Hotel facts for kids

The Radisson Blu Hotel in Szczecin, Poland

The Llao llao Hotel in Argentina

A hotel is a special building where people can stay and sleep when they are away from home. It has many rooms that you can rent for a night or longer. You pay money for the room and the services provided.

There are different kinds of places to stay:

• A guest-house is often a smaller, more personal place, sometimes in someone's home.
• A motel is a hotel made especially for people traveling by car. The room door often opens right into the parking lot, making it easy to unload luggage.
• An inn is another word sometimes used for a smaller, cozy hotel, often with a more traditional feel.

Hotels offer more than just a place to sleep. Many have restaurants, swimming pools, or even places where conferences (big meetings) are held. They are important for travelers, tourists, and business people.

What is a Hotel?

A hotel is a place that offers paid lodging on a short-term basis. It provides a private room, usually with a bed, a bathroom, and furniture like a desk or wardrobe. Hotels are designed to make guests feel comfortable and safe while they are away from their own homes.

Why Do People Stay in Hotels?

People stay in hotels for many reasons:

• Travel and Tourism: When families go on vacation, hotels give them a place to relax and sleep after exploring new places.
• Business Trips: People traveling for work often stay in hotels, especially if they need to attend meetings or conferences.
• Special Events: Sometimes, people stay in hotels for weddings, concerts, or other events happening far from their homes.
• Emergencies: If something happens to their home, like a flood, people might need to stay in a hotel temporarily.

Different Kinds of Hotels

Not all hotels are the same! They come in many shapes and sizes, offering different experiences:

• Luxury Hotels: These are fancy hotels with lots of services like spas, gourmet restaurants, and concierges who help guests.
• Budget Hotels: These hotels are simpler and cost less. They provide basic comforts without many extra features.
• Boutique Hotels: These are smaller, unique hotels that often have a special design or theme.
• Resorts: Resorts are like hotels but often include many activities and facilities, such as golf courses, beaches, or ski slopes. They are popular for vacations.
• Capsule Hotels: Found mostly in Japan, these hotels have tiny, pod-like rooms, perfect for a quick, cheap stay.
• Ice Hotels: These amazing hotels are made entirely of ice and snow! They are rebuilt every winter in very cold places.

A Little History of Hotels

The idea of places for travelers to rest has been around for thousands of years.

• In ancient times, travelers often stayed in private homes or simple inns along trade routes.
• In the Middle Ages, monasteries and guesthouses offered shelter to pilgrims and merchants.
• The first modern hotels, with private rooms and services, started appearing in Europe and America in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• The Tremont House in Boston, built in 1829, was one of the first luxury hotels in the United States. It was famous for having indoor plumbing and private bathrooms in some rooms, which was very new at the time!
• As travel became easier with trains and cars, more hotels and motels were built to welcome guests.

Images for kids

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  The Peninsula New York hotel located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street in Manhattan

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  A typical hotel room with a bed, desk, and television

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  This hotel room in Scandic Hotel Malmen in Stockholm, Sweden is located two floors underground.

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  The Tabard Inn, Southwark, London

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  Tremont House in Boston, United States, a luxury hotel, the first to provide indoor plumbing

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  The Boody House Hotel in Toledo, Ohio

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  Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, Russia

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  Rosewood London, England

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  Shangri-La's Fijian Resort in Yanuca Island, Fiji

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  Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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  Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

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  Hotel Astoria and statue of Tsar Nicholas I in Saint Petersburg, Russia

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  Grand Hotel Viljandi at winter in Viljandi, Estonia

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  Hôtel Ritz Paris in France

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  Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, China

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  On top of the cliff, the Riosol Hotel in Mogán

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  Interior of a capsule hotel in Osaka, Japan

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  Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

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  Ithaa, the first undersea restaurant at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort

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  An overwater bungalow on the island resort in the Maldives

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  Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge

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  Railroad Park Resort, a Caboose Hotel in Northern California

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  The Waldorf Astoria New York, the most expensive hotel ever sold, cost US$1.95 billion in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Hotel para niños