In each hotel, boarding house there is a department coordinating the work of the hotel. His task is to receive, accommodate and service guests during their stay. Reception - this is the first and main link that we encounter when arriving at the hotel.
In
Soviet times , this word did not exist, others were used. But analogies can be drawn: reception is a reception desk, administrator. It is the reception staff who allocates the rooms, they know when which of the guests should arrive, what services are ordered. They give us the keys. By the way, mechanical locks are almost never used in Europe and America. Everything works on electronics and you will most likely be given a key card.
Reception is your main assistants during your stay at the hotel. As a rule, in large hotels there are administrators who speak several languages, and even English is a necessary minimum. Depending on the method of keeping records of visitors and guests, your data can be recorded either in the book of arrival and departure, or entered into a special program at the reception.
What does it mean? Employees will check your passport, not always, but often can block a certain amount on your credit card. Of course, this is not always convenient, especially if you made a reservation for one credit card, and you will pay another. But these are the conditions, and thus the reception ensures compliance with the rules, especially since in some countries it is necessary to register guests in the migration service. And the registration staff in a sense are responsible for you to the authorities.
What is the reception for the average tourist? This is also the first point to go in case of any problems. The front desk constantly interacts with other departments of the hotel (for example, supplies, laundry, rental, bars, restaurants and cafes). If an emergency occurs - for example, an ambulance, fire brigade, police call is needed - the reception will provide this.
What else can administrators do for you? They should report any troubles and malfunctions in the room - for example, if there is no hot water, the kettle is blown, the phone does not work. They will also advise you on how to buy tickets for public transport (by the way, this can often be done right at the hotel), how to cheaper call, how to get to the place you need. Reception staff can call a taxi, receive and send correspondence for you, book train or plane tickets.
In addition, they usually provide information on current cultural events taking place in the region and know the main attractions of the city. It is through them that you can book a tour and arrange for a guide-interpreter to be escorted.
Typically, a telephone operator works at the front desk, but the receptionist can also perform its functions. He is responsible for the uninterrupted implementation of internal and external calls, receiving orders for long-distance and international calls, receiving messages for guests, providing the morning wake-up service and payments for negotiations. The receptionist also accepts requests for room reservations, is responsible for canceling reservations. Through it you can order breakfast, lunch or dinner in your room, flowers with delivery to any address, various services (access to the pool, saunas, spa). At the end of your stay at the reception you hand in the key and pay for the overnight stay.