English speaking lesson · Travel & Transport
Hostel check-in
You've just arrived at a hostel. A friendly receptionist is at the front desk. You practice it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A budget hostel · you talk to the hostel receptionist
Free plan: this lesson is free to play at every level, with 10 messages a day. No card needed. The Learning Plan makes messages unlimited — $1.99 a month or $14.99 a year, with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
What you have to do
Check in, choose your bed, confirm your nights, ask about extras, and get your key. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. The tutor never stops to correct you; the feedback appears beside your own messages, and the completion screen collects it all.
How it opens
Hey, welcome! Are you checking in with us?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the hostel receptionist.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Say you're checking in
Say you're checking in and give the name on the booking.
“Hi! I'm here to check in. The name is Lee.”
- 02
Choose your bed
Say whether you'd like a dorm bed or a private room.
“A dorm bed, please.”
- 03
Confirm your nights
Say how many nights you're staying.
“Two nights, please.”
- 04
Ask about extras
Ask a question about breakfast, lockers, or the kitchen.
“Is there a kitchen I can use?”
- 05
Get your key
Take your key, and finish politely.
“Thanks a lot! Here's my key.”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the hostel receptionist.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- hostel
- a cheap place to stay with shared rooms
- “I'm staying at the hostel.”
- check
- to arrive and register — 'check in'
- “I'm here to check in.”
- name
- what you are called
- “The name is Lee.”
- bed
- where you sleep
- “One bed, please.”
- room
- a space with a door, private
- “A private room, please.”
- night
- one evening's stay
- “One night, please.”
- kitchen
- where you can cook food
- “Is there a kitchen?”
- key
- what opens your room
- “Here is your key.”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “A bed, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks a lot!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- dorm
- a shared room with several beds
- “I'm after a dorm bed.”
- reservation
- a bed booked in advance
- “I have a reservation.”
- shared
- used by more than one person
- “A shared bathroom, right?”
- included
- counted as part of the price
- “Is breakfast included?”
- locker
- a small locked storage space
- “Is there a locker for my bag?”
- curfew
- a time by which you must return
- “Is there a curfew here?”
- correct
- right, with no mistakes
- “Yes, that's correct.”
- spare
- an extra one kept ready
- “Could I get a spare key?”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I appreciate it.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- mixed
- for both men and women together
- “Is the dorm mixed?”
- single-sex
- for one gender only
- “Is there a single-sex option?”
- amenities
- useful facilities a place offers
- “What amenities are included?”
- deposit
- money paid upfront, returned later
- “Is there a key deposit?”
- communal
- shared by everyone staying there
- “Is the kitchen communal?”
- checkout
- the time you must leave by
- “What time is checkout?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- spare
- an extra one kept ready
- “Could I grab a spare towel?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, mate.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- bunk
- a stacked bed in a shared room
- “Top bunk or bottom?”
- chill
- a relaxed shared space (informal)
- “Is there a chill-out area?”
- vibe
- the general feel of a place (informal)
- “What's the vibe like here?”
- stash
- to store something safely (informal)
- “Where can I stash my bag?”
- grab
- to get something quickly (informal)
- “I'll just grab a towel.”
- wander
- to walk around casually
- “I might just wander and see.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Brilliant, we're sorted.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged.”
- spot
- a place, informally
- “Nice spot you've got here.”
More Travel & Transport lessons
- Buying a train ticket
- Airport check-in & security
- Lost luggage
- Hotel check-in
- Asking for directions
- Tourist information
- Taxi / rideshare
- Hiring a car
- Booking a tour
- Ferry crossing
- Changing a booking