client can be charged extra fee.

An aparthotel/apartment hotel is a hotel where accommodation is provided in studios or apartments, i.e. units with limited kitchen facilities in the living area, which is rented not per one night, but for a longer period, e.g. a week or multiple period. However, some hotel services, such as tidying rooms, may be provided. There is usually a front desk in the lobby and a coffee bar offering limited food and beverage service. This type of accommodation is also demanded by affluent tourists who prefer self-catering holiday.

A youth hostel is an establishment usually run by a non-profit organization where communal or dormitory sleeping is provided for young people. Services are usually limited to breakfast only, but there are communal kitchens on the premises where guests can prepare their own food.

Vocabulary of the text

Exercise 1. a) Give the Ukrainian equivalents for:

market to affluent travellers; to provide a high level of quality; to charge high rates; in the lobby; laundry and valet service; to strive to do smth; to locate; target market; vacationing families; the range of services; in comparison with; budget-conscious travellers; to maintain low operating costs; to maintain below-average room rates; self-catering holidaymakers; to offer limited food and beverages services; non-profit organization.