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Tlie Whilf Cliffy of Doveri four Etna)pott oi call isi rhc pofrt oJ Dover, renowned fariis y.ivin stretch (if while clialk cliflte.Wt* visit l^lh centuryDover C»*d* - ilewignwl by Meury II but incorporatingmuch N6tmafl architecture-and from the mm pans we may see the roast of Prance, Leaving Dower,we return to IjJiidon, travdlin^ past the ChannelTunnel entrance and wnrkfrtge,making ourfirst dropoffat around L"
We begin at Le«dsCasllr, set on all island in the middle ot a lake and surrounded by • . H became known .is Lady's Castle, because uf the number pi Queens ol England lived ilirn:. Tuil.iy, iiinn\ peoplesay ii is the castlein lieworld andit is usedf<irlj t,«eda CastleVisii CanterburyVisit Dover CastleView Tuunil eniraaceM entrain r it-.'s paitl
Days fttee
ftlakemore Hotel: 136 Wlgmoire Street Victoria LTK: Trafalgar Squan-: Hark Inlemaliojial: BpyalAlbertHita 8.05 am 8.1Sani 8.10 am 8.20 am 8,45 iini Tuesdays Iliursdays Satuidavs Arfulls Children ! :t.l.5U O-i7yrs) P/».v (HWrtpick-ups from over 05 hotels. Ask y»nr conaetgr fat- details. 146 Unit 10 Pair/Group A Instructions 5 Speaking [p. 113] You have i plan of the Chesterfield Suite where you and your partner are holding a conference. You have the dimensions, the seating style, and the equipment available in each room. Your partner has an outline planwith none of this information and will ask you questions to obtain it.
Cbtitvrfieid' Clarendon • Devon < b i r e ■ Dudley
2 You have an outline plan of the Spencer .Suite. You need the dimensions, the seating style, and the equipment available in each room. Your partner has this information. Ask him/her questions and Completethe grid below.
Pair/Group B Instructions
10 Activity [p. 18] You are the representative For a group of beach resort hotels. A tour operator has phoned you to check the names of a number of hotels that he/she wants to include in the summer brochure. Listen to your partner's descriptions and try to match them with the named hotels below. Ask questions to check, if necessary. Question prompts: Has it got..,? How many,..? Is there a .,, f/Are there any, . . ? What shape is.,.?
Bahamas Grand Anemi
Sol Milanos Beverley Dassia Pair/Group B Instructions
Unit? 10 Activity [p. 86] Customer role-card You and the other customers are really restaurant inspecrors dining incognito, lr is your job to see how waiters can cope with the pressures of rhe job. As a team you have to work out the best way of testing each waiter. There arc various ways in which diis can be done. You can be angry, rude, drunk, talkarive, difficult to please, loud, etc. It is very important that che waiters do nor realize who you are. Be like a normal customer at first. It is best if you save most of your good ideas for Stage 2 of the role play. Make notes in the table below before you start.
UnitS 4 Speaking [p. 92J You are a visitor to Charleston. You need as much information as possible from the Tourist Information Office. Ask for advice on: the historical houses and museums - the cheapest/best value, but also the most typical the best way to tour the city attractions in the surrounding area shops restaurants and nightlife Pair/Group B Instructions 9 Activity [p. 97]
Leeds Castle, Canterbury, and Dover conferences betweenbeads of state. Leeds Caslle also renowned for its unique museum ofh CanUrlniry and its Canterburyis Jutland's ecclesiastical capital, whereSi Thomas Beckett,then Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in. 1170 by [he fcrngfatsof Honry ft. Heckrtt's ahrinfiin the Cathedral becamethe goal of th>- 'CanterburyPilgrims' and iht^ lowti prospered on this c-arly form of tourism. Bypassing iIk1 qoeue, we filterthe Cathedralwhich was founded as a monasteryby St AiiKusiim1 inc. and was enlarged \n both ilirj 1 hli and tfae141b ceitturies. The White Cliffs <if Dover Our final port of call is theport of Dover, renowned foi Dtiver, We return to 1/mdon, l.ravfllin^ pusi theChaniu'l liiniiH entranceand workings, making our first drop-tiff alaround ij, 15 p.m.
We begin;it Leeds Castle. st>t on an island in the middle»f n take and surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. It bttomie known as lady'sCastle, because" . Today, nwny peoplesay it Is the lovefiest castle in uV world and it is used tor fop-Ieyd Gantertwry CathedraJ Visti Dover Castfc View Tunm I cinraun' All entrance fees paid
Oe nurtures Days I'rict-
fttts dirrtt pick-apsfivmmwr 35 hotels. Ask your amctttgifor details.
150 Unit 10 Pair/Group B Instructions 5 Speaking[p. 113] You have an outline plan of rhe Chesterfield Suite where you and your partner are holding a conference. You need to find out rhe dimensions, the seating style, and the equipment available in each room. Your partner has this information. Ask him/her questions and complete the grid below.
Cbestcrfirlcl- C I a r r n d u n -Devonshire' D u d I e
2 You have a plan of the Spencer Suite. You have the dimensions, the seating style, and the equipment available in each room. Your partner has an outline plan with none of this information and will ask you questions to obtain it.
LAJ ■ * n Tapescripts Unit I 1 Listening 1 I travd a lot - up to three months a year — so 2 I love going on vacation, especially in 3 1 like smaller hotels because you can learn 4 It's my job to visit hotels, not just the de luxe 5 Listening Dialogue 1 ctb: California Travel Bureau. Jenny speaking. How may I help you? caller: Hello, yes, I'm going to California in the summer on a rlv-drive holiday and hoping to spend some time in Yosemite National Park. Could you give me some information about accommodation? CTB: Certainly. The first thing to say is that if you want to stay in a hotel you'll need to make a reservation pretty soon. Have you any definite dates? Caller: Well, we're arriving in San Francisco on Mdi |Lily and we'll probably spend a week there and then get to Yosemite around the 2Orh - probably stay about two or three days. ctb: I see. And do you want to stay in a hotel or camp? caller: Hotel, definitely. We don't need anything too luxurious - just a private bathroom, if possible. ctb: How many in the party? caller: Just two. ctb: Well, there are three hotels, The Ahwahnee is quite expensive - around $200 a night, The two others are about the same price —approximately %1S a night. The Yosemite Lodge is very popular, so you'll need to make a reservation very soon. Or there's the Wawona, which is very pretty. CALLER: [ see. Could you possibly send me details? ctb: Certainly. Could you give me your name and address? caller: Yes. It's Ms Wallace, 14 Station Road, London N6. ctb: OK, Ms Wallace. Is there anything else? caller: No, I think diat's all - thanks for your help. ctb: You're welcome. •escrt,
Dialogue 2 ctb: California Travel Bureau. Jenny speaking.How may I help you? caller: Oh, hello. My name's Curtis. I'd like some information, please. ctb; Certainly. What would you like to know? caller: Well, I'm thinking of going to California with three friendsthis summer, and I've heard it's possible to camp in Yosemire NationalPark, but someone told me you have to reserve? ctb: No, you don'r have to reserve, hut you have co get a permir. When exactly are you coming? caller: Probably late July, early August. i i h: Inthat case, you can get apermit for seven days in the valley and fourteen day. atitof the valley. caller: Right. We're planning to do a lot of walking, so well probably go up into tin-mountains. Can we just camp where we want? ctb: No, you have to camp in the designated areas, bur if you go for the Type B sites, you'll hnd they "'re not too crowded. The facilitiesare pretty basic, bur they only u>st $4. Cai.lkr; Sounds good, ctb: Would you like me to sendyou sonic information? caller: Yes, that would be great. ctb: OK, can I just have your name and address? caller: Yes, it's Mr J. Curris, Flat 2, 36 Wood Lane, Bristol. ctb: OK, Mr Curtis, 111 put that in the mail for you. caller: Thanks. ctb: You're welcome. Bye. Unit 2 2 Listening john; Hello, Peter! rETF.R: John! How nice to see you! I haven't seen you for ages! john: No, not since I left the Palace. It musr be four years. You're not still there, are you? peter: I'm rhe General Manager, actually. JOHN: Well, well! Congratulations! peter: Thank you, What are you doing here? john: Oh, Tm still involved with hotels, sort of. I'm a partner in a company that builds leisure facilities -swimming-pools, saunas, tennis conns, that sort of thing. 1 can't tnrerest you in a pool, can I? PETEK; I'm afraid you're rno I arc We Veal ready got one. Yes, we've made quite a few changes since you were there. We built a large extension a couple of years ago with a pool, fitness centre, solarium, and sauna. We've even opened a couple of tennis courts. It's a pity we didn't know about you. We might have been able ro give you some business. JOHN: Well, I've only beenthere fora littleover a year. But tell me, you must be doing pretty well, then? peter: Yes, things are a lot better than rhty were four years ago, that's for sure. You know rhcre was a take-over about a year after you left? john: Yes, I heard, peter: Well, they've put a lot of money into the hotel, and it really looks great now. Our rooms are far more comfortable and we offer the best facilities in the area. So of course we can charge higher prices. It's certainly paying off— occupancy rates are right up! john: Well, it was about time. What about those old family rooms in the annexe? peter: Last year, we converted them into business apartments and a business centre. john: Really? Good idea. A lot of hotels are going that way. Tapescripts
peter: We're hoping to open a suite of conference rooms in the next year or two, john: Well, the old Palace certainly sounds a different place! pe tek: Yes. We've expanded the restaurant, too. john: Who's the chef? It's not still Carlos, surely? peter: Heavens, no! He's gone back to Spain. No, in the end we hired a top French chef, Marcel Fauzet. Have you heard of him? He's been with us for more than three years now, and he's certainly made a difference. You musi Lonu: and have a meal with us some time. john: Yes, 1 must. It's just a pity ( can'r sell You 5 Listening Dialogue 1 GALLER: And what about the facilities within receptionist: OK. The rooms are on the third floor overlooking the park. They are en suite with bath and shower in each. All our rooms have a colour television and telephone in them. There are coffee- and tea-making facilities.There's a mini-bar and tronser-press, too. Dialogue 2 caller: What facilities do your rooms offer? receptionist: Well, the rooms you're interested in are quite unusual. First of all, let me say, they're on a split level. This means you go up to the sleeping area anddien down again to the bathroom. They have beautiful crystal chandeliers and still have the original high ceilings from the time it was a country home. And, of course, ditry re fitted with all die necessary features of a modern luxury hotel. Dialogue 3 caller: And what are the rooms like? receptionist: What are the rooms like ... urn, they're medium-sized to small, 1 suppose, They're traditional,... homely. There's plenty ot wardrobe space and the ladles like them because they've got targe full-length mirrors in each. What else can I say? Oh, well, the rooms facing south have a view of the bay. That's about it. I think. Unit 3 1 Listening 1 Let me start by saying I'm die General Manager. That is to say, I have control over the wholeof the operation. As the Central Manager, 1 must make sure that all our holds ,ind business uml* aiv iiillilling the overail vision of the company as a whole, and making money, too. We mustn't forget that our aim is to make money. Thecompany structure works like this. The House Manager is directly iinswciable to me. I leor she is responsible lor all six in-house departments,and their job is to keep good information flows between the various departments. We cannot allow departments to be run in isolation of each other. They must also make sure that the hotel stays profitable. They have a great deal of freedom CO make decisions and don't have to checkwith me about day-to-day issues, although we are in regular contact by fax, Of course, the House Manager should use his discretion about when to contact me. In our organization, the Resident Manager has control over the customer-contact side of the business. It is the Resident Manager's job to ensure dose, efficient liaison between the two sectors under his control, that is to say Front-of-Housc Operations and Housekeeping. Tapescripts
2 I'm the Front Office Manager. I report to 3 I'm hoping to become Head Housekeeper in taking place within the hotel. Internally, the Concierge Department is responsible for the safe deliver}1 of mail and packages and diey will maintain a supply of stamps for domestic and foreign postage. In some hotels, it is still a Concierge's duty to fulfil requests for secretarial work but here that comes under the remit of the business centre. A log-book is kept in which all guests' queries and requests are recorded. This is another of a Concierge's many duties. A basic requirement that we have of our concierge staff is that they display a courteous and professional manner in all their dealings with guests and fellow employees. Above all, he or she must have a friendly personality. We lay particular emphasis on maximizing gutftL satijmcUOli,Therefore, a Concierge will endeavour to fulfil a guesr's requests, if at all possible, and hopefully do it with a smile. Unit 4
Listening In ihis organuarion, the Concierge's primary function is to provide for guests' needs and special requests. This often involves contacting companies for information or services which are external to the hotel. Typical requests are for him or her to make bookings for tours, diearres, and special attractions. The Concierge will also help guests to organize and book their onward travel arrangements, including dispatch of luggage. Consequently, there is a need to know what services local businesses have to offer. That means businesses such as restaurants, travel agencies* and car-hire agencies. To do the job effectively, the Concierge must be particularly aware of the arrival and departure of groups and any special events 2 Listening Dialogue 1 mma: Hotel Melissa. Can 1 help you? cali.kr: Yes, I'd like to make 3 reservation, please. HOTEL: I'll put you through to Reservations. Hold the line, please. reservations: Reservations, Peter speaking, Can I help you? caller: Yes, I'd like to make a reservation. reservations: Certainly. What name, please? caller: Lewis, David Lewis. reservations: Right, Mr Lewis, when would you like to stay? caller: I'd like to reserve a double room for three nights from the 2]st April. Tapcscripts
reservations: OK. 21 st April, three nights, double. I'll just check availability .., Yes, we can do that for you. Is this a company booking or an individual? caller: Oh, it's individual. reservations: Have you stayed with us before? caller: No, [ haven't. reservations: Would you like one of our Execurive rooms, Mr Lewis, on rhe top floors with some wonderful views? caller: Well, actually, no, 1 wouldn't. My wife doesn't really like using the lift and also she's got a bad leg, .so I was hoping we could have a toom near the ground Hoot. reservations: OK. I'll make a note of that and when you check in the receptionist will allocates room on the first floor for you. caller: Thank you. reservations: Will you be paying by credit card? caller: Ves, I will. It's Visa. RESERVATIONS: And what is the number:' caller: Hold on ... It's 1335 171 36094. reservations: So that's 4335 171 36094. And your address? caller: 14 St John's Road, London NW6. reservations: OK, Mr Lewis, that's reserved for you. ¥our reservation number is PSI462. We look forward to seeing you on the 21st, caller: Thank you. resfuvations: You're- welcnme. Dialogue 2 hotel: Hotel Melissa. Can I help you? caller: Good morning. I'd like to reserve a couple of rooms. hotel: Certainly. I'll pur you through to Reservations. Hold the line, please. reservations: Reservations, this is Peter speaking. How can 1 help you? caller: Good morning. This is Rita King from Imperial Plastics. I'd like to reserve a couple of doubles for April 13th. reservations: Two doubles for April 1.3th ... Right. Availability is fine for that night. Is that a company booking? caller: Yes, Imperial Plastics. The rooms are for a Mr Suarez, spelt s-u-a-r-e-z, and Mr Johansson, spelt j-o-h-a-n-s-s-o-n. They'd like the Executive rooms. reservations: OK. You have an account with us, don't you? caller: Yes, we do. reservations: But the guests haven't stayed with us before, have they? caller: No, 1 don't think so. reservations: And how is the account to be settled? caller: Full bill on the company account. reservations; Can I just check your contact details? It's MissR. King, Imperial Plastics, Old Dock Road, London E5. CALLER: That's correct. reservations: Right, Miss King, the reservation number is PS43307. 1 would be grateful if you could just confirm in writing, by fax if you like. caller: Certainly. Thank you for your help. reservations: You're very welcome. Goodbye. 8 Listening receptionist: Can I help you, sir? guest: Hello, I'd like a room for the nighr. receptionist: Do you have a reservation? guest: No, I don't. receptionist: OK. Just the one night? guest: Yes. receptionist; And one person? guest: One person, yes. receptionist: Would you like an Executive at £125 or a Standard at £95? guest: Just a Standard. receptionist: OK ... Do you have a preference for a twin or a double-bedded room? guest: Twin, please. receptionist: Do you have a preference for smoking or non-smoking? guest: Non-smoking, please. receptionist: OK. You're in room 760. guest: OK. rkceptIonist: How will you be settling your account, sir? ciuest: Visa. Kt-xbi'TiONiST: By Visa card. May 1 rake an imprint of your Visa card? <; i.i kst : Here you are. receptionist; Thank you. And rhe name, sir, is...? guest; Paul Smith. receptionist: And may I take your home address, please? 1,1'USt: It's 5383 Collins Avenue, Miami. RECEPTIONIST; And do you have a zip code? guest: 23892. receptionist: OK, sir. Because you're not a Briiish citizen, I'll require your passport in order to complete the registration. guest: Here it is. receptionist: Thank you very much. guest: Does the rare include breakfast? receptionist: No, it doesn't. Breakfast is £7.50 for continental and £9.95 for English and isserved in the Brasserie Restaurant on rhis Hour from 6.30 all morning, or you can order in your room through room service ar no extra charge. guest: OK. receptionist: This is your registration card. Can you just check through rhe details, guest: Yes, receptionist; And sign here. guest: OK. receptionist: Thank you. Here's your credit card, passport, and here's your key. It's room 760 on the seventh floor. The elevator is on rhe right. If you just tell a porter your room number, he'll follow you up with die luggage. guest: Thank you very much. receptionist; Enjoy your stay. Unit 5 Listening Dialogue 1 man: I've already decided what 1 want. woman: What's thai? man: I'm going to have rhe fondue. It's delicious here. waiter: I'm sorry, sir, the fondue's off. man: Really? In that case, lei me think- I'll have the pork medallions. woman: I think I'll have the same. man: And well have a bottle or Chablis. waiter: Very well, sir. Thank you very much. ■ * * waiter: Would you like any desserts? man: Yes, I'd like the gareau, please. WOMAN: Just :i coffee for me, please. man: Make rhar two cotfees. waiter; Thank you. Dialogue 2 woman: Could we possibly order, please? WAiTRR: Certainly. woman: I'd like the delicts de Grison, please, and the mixed salad, followed by the fondue,waiter: Sorry, rhe fondue's off tonight. woman: Oh. What do you recommend, rJien? waiter: The veal is very good. woman; Well, I'll have chat, then. waiter; Very well, madam. And for you, sir? man: I'll have the salmon mousse, I think. waiter: And to start, sir? man; Nothing, than Its. Do you think you could bring us the wine list, though? waiter: Yes, of course. ■ * ' waiter: Are you ready to order dessert? woman: Yes. Could I have thepariait, please? man : And I % have the souffle glace au Grand Marnier. waiter: Certainly. Tapescripts
Dialogue 3 waitress: Are you ready to order? man: Yes, I think so. I'd like the Beef Madras. woman: Yes. Could I have the fish, please? waitress: What vegetables would you like? woman: Saute potatoes... and peas, please. waitress: And would you like a starter? man: Yes, Til have the crudites. woman: And chicken liver pare for me. man: No, sorry, could you change mine, please, ro melon and prawn cocktail? Waitress: So that's no crudites? man: No. waitress: The melon and prawn cocktail insread. man: Yes,waitress: hue. woman: And can you bring us a bottle of water, please? : Certainly, Dialogue 2 reception: Reception. How may 1 help you? guest: Good afternoon. Could you possibly book a table for two in the restaurant for me this evening? reception: Certainly, sir. Can you tell me your name and room number? guest: Yes, it's Mr Price ;ind the room is 226. reception: OK, Mr Price. What time would you like the table for? <;uhst: Now that's the problem. We're going to the theatre, and we'd like to eat when we return-say 10.30? reception: I'm sorry, sir, the restaurant closes at 9,3^. guest: Oh dear. R ec f p t r o n : 1 co ul d ord er a. I a te su pper fo r you - it would be brought to your room. guest: Yes, that would be nice - we'll only want somethinglight in any case, and perhaps a bottle of something. reception: All right, Mr Price, HI contact the restaurant and have them prepare a Mippof for you for 10.30. What would you like? There's a choice of...
Dialogue I mi I'.v 11 un; Rcix-uLiiHi. Can I help you? guest: Oh hello, this is Mrs Rogers I mm room 718. I'm afraid I've lost my watch -it's a Rolex, and very expensive. I think 1 may have left it in the sauna changing room - or maybe in the pool area. reception: I see. Have you been back to look, Mrs Rogers? <. i ■ i-.st: No, I haven't. 1 thought I'd try phoning first, but I can't find the number. Oh dear, Tm so worried ... reception; Don't worry, Mrs Rogers, I'm sure we'll find it. I'll put a call through ro the sauna and pool attendants' office straight away. I just need a few more details. What's your room number again? GUe-st; 718. reception: And can you describe the ,.. Dialogue 3 i;i( hption: Reception, Can 1 help you? guest: This is Mr Higgins in room 308. I'm afraid I'm not feeling very well. Would you mind asking someone to send up some aspirin — 1 haven't got anything with me. reception: I'm sorry to hear that, Mr Higgins. HI have room service send up some aspirin immediately. Would you like the nurse to visit you? guest: No, I think I'll be OK, dear. Just the aspirin. reception: OK. Bur phone us if you have any problems. guest: I will. reception: It was room 308, wasn't it? guest: Yes, that's right. Tapescripts Unit 6 2 Listening Dialogue 1 receptionist: That'll be £37.20, please, sir. How would you like to pay? guest: Oh, I don't know. Do you accept credit cards ... or a cheque? receptionist: Yes, or it can be added to your hill. guest: Oh, yes. Can I charge it to my bill? receptionist: Certainly, sir. What room are you in? guest: Room 408. Here ,.. here's my key card. receptionist: Right, thank you. That's fine. Could you just sign here, please? guest; OK ... Could you wrap thorn for me? receptionist: Of course. I can arrange for them to be sent as well, if you like. guest: That's an idea - it'll save carrying them. How much do you charge? RECEPTIONIST: Well, it's ... Dialogue 2 receptionist: Good morning, madam. I low can I help you? guest: I'd like to check out. please. receptionist: Certainly, madam. Til get your bill. What room are you in? <;iil:st: 702, receptionist: Here you are, madam. Would you jusr like to check it through? guest: Yes... Can you tell me what this item is for? receptionist: That was the morning papers you had. guest; But I don't think I ordered any papers. receptionist: Didn't you? I'd better check the voucher ... You're quite right. Those papers were sent to 703. I'm very sorry about that, madam. guest: That's quite all right. Actually there's another thing: I didn't order anvthing from room service either. Do you think there's some mistake? Oh, look! I've been given the wrong bill - this is 703 not 702! receptionist: I'm awfully sorry. guest: That's all right. 1 thought it was a bit odd. receptionist: Here you are. Miss Smith, isn't it? guest; Yes. Ah, that looks better. Everything seems to be fine. Oh, there's just one last thing. 1 wasn't sure about service charges in the restaurant. Are they included? receptionist: Yes, madam. guest: Good. I thought so. receptionist: How would you like to pay? GUEST: Do you accept Visa? receptionist: Of course. If I could just have your card. guest: Here you are. receptionist: Thank you ... That's fine. I hope you have a pleasant journey. guest: Thank you. Goodbye. Dialogue 3 receptionist: Hello, can I help you? guest: Yes, I'd like to change some dollars. Can you icrll me what the exchange rare is? receptionist: Cash or traveller's cheques? guest: Cash. reception ist: Right, the rate is one dollar forty to the pound. guest; OK. Is commission charged on that? receptionist: Yes, we charge a fiat rare of £2 per transaction. guest: OK. I think I'll change two hundred dollars. How much will I get exactly? receptionist: Right, sir, let me just calculate it... 200 divided by one point four equals ... 142 pounds eighty-six less two pounds commission ... That comes to 140 pounds and eighty-six pence. guest: Good. That should be enough. Here you are ... Tapescripts
7 Listening interviewer: Do you have a fixed room rate? reservations manager: In common with most large hotels, our room rate policy is quite complicated. We have a basic room rate far all our toom types, but the way that we sell our moms means that we often charge a different rate from this. This is because our Safes and Marketing Department has negotiated different rates with different agents, corporate clients, and other clients. interviewer: What arc your basic room rates? reservations manager: Well, we have a Standard room which contains all the basic facilities, such as private bath, TV, rea- and coffee-making facilities, and the basic rate for the double Is £85 a night. Our Luxury rooms, or Executive Plus as some of them are called, contain a little bit extra: they're a bit more spacious, have better views and so on -they're £115 a night. Then we also have suites, whidi vaiy it lut in price. interviewer: What discounts do you offer on rhese basic room rates? reservations MANAGER: You mean discounts for the individual non-corporate booking? [Yes] Well, we have special weekend rates: rwo nights, either Friday/ Saturday or Sarurday/Sunday will get a 10% discount. That's to encourage a rwo-night booking even though weekends can be our busiest time. And our weekly rate is calculated on the basts of seven nights for the price of six. That's on all room types. interviewer: Can you tell us how the specially-negotiated room rates work? reservations manager: Like most hotels of our size, individual bookings paying the full room rate are a minority. Most of our guests come through some other source, either as part of a tour, through a tour operator, or a corporate guest. We get lots of repeat guests from particular companies and they obviously have a contract with us. There's a corporate rate, but there are also special rates negotiated and arranged with the Sales and Marketing Department, who enter them onto the computer for the Reservation and Front Office ro access whenever an enquiry or reservation comes in. In addition, a lot of our rooms are sold through agents and representatives: these are either Free Sale Agents or Allocation Holders. interviewer: What exactly are Free Sale Agents? reservations manager: Well, every week, or even daily ar busy periods, we send out availability charts to Free Sale Agenrs, who are usually in the Stares or Europe, and are usually either part of our own company or reputable agents. They sell rooms at an agreed rate - normally the corporate rare -which is arranged by the Sales and Marketing Department. They are rold every week what rooms they can sell and if they can sell at a discounted rare or nor. The Free Sale Agent doesn't need to check with us first, so it lowers administration costs; they just send in a confirmation sheet, interviewer: What about Allocation Holders? reservations managkr: Allocation Holders are agents who have a certain number of rooms that they agree to sell in our hotel, They normally sell on FIT rates -Fully Inclusive Tariff rates- which are from the leisure side of the business and are cheaper than corporate rates. The customer pays them directly, they get commission and pass on what is left to the hotel. The rate is agreed with the Sales and Marketing Department. An Allocation Holdet usually has up to twenty rooms over a weekend, on a seventy-two hour release - in other words, by Wednesday, the hotel can take the rooms back and re-sell them. Tapescripts
Unit 7 3 Listening Dialogue 1 receptionist; Good evening. Can I help you? guest: Welt, I hope you can. I'm in room 607 and frankly, it's disgusting. I'm extremely annoyed. receptionist: Oh, dear. What exactly is the problem? guest: Everything. For a srart, the mom is ridiculously small. 1 specifically requested a large room. receptionist; I see. Is there anything else? guest: Yes, there is! It's absolutely filthy. Yesterday, when I arrived, it was dirry, and it's quite obvious that it hasn't been cleaned for days - the bath's got dirty marks all over if and there's dust everywhere. receptionis I": Well, that's strange: they should have cleaned it thus morning and yesterday. Are you sure? guest: Of course I'm sure! I know dirt when I see it! And another thing: the sheets haven't been changed. receptionist: Oh, dear. I'll send room service up with some clean sheets, and I'll make sure the room is cleaned first thing tomorrow morning. GUEST: Tomorrow! I'm afraid that's not good enough. I want if cleaned now, immediately, do you hear? receptionist: Well, I'm terribly sorry, but that's not possible. The clean ing start have all finished now. You should have complained earlier. guest: What? This is totally unacceptable! If you can't clean my room then 1 want to move. receptionist: I'm awfully sorry, but we're fully booked. guest: 1 don't believe this, I demand to see the manager. Dialogue 2 receptionist: Good evening. Can I help you? guest: Well, I hope you can, I'm in room 607 and frankly, it's disgusting. I'm extremely annoyed. receptionist: OK. Mrs Jenkins, isn't it? guest: Yes. receptionist: Now, what exactly is wrong? guest: Well, for a start, the room is very small - 1 requested a latge room. receptionist: Actually, room 607 is one of* our larger rooms. guest: Is it? Well, I'm bitterly disappointed, I'm afraid. Also, it's very dirty: the bath hasn'r been cleaned and the sheets haven't been changed. receptionist: Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Mrs Jenkins. It must be most upsetting for you. I'm quite sure there's been some mistake. I'll send someone up immcdmrHy to look »r ir guest; Well, really I'd like to move room now. receptionist: I understand. We are very busy, bur I'll see what 1 can do. Why don't you wait in the Inungc bai while 1 sort lliis out. I'll arrange fora complimentary drink for you. guest: Well, OK, then. reckptiqnist: I really am most sorry, Mrs Jenkins, for the inconvenience you've suffered. Listening woman: I must tell you about this one hotel we stayed in, about three years ago. friend: Where? woman: Well, it was just a little place in the country. We went for our anniversary -thought it would be relaxing and romantic. We'd seen it advertised in a magazine and it looked really quier and peaceful. frienp; And wasn't it? Tapescripts
woman: Well, not exactly, no! For a start, when we arrived on the Friday evening, tliere was no one at the desk, so we rang the bell and waited, but nobody came. Then we heard voices in che back room, shouting and getting louder and louder, so we rang the bell again and eventually this little red-faced man popped out and shouted, 'Yes? What do you want?' friend: Ha ha. woman: Well, we were a bit taken aback, bur we explained we had a reservation and he calmed down and we checked in. He told us the room number - 106 ... friend: You've got a good memory! woman: Well, there's a reason. I'Kl t.NIJ. Oil. woman: Anyway, he gave us the key and off we went, only to find that the key didn't fit the door. It turned out diat he'd given us the right key but the wrong room - we should have been in room 107. friend: And was the room OK? woman: Yes, it was fine- the bathroom was a hir small, bur OK.. There were no towels, though. 1 went down to ask for some and he just said, 'You want towels? You didn't bring one?' I was furious! Anyway, he apologized ctjld L)J ULl^l LL LIS SUI11C. friend: Ha ha ha, Sounds awful. woman: Well, it doesn't end there! It went from bad to worse. Dinner was a disaster. The service was appalling. The waiter was drunk and could barely stand upright, let alone carry the food. He dropped my soup all over the floor. And the food was vile -tasteless and overcooked. friend: Did you complain? woman: We were sick of complaining! It was more trouble than it was worth. We just left and walked along the river to the local pub, which was lovely. But then we went back to the hotel to spend the night. friend: Oh no! What happened then? woman: We got back and went to bed. So far so good. But then after about ten minutes a horrible screaming noise started. We didn't know what it was. It sounded like someone being murdered, but we came to the conclusion it must be to do with the water pipes. Well, whatever it was, it went on all night and we hardly slept at all. By the morning we'd had enough. There was no way we were going to spend another minute there. We got our things together, had breakfast, which was surprisingly good, and asked for the bill. He got all upset and asked why we were leaving, at which point we complained about everything. He got really annoyed and said we'd have to pay for the second night because we'd made a reservation. Well, he eventually backed down after we threatened to write to the local tourist board and the local newspapers, but he still tried to charge us for some newspapers we never had. friend: Did you go to another hotel? woman: Oh no, we just gave up and went home. Our weekend was already ruined. But anyway, the final chapter in the horrible saga happened about a month later. I was reading the paper and I came across a story about a murder in a country hotel. Guess which hotel? fkiend: No! woman: Yes! There were photos of it plastered all over the paper. The hotel owner had killed his wife after a blazing row and hidden the body in one of the bedrooms. But a guest was given the wrong key by mistake and found the body by chance. friend: Oh no, that's horrible! woman: And worst of all: guess which room the body was hidden in. friend: Oh, not yours. I don't believe it. woman; Yes, number 107! Tapescripts Unit 8 2 Listening representative: Right, ever/one. Now I want to tell you about some of the excursions you can go on. You don't have m stay by the horel pool all day every day, you know! There's a lot to see on the island of Crete and we've arranged some very special excursions tor you. I'm just going to rell you about some or them. On Monday, we have a trip called 'Cultural Crete", where we visit many of the different cultural sights on the island. If you come on this tour, you'll see one of the earliest examples of Minoan civilization at Phaestos, and also the Roman ruins at Gortys. On Tuesday, we have a trip called 'The Best of the West', This is a coach tour along the coast to the west of the island, driving through some spectacular mountain scenery and slopping at two lovely Cretan towns - Rethymnon and Chania . -. Yes, madam? guest 1: How much do these excursions cost? representative: Well, 'the Best of the West* tour is 5,400 drachmas for adults and half-price tor children. Now, we also have a trip to the ancient Minoan city of Knossos on Wednesday and on Saturday, This is one o) the most famous archaeological sights. You can see the remains of the old palace and city— it's over 3,000 years old. GUEST 1: What day did you say it was? representative: Wednesday and Saturday. So, as I was saying, if you come on this trip you can experience some of the finest examples of Minoan culture, Also on Wednesday, we have a very special evening of Cretan dancing and drinking. We drive out to a little mountain village where the locals entertain us in the open air with some beautiful dancing and a light meal accompanied by the local drink, raki — don'r drink too much of ir because it's very strong! The price of S,700 drachmas for adults includes the meal and the drink. The coach will leave at six p.m. and well return around midnight. guest i: You said it's in the open air. What'll we do if it rains? representative: Well, I don't think it's very likely to rain at this time of the year. But if it does rain, we'll go inside and eat in the restaurant there. Now, there's just two more trips I warn to tell you about. The first is on Sunday and it's for those of you who are very strong and fit! It's called the "Samaria Adventure'. It involves leaving the hotel at six o'clock in the morning on Sunday, and driving to the top of Samaria Gorge. You then have to walk seventeen kilometres through one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe. You finish up many hours later at the beach and harbour where a ferry rakes you along the coast and back to your coach. If you'rt fit and love adventure, then you'll love this trip. If you come, bring plenty of ware r and wear good strong shoes. Finally, a much more leisurely trip is the Sanrorini cruise which runs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. It's a delightful boat trip to the impressi\ i volcanic island orSantorini. You can have a donkey ride up to the town, eat lunch, do some shopping, and then return to the cruise ship in the evening, when there'll also be dinner served and dancing. guest }: What time do we gee back? representative: Probably about midnight. Now, here are the booking forms. If you have any questions, or if you want any advice, please ask me. guest 4: Yes, I'd like to see some of the Minoan ruins, but I've heard there's a lot of walking and steps at Knossos, and I'm not very good at walking. representative: Mmm. Well, why don'r you come on the Cultural Crete excursion -there's not so much walking there and you still see lots of beautiful sights. guest 3: Does it matter which day we go on the Santorini cruise? Is there any difference? representative: No, the tour's the same on each day, but if I were you I'd wait till the Thursday or Friday. By that rime you'll be more used to the sun; you're out in the sun quite a lot on that trip. You could always spend a day ot two exploring the town here 8 Listening Good afternoon, ladies and gentlctften.My name is Jenny and 1 welcome you on this tour of historic Charleston. I'd like to introduce you to our driver. Tom. Our tour today will take about three hours but we'll be stopping to visit a few places and to take photographs. It's a very hot day out there so we'll take it easy. As you can see, the coach is air conditioned, but we can adjust it if you want. Anyway, let's begin. As we leave the hotel, we're driving down Meeting Street towards the river front. On your left is the Old Market and just coming up on your right is the Gibbes Museum of Arc, which contains one of the finest collections of American paintings, prints, drawings ... Now as we pass this fine church on your left -St Michael's, the oldest church in the city, built in 1761 - we are in the centre of the Historic District. As you can see, virtually every house here is a fine sample oi southern architecture. These houses were nearly all owned by rich planters who came to Charleston and the coast in the summer to escape the heat and the mosquitoes of the back-country. If you look down to your left, you'll see the Heyward-Washington House, built in 1772 by Thomas Heyward, one of the men who signed the American Declaration of Independence .., OK, ladies and gentlemen. The river is now in front of us on the other side of this rather delightful park. On the left you can see the Calhoun Mansion, perhaps the finest of the Charleston historic houses, although it was built a little later, in 1876, as a Victorian showpiece. I'll tell you a little more about that in a moment, as we'll be stopping there soon. The park is known as the Battery, or, officially, White Point Gardens, and you can see examples of cannons and other war relics. Charleston was a very important military centre, especially during the War of Independence when the Americans fought many battles with the British Beet. We'll be getting oft the coach in a moment and walking along the harbour wall to Calhoun Mansion, and from the wall you'll see many examples of this military and naval history -forts from the era of the War of Independence, and frtim more recent times the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. OK, we'll get oft" now. Please stay with me. If we doger separated for any reason, we'll be meeting at the coach again in one hour's time at four o'clock at the Calhoun Mansion ... back. I hope you enjoyeddm Mansion. It certainly is something special, 1 think you'll agree. We're now going to drive a little way out of the historic town and visit the Charles Towne Landing, which will be our final stopping-point for today ,,. We're now crossing over the Ashley River Memorial Bridge, and the Charles Towne Landing is just over there on your right. Let me tell you a little about it. This is the place where the first settlement was made in 1670. It has now been made into a large park with exhibits showing the colony's history, a recreation of a small village, all in a delightful wooded atmosphere ... We're now back at the hotel. If you want to visit some shops then King Street, the main shopping area, is just one block ahead of you. Thank you for your attention. I hope you enjoyed the trip, and I hope you all enjoy the rest of your vacation here in Charleston. Tapescripts
Unit 9 1 Listening interviewer: Donald, you said that it is important to treat all your guests well, bur differently. Could you explain what you mean by that? donald: Yes, ofcourse. Like any other company, we, as a hotel, need to be able to identify those customers who are important to us. Just as an airline will try to offer a better-quality service ro first-class passengers, we'll try to provide a higher standard for our important guests. Business travellers, for example, generally expect a higher class of service. Also, because they are frequent travellers, business people are potential regular customers and it is very, very important for the hotel to attract regular guests. Some of our business clients have been coming here for years because, we like to think, we look after them well. interviewer: So, are all business people treated the same? donald: No, using the same logic, we like to distinguish between different types of business guests, too. Some have Very Important Person status, or VIP for short, A typical VIP guest might be a customer, like a company salesperson, who makes regttbir visits. The VIP business guest soon becomes well-known by all the fronr-of-house staff-indeed we have one Italian salesman who we see on almost a weekly basis! Then there is the CIP, who is a Company Important Person, which means he is an important person in a company which the hotel does a lot of business with. That might be a company that makes regular use of our conference facilities or business apartments, for example. Finally, top of the range is the WP, or very, very important person, such as the managing director of an important company. Ofcourse, not all managing directors are WPs, and businessmen are not the only important people. interviewer: So, how are they treated differently? donai.d: Well, unlike the normal business guest, the VIP has his or her room allocated in advance. We make sure we have all the necessary information about die guest and his company on the computer. We'll know what kind of room he likes, what side of the hotel, and so on. So there's just a simple check-in procedure. The duty manager is made aware or the VIP's presence in the hotel, bui he doesn't usually come out to meet him, For the (HP, the room is also allocated in advance. However, all CIP rooms are double-checked, to make sure that is OK, and some .n.!Jiiu>ii.il v-.ti.i-, are usually included. For example, if a CIP has asked for something in the past, we try to make sure it's there again on his or her rcium. Again, check-in is very simple and the duty manager does try to meet the CIPs tf at all possible. interviewer: OK, so there's extra attention to detail. donald: Right. Then, there's the WP, Whereas CIP rooms are double-checked, all WPs have their rooms treble-checked, the last check by the senior housekeeper or ducy manager. What's more, a full range of extras is provided, including flowers, wine, chocolates, etc. For a WP, there's no need w check in ar Reception. The duty manager always meets and accompanies the guest to his or her room, where check-in procedures can be completed. In other words: for us, all our guests are important, but some guests are definitely more important than others. Tapescripts Listening interviewer; Margaret, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I know you travel quite a lot in your job. Can you tell us about some of the business trips you go on? Margaret: Certainly. As Marketing Director, most or my travel is abroad as I'm working with agents, mainly in Europe* but also in Japan and Brazil. Many of the trips are exhibitions and conferences, but also sometimes I'll go offmy own bat to visit agents or contacts that we have already made or are hoping to establish. interviewer: How do you usually arrange these trips? Margaret: Kit's a trade fair or exhibition then it will often come as a package, so the hotel, the stand, and the flight will .ill come together, but ifl'm going on my own, then I would usually get my secretary to organize the Hight and shotel in a good locution. interviewer: Interesting, What type of accommodation do you stay in normally and whar special tearures do you look for in a hotel? Margaret: I tend to took for a hotel close to the trade fair or centrally located if I'm hivingseveral meetings in the centre <n outside the dry. Basically, when I'm abroad I still need access to .1 hx and my own phone, but other than that it would be the normal en suite room, sports centre if possible, depending nn hnw long I'm going abroad (■or. INTERVIEWER: Do you need special secretarial services while you're abroad? Margaret: Sometimes, but mainly 1 can get by with hand-written faxes. Occasionally, if several letters have to be sent, I'll obviously make use of the secretary in the hotel. interviewer: Because a lot of hotelsnowadays do have Business Centres. Have you found those useful? Margaret: Definitely. Especially if you're on a long-haul trip or travelling around for two or three weeks, and you've got to report back to the office. interviewer: Are there any special facilities that you look for as a businesswwwdtt? Margaret: Well, number one has got to be the location. You want to be in a good parr of the town, preferably easy to get taxis, or near a metro station. For security reasons I would always ask for a room near the lift and on one of the lower Hoots, I don't like spending a lot of time in a lift on my own or walking along long corridors, even when I'm in a city that's safe. interviewer: Do you find that hotels treat you differently because you're a woman? Margaret; Often they presume that you're just staying there while your husband is at meetings, which is very presumptuous of them to begin with. But sometimes I don't think you get such good rooms as die businessmen although you pay exactly the same rate. interviewer: Really? Now, I know you've visited many different countries, not just in Europe but also in Japan .uul South America. Have you been aware of ditferent business customs and practices? Margaret: Well, certainly before Travelling to another country, 1 always try to read up a little bit about how business is conducred there, for example, in |ap;in the giving and receiving ©Fbusiness cards is much more elaborate than it is lieu- in 1 mope. Similarly, when you go to visit a Japanese office, the first thing they often ask you to do -especially in the smaller offices - is to rake your shoes off and put on some slippers, at which point you're usuallygiven a glass of green tea. I found that Japanese businessmen and women do make you feel very welcome, much more so than in some of the busier European offices, where you can be left waiting for your business appointment to turn up, interviewer: Right. That's all very interesting. Thank you very much indeed, Margaret. Tapescripts Unit 10 3 Listening manager = Conference and Banqueting Manager {Gr Date: 2015-12-24; view: 769
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