Italian Hotel Check-In: Phrases, Dialogue and the Hotel Form
A0 · Lesson 25 · At the hotel
One sentence and your last name: that’s 80% of an Italian hotel check-in. This page covers the other 20%.
Quick answer
For an Italian hotel check-in, say Buonasera, ho una prenotazione (I have a reservation) + your last name. The receptionist will ask A che nome? (under what name?), Ha un documento? (do you have an ID?) and Per quante notti? (for how many nights?). Then you sign the form: Firmi qui!
Italian hotel check-in: “Ho una prenotazione”
Walk in, greet, say you have a reservation. Learn it as one block.
Ho una prenotazione.
oh OO-nah preh-noh-tah-TSYOH-neh
I have a reservation.
YouA che nome?
ah keh NOH-meh
Under what name? (literally: at what name?)
ReceptionSmith. Kate Smith.
just your name
Usually the last name is enough.
You💡 In simple words
Buonasera + ho una prenotazione + your last name.
That’s it. The receptionist does the rest of the talking.
Remember the H? In ho (I have) the H is silent: just “oh”. It’s only there so you don’t mix it up with o (or).
Ha un documento? Your passport, please
Italian hotels must register every guest, so they always ask for an ID.
Ha un documento?
ah oon doh-koo-MEHN-toh
Do you have an ID? (polite)
Receptionil passaporto
eel pahs-sah-POHR-toh
the passport (double s: hold it!)
Documentla carta d’identità
lah KAHR-tah dee-dehn-tee-TAH
the ID card (Italians and Europeans have one)
DocumentSì, ecco!
see, EHK-koh
Yes, here you go!
YouAmericans: the answer is almost always “Sì, ecco il passaporto!”
Per quante notti? The room and the key
You already know numbers and Quanti? Quante? (how many?). Now use them at the desk.
Per quante notti?
pehr KWAHN-teh NOHT-tee
For how many nights?
ReceptionPer tre notti.
pehr treh NOHT-tee
For three nights.
Youla camera
lah KAH-meh-rah
the (hotel) room. Stress on KA!
Wordla chiave
lah KYAH-veh
the key. CH = K sound.
WordSwap the number:
Per tre notti.
Try: due · quattro · sette · just one? Per una notte (pehr OO-nah NOHT-teh).
Ecco la chiave! (EHK-koh lah KYAH-veh) = Here’s the key! Camera 12 = room 12 (camera dodici).
Lei at the reception: they ask polite, you answer with io
At a hotel, everybody uses Lei (polite “you”). The verb looks like the one for lui / lei: è, ha, si chiama.
🛎️ Reception asks (Lei)
Come si chiama?
What’s your name?
Di dov’è?
Where are you from?
Ha un documento?
Do you have an ID?
Qual è il Suo cognome?
What’s your last name?
🧳 You answer (io)
Mi chiamo Kate.
My name is Kate.
Sono di Chicago.
I’m from Chicago.
Sì, ho il passaporto.
Yes, I have my passport.
Smith.
Smith.
Suo = your (polite)
il Suo nome · il Suo passaporto · il Suo numero
SOO-oh. With a capital S on forms and in polite writing, like Lei. Your friend gets tuo; the receptionist says Suo.
Ho una prenotazione. Per sette notti. Non ho un documento… ma sono molto carina.
I have a reservation. For seven nights. I don’t have an ID… but I’m very cute.
The full check-in: Kate arrives in Florence
It’s 9 pm. Kate arrives at a small hotel in Firenze. Read it twice: once with the English, once without.
Kate
guest
Buonasera! Ho una prenotazione.
Good evening! I have a reservation.
Paolo
reception
Buonasera, signora. A che nome?
Good evening, madam. Under what name?
Kate
Smith. Kate Smith.
Smith. Kate Smith.
Paolo
Sì, ecco. Per quante notti?
Yes, here it is. For how many nights?
Kate
Per tre notti.
For three nights.
Paolo
Perfetto. Ha un documento?
Perfect. Do you have an ID?
Kate
Sì, ecco il passaporto.
Yes, here’s my passport.
Paolo
Grazie. Ecco il modulo. Firmi qui, per favore.
Thank you. Here’s the form. Sign here, please.
Kate
Certo!
Sure!
Paolo
Ecco la chiave: camera dodici. Buona permanenza!
Here’s the key: room 12. Enjoy your stay!
Kate
Grazie mille! Buonasera!
Thanks a lot! Good evening!
Buona permanenza!
BWOH-nah pehr-mah-NEHN-tsah
Enjoy your stay! You only answer: Grazie!
ReceptionFirmi qui!
FEER-mee KWEE
Sign here! (polite, Lei). Answer: Ecco! / Certo!
ReceptionIl modulo: filling in an Italian form
A form (il modulo, eel MOH-doo-loh) is just questions you already know, written as single words. Here is Kate’s.
Modulo ospiti
Albergo · Firenze
Common mistakes English speakers make
Età: 34 anni vecchia → 34
Just the number. Italian doesn’t say “years old”.
Nazionalità: America → americana / americano
The nationality, not the country. Lowercase, -a for a woman, -o for a man.
Che è il Suo cognome? → Qual è il Suo cognome?
“What is your…?” = Qual è…? (no apostrophe).
Ho 34 anni to Come si chiama? → Mi chiamo Kate.
Listen for the key word: chiama = name, anni = age, notti = nights.
Why Italian hotels always want your passport
🛂 The document
By law, Italian hotels register every guest with the police, so Ha un documento? is normal, not suspicious. Keep your passport handy when you arrive.
🔢 Il codice fiscale
On many Italian forms you’ll also see codice fiscale: a 16-character tax code every person in Italy has. Even a gym card can ask for it! As a tourist, you can leave it empty.
Step 8 · Practice
🍕 Your turn
Start with a quick warm-up, then press Check. Want more? Open the extra exercises below, including your own hotel form. Mistakes are part of it. No pressure.
Warm-up · 5 questions
The receptionist says… What do you answer?
1. A che nome?
2. Per quante notti?
3. Ha un documento?
4. Firmi qui, per favore.
5. Buona permanenza!
See more exercises · 38 questions ▾Hide the extra exercises ▴
1 · Which field?
Where on the form do you write it?
1. Smith
2. 42
3. canadese
4. medico
5. Main Street 10, Boston
6. Tom
7. Your signature at the bottom
8. insegnante
2 · Polite or not?
You are the receptionist. Choose the polite (Lei) question for a guest.
1. What’s your name?
2. Do you have an ID?
3. Where are you from?
4. What’s your last name?
5. Sign here!
6. How old are you?
7. What’s your job?
8. What’s your address?
3 · Right or wrong?
Is it correct for a hotel check-in?
1. Buonasera, ho una prenotazione.
2. Form, Nazionalità: America
3. Per quante notti? – Per quattro notti.
4. The receptionist to a guest: Come ti chiami?
5. Form, Età: 50 anni vecchio
6. Ecco la chiave: camera otto.
7. Che è il Suo cognome?
8. Ha un documento? – Sì, ecco la carta d’identità.
4 · Fill in the form
Read about Tom, then fill in his hotel form. Capital letters don’t matter.
Mi chiamo Tom Miller. Ho quarantadue anni. Sono americano, di Denver. Sono medico. Abito in Pine Street 7, a Denver.
My name is Tom Miller. I’m 42. I’m American, from Denver. I’m a doctor. I live at 7 Pine Street, in Denver.
Modulo ospiti
Albergo · FirenzeNomefirst name
Cognomelast name
Etàage
Professionejob
Nazionalitànationality
Indirizzoaddress
5 · Write it in Italian
Type the sentence. Capital letters and punctuation don’t matter. No accent key? Type an apostrophe (e’).
1. I have a reservation.
2. For three nights.
3. For one night.
4. Here’s my passport.
5. Under what name?
6. Do you have an ID? (polite)
7. Sign here! (polite)
8. Here’s the key!
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Ci vediamo la prossima settimana! – Sì, alla prossima lezione! Ciao!
See you next week! – Yes, see you at the next lesson! Bye!
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Written by Luciana
Native Italian teacher, CEDILS certified, 10,000+ lessons since 2020.
