A New Friend at the Hotel

Hello! Good morning. My name is Sophie and I am a woman from England. Today I have arrived at the Grand Hotel in the centre of town. I have a reservation for three nights. I go to the desk and the man there says, "Good afternoon, Miss. Welcome to our hotel! How are you today?" I say, "I am fine, thank you very much. Nice to meet you." He is very friendly and he has a warm smile. He says, "Nice to meet you too. My name is Mister Garcia. Please, come in." The hotel lobby is big and beautiful. There are flowers on the table and a fountain near the door. I can see other guests walking around. A woman with her husband is sitting near the window. I am happy to be here. The journey was long but now I am at my hotel and I can relax. Mister Garcia says, "Let me help you with your bags."

Mister Garcia says, "Can I see your passport, please?" I get my passport from my bag and give it to him. He takes it and looks at his computer. He says, "Yes, I have your reservation. A single room for three nights. Your room number is 305. It is on the third floor." I say, "Thank you. Is breakfast included?" He says, "Certainly. Breakfast is served from seven in the morning to ten in the morning, in the restaurant on the ground floor." I say, "That is wonderful. And where is the elevator?" He says, "The elevator is behind the fountain, on your left. You cannot miss it." I take my key and say, "Thank you very much for your help, Mister Garcia." He says, "You are welcome, Miss Sophie. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to call the front desk. We are here to help you. Have a good evening!"

I take the elevator to the third floor and find my room. Room 305 is at the end of the corridor. I open the door and go inside. The room is nice and clean. There is a big bed, a desk, a chair, a television, and a wardrobe. The bathroom has a shower and there are fresh towels on the shelf. I go to the window and open it. I can see the swimming pool below and the garden with trees and flowers. The view is beautiful. But there is a problem. I turn on the shower and there is no hot water! Only cold water comes out. I do not know what to do. I take the phone and call the front desk. I say, "Excuse me, there is no hot water in my room. Can you help me, please?" The woman says, "Pardon me for the inconvenience. I will send someone to fix it right away." I say, "Thank you very much."

It is five in the afternoon and I am hungry. I want to go to a restaurant for dinner. I go downstairs and say to Mister Garcia, "Excuse me, can you recommend a local restaurant near the hotel?" He says, "Certainly! There is a very good restaurant called La Fontaine. It is near the hotel, just five minutes on foot. Go straight ahead out of the hotel, turn left, and it is opposite the library." I say, "Thank you. Do I need a reservation?" He says, "It is Friday evening, so yes, I think you should book a table. Shall I call them for you?" I say, "Yes, please. A table for one at seven pm." He makes the call and says, "Done! Your table is booked for seven. They are expecting you." I say, "You are very helpful. Thank you!" He says, "You are welcome. Enjoy your dinner!"

I walk to the restaurant. It is a beautiful evening. The sun is going down and the sky is orange and pink. I find La Fontaine easily. It is a small restaurant with tables outside and candles on each table. I go inside and say, "Good evening. I have a reservation for one at seven. My name is Sophie." The waiter says, "Good evening, Miss Sophie. Please follow me." He takes me to a nice table near the window. He gives me the menu and says, "Can I get you a drink while you decide?" I say, "Yes, please. Can I have the drinks list?" He brings it. There is house wine, local wine, red wine, white wine, beer, and soft drinks. I say, "I will have a glass of white wine, please." He says, "Excellent choice. I will be back in a moment to take your food order."

I look at the menu. There is soup, salad, and appetisers to start. For the main course, there is fish, chicken, and beef with side dishes. There is also a dessert menu. The waiter comes back and says, "Are you ready to order?" I say, "Yes. Can I have the soup to start, and then the fish with salad, please?" He says, "Of course. The soup today is tomato and the fish is served with potatoes and vegetables. Is that alright?" I say, "That sounds delicious." The food arrives after fifteen minutes. The soup is hot and tasty. The fish is cooked perfectly. It is not too spicy and not too salty. Everything is wonderful. I eat slowly and enjoy every bite. The waiter comes and says, "Is everything alright?" I say, "Yes, this is delicious. Thank you."

After the main course, the waiter says, "Would you like dessert?" I say, "Yes, please. What do you have?" He says, "We have chocolate cake, ice cream, fruit salad, and a local cheese plate." I say, "The chocolate cake, please. And can I have a coffee after?" He says, "Certainly." The cake is amazing. It is rich and sweet. I have my coffee and feel very happy. Then I say, "Can I have the bill, please?" The waiter brings it. The total is thirty-eight euros. I say, "Can I pay with a card?" He says, "Yes, of course. We accept all major credit cards." I pay and leave a tip of five euros. I say, "Thank you very much. The food was delicious and the service was excellent." The waiter says, "Thank you, Miss Sophie. You are welcome. Please come again. Good night!"

I leave the restaurant and walk back to the hotel. It is a quarter past nine and the streets are quiet. The air is cool and fresh. I can see the stars in the sky. I pass the library, the fountain, and the post office. Everything is closed now. I get back to the hotel and Mister Garcia is still at the desk. He says, "Good evening, Miss Sophie. How was your dinner?" I say, "It was wonderful, thank you. The restaurant was excellent." He says, "I am glad to hear that. Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?" I say, "Yes, actually. Can I get a wake-up call at seven tomorrow morning?" He says, "Of course. Seven am. I will make sure someone calls your room." I say, "Thank you. Good night, Mister Garcia." He says, "Good night, Miss Sophie. Sleep well."

The next morning is Saturday. The phone rings at seven and I get up. I take a shower. The hot water is working now! I get dressed and go downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast. There is a buffet with bread, cheese, fruit, juice, coffee, and tea. I take some bread, butter, and jam, and a cup of coffee. I sit at a table near the window. I see a woman and a man at the next table. The woman says, "Good morning! How are you?" I say, "Good morning! I am fine, thank you. And you?" She says, "Not too bad, thank you. My name is Maria and this is my husband, Thomas." I say, "Nice to meet you both. My name is Sophie. I am from England." Maria says, "Pleased to meet you, Sophie! We are from this city. We are having breakfast here because our kitchen is being repaired."

Maria and Thomas are very friendly. Thomas says, "How long are you staying?" I say, "Three nights. I do not know the city very well. Where should I go today?" Maria says, "You should go to the old market. It is in the centre of town, near the church. Go straight ahead from the hotel and turn right at the traffic lights. It is about ten minutes on foot." I say, "That sounds wonderful. Thank you for the suggestion." Thomas says, "And tomorrow, you should take the bus to the museum. It is very interesting. The bus stop is opposite the hotel." I say, "Thank you both. You are very kind and helpful." Maria says, "You are welcome! Maybe we will see you at breakfast tomorrow. Goodbye, Sophie!" I say, "Goodbye! Have a good day!" I finish my coffee and go to get my bag. Today I will go to the market!