Anna's Hotel Room Is Not Ready

Anna's flight to Madrid landed at seven in the morning. She had slept for maybe two hours, her hair was a mess, and all she wanted was a shower and a bed.

She took a taxi from the airport to her hotel, a small, white building on a quiet street full of trees. Inside, it was cool and calm. A young man with a friendly face stood behind the desk.

"Good morning," Anna said. "I have a reservation under the name Anna."

He typed something on his computer. "Yes, here you are. Three nights, a double room. Welcome to Madrid."

"Thank you," Anna said. "Is the room ready?"

He gave her a small, sorry smile. "I'm afraid not. Check-in is at three o'clock in the afternoon."

Anna looked at the clock on the wall. It was ten past eight. Seven hours.

"Oh," she said. She was so tired that she almost laughed. "Okay. Is there any chance it could be ready earlier?"

"I can't promise anything," he said. "The guests in your room are leaving at eleven. After that, we need time to clean it. But I'll do my best."

"Thank you. In the meantime, could I leave my bag here?"

"Of course." He took her suitcase and put a small paper ticket on it. "You can pick it up anytime."

Anna thought about her hair, her clothes and the long night on the plane.

"Is there anywhere I can freshen up?"

"Yes, there's a bathroom just there, next to the stairs. And we have a small breakfast room. Breakfast is included for you from tomorrow, but today, the coffee is on me."

Anna smiled for the first time that morning. "That's very kind."

She washed her face, brushed her hair and changed her shirt. Then she sat in the breakfast room with a big coffee and a piece of toast with tomato. It was simple, but it was one of the best breakfasts she'd ever had.

When she came back to the desk, the young man gave her a map.

"If you have a few hours, walk to the big park," he said. "It's beautiful in the morning, before it gets too hot. And the old market is open until two."

"Could you let me know when the room is ready?" Anna asked. "I'll leave you my number."

"No problem. I'll send you a message."

Anna walked out into the sunny street. After the coffee, the city looked very different. She followed the map to the park, where people were running, walking their dogs and sitting in small boats on the lake.

She took photos of the trees and the old buildings around the park. At the market, she bought a bag of oranges and talked to a woman who sold cheese.

The woman didn't speak much English, and Anna didn't speak much Spanish, but they understood each other with smiles and hands.

At eleven forty, her phone buzzed.

"Good news! Your room is ready. Welcome to Madrid."

Anna walked back to the hotel, happy and a little tired from the sun. The young man gave her a key.

"Room twelve, on the top floor," he said. "The guests left early, so we had extra time. I also gave you a room with a small balcony. I think you'll like it."

Anna opened the door. The room was bright and clean, and the balcony looked out over the trees and the roofs of the old town.

She put her bag of oranges on the table, lay down on the bed, and closed her eyes.

Seven hours had become three and a half. And somehow, the waiting had been the best part.

Now, let's look at five useful phrases from today's story.

"I have a reservation under the name..." The easiest way to start checking in at a hotel.

"What time is check-in?" Ask this to find out when you can go to your room.

"Could I leave my bag here?" A polite way to ask the hotel to keep your luggage.

"Is there anywhere I can freshen up?" Use this when you want to wash your face or change after a long trip.

"Could you let me know when the room is ready?" A friendly way to ask someone to contact you later.