VIP Class Notes (Whitney) [S + W]

Write a story about you checking into a hotel and about tipping the hotel staff.

Travel Topic: Getting through customs in English. Dealing with emergencies in English.

Vocabulary

Concierge – 酒店前台
con-cee-erge
When I check-in to a hotel, I will go to the concierge.

Announced
I announced my wedding date to all my family and friends.

Discussed 商量
I discussed my wedding date with my parents and husband.

adhere – you stick to something or you agree to something
Please adhere to the rules of this company.

requested – 要求
We requested that the wedding day be on the weekend

often –  经常
Because I don’t like to cook, my husband and I will often go out for dinner.

order delivery – 叫外卖
We will also order delivery when my husband does not cook.

verify – 认证
Hotels usually have to verify guest identities upon check-in.

identification – 身份
eye-den-ti-fi-cation
Every Chinese citizen has an identification card.
I.D. – we need to perform a routine I.D. check

Pre-authorisation
pre-author-rise-ation
A common process done when checking into a hotel. The concierge will hold a deposit upon checking in on your credit card.

cash bond 现金担保
Some people who do not like to use cards, prefer to leave their deposit in cash.

Housekeeping 打扫阿姨
It’s important to leave a tip at hotels too, especially for housekeeping.

Valet 停车小哥
va-lay
If you choose to valet instead of parking your own car, then you should tip the valet when getting your car.

convenient 方便
con-vee-ne-ent
Its convenient to have a tipping calculator app to help me calculate how much to tip.

calculate 计算
I calculated a budget for my travels and it is ____

After 18 days, 2018 is about to pass. In 2018, I got I had been married. I got married My wedding was on Saturday, which is was a lucky day in March. We discussed our wedding date with our parents and we told announced about the wedding day marry-day, we requested that the wedding day would be   adhered to let the wedding day marry-day on the weekend, because it was more convenient for our friends.

I don’t like cooking food, because I don’t like to have any oil on my hands. I had cooked years ago, but it was so bad, so I gave up. hahahahhaha

Grammar

I have been married since 2018. = you got married in 2018 and you’re still married in 2018
I had been married since 2018, but we divorced at the end of the year = you got married but you’re not longer married.

I have been learning English for 2 months. = you started learning 2 months ago and you’re still learning now.

have been/has been/had been

Check-in
J: “I have a reservation under Zhu Ni made with booking.com, can you help me to check-in?”
C: “Sure, can I have your passport to verify your identification?”
J: “Yeah, no problem.”
C: “Can I have your credit card to make the payment and the deposit? ”
J: “Yes.”
C: “Ok, we’re all done, here’s your room key.”

1. Charged for the room (credit payment for your reservation)
2. Hold $___ on your credit as a pre-authorisation or a deposit.  ~$100
3. Another type is called a “cash bond”. ~$200

Tips & Tipping 

If you really don’t like something or are not satisfied you can leave 10% but leaving nothing is quite extreme and should only be done when you’re in a really bad situation.

RESTAURANTS
The waiter at a normal restaurant: Standard is 15%, ideally for good service and to fulfil expectations it will be 20%
Buffet restaurant: at least $1 per person or 5%-10%.
Fast Food restaurants: No need, but $1-$2 doesn’t hurt.
Grocery Store/Market: No need, but $1-$2 doesn’t hurt.
Delivery: 10% 2%-5%
Coffee/Barista: No need, but $1-$2 doesn’t hurt.
Bartender: 10% at least $2

HOTELS
Housekeeping: $2-$5
Valet: $2-$5
Concierge: If they help you make a reservation or call a taxi or something difficult you should tip $10-$20. If its normal check-in then you don’t need to tip unless the service was REALLY good.

SALON + SPA
Hairdresser (理髮): 15%-20%
Manicurist (美甲): 15%-20%
Tattoo: 15%-20%

DRIVERS
Taxi: Bad journey, speeding, not safe = no tip. But if its fast, safe and a good journey then 10%-15%, an extra $1 if they help with luggage.
Uber/Lyft: under a company contract, you don’t have to tip. But uber/lyft drivers tend to provide snacks, water and phone chargers so depending on how good your journey was you can tip like you would a taxi.

OTHERS

Flower Delivery: no tip
Shifu in general, contractors, installers, movers and fixers: 10% – going upstairs, no elevator, hot weather/cold weather
Babysitter: 10% especially if they do a good job
Wedding Officiant: $50-$100.