Capítulo 09
Hotels & Rentals
Checking in, asking for things, and solving problems during your weeks in Mexico.
You’ll spend more nights in a Mexican hotel or rental than you’ll spend at the INM. Staff are used to dealing with foreigners — they’ll meet you halfway — but knowing a few phrases smooths everything and opens up places where the reception only speaks Spanish.
This chapter covers short-term (hotel) and medium-term (Airbnb / month-long rental) — the two likely shapes of your stay.
Checking in
- I have a reservation
- My reservation is under the name Juan
- Do you have rooms available?
- I’d like to check in
- Can you give me your ID?
- Sign here, please
- Here’s your key
- Your room is 205
Room vocabulary
- the room
- key
- bed
- pillow
- blanket
- towel
- bathroom
- shower (Mexican usage)
- hot water
- air conditioning
- fan
- heating
- kitchen
- fridge
- wifi / wifi password
Asking for things
- Can you bring me towels, please?
- I need more pillows
- What’s the wifi password?
- What time is breakfast?
- Until what time can I check out?
- Is there room service?
- Can you call me a taxi?
- Can you hold my luggage?
Things going wrong
Very useful — most problems can be described with a simple “no hay” or “no funciona”:
- There’s no hot water
- The AC isn’t working
- The wifi isn’t working
- There are no towels
- The shower is broken
- There’s a lot of noise
- Can you change my room?
- I lost the key
The magic formula for reporting any problem: no hay [thing] or no funciona [thing]. That alone covers 80% of what can break in a hotel.
Checking out
- I’d like to check out
- The bill, please
- Do you accept card?
- Can I get a receipt?
- Can I leave my luggage until the afternoon?
For longer stays (Airbnb, month-plus rentals)
If you book a month-long rental to wait out the INM processing window, a few extra phrases help:
- I’m going to stay a month
- How much does it cost per month?
- Is water / electricity / internet included?
- Can I pay in cash?
- Can I extend the rental?
- I need a receipt for my paperwork (you may need proof of address for INM)
The last one is critical if you need a comprobante de domicilio for your canje — some INM offices ask for it. Your landlord writing a simple letter of residence (carta de residencia) usually works.
Asking about the neighborhood
- Where’s a supermarket nearby?
- Where’s the nearest ATM?
- Is there a pharmacy around here?
- Where can I eat something good and cheap?
- Is it safe to walk at night?
Hotel staff are a great first filter for local advice — they know where the tourist-trap restaurants are and where locals actually eat. Ask.
Rehearsal: hotel check-in
Recepcionista:
Usted:
Recepcionista:
Usted:
Recepcionista:
Usted:
Recepcionista:
Usted:
Rehearsal: reporting a problem
Usted:
Recepcionista:
Usted:
Recepcionista:
Usted:
Next chapter: food & restaurants — where ordering in Spanish starts paying off fast. Mexican menus are where you get to enjoy the language, not just endure it.