When I was a kid, our holidays were always the same. My parents used to pack up the car with the dog, my brother and I, and lots of food and warm clothes.
We would drive to a self-catering cottage in the beautiful area of north England called the Lake District and spend one or two weeks dodging the rain and shivering next to mountain streams eating sandwiches whilst my dad went off exploring. We loved it!
Nowadays there are more alternatives to travel and holiday options. This English vocabulary to talk about holiday accommodation includes the old favourites plus some newer expressions. Don’t forget to practice your English reading skills using the questions at the end.
Vocabulary to Talk About Accommodation
Self-catering accommodation
This is a place where you cook your own meals instead of eating out. It could be a cottage, an apartment, or even a holiday home. A cottage is usually in a rural setting or a small village. Holiday homes are houses that are used solely to rent to holiday goers.
- Example: "We rented a self-catering apartment in Spain so we could cook our own meals and save some money." (Alquilamos un apartamento en España para cocinar nosotros mismos y ahorrar dinero).
Glamping
A mix of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping means staying in a stylish, comfortable tent or cabin in nature. This expression came into use in the UK in 2006, when campsite owners realised that there was a market for people who loved sleeping in nature, but without sacrificing comfort. Imagine a tent with a large comfortable bed and a fridge. That’s glamping.
- Example: "We stayed in a glamping site with a king-size bed and a hot tub in the middle of the forest". (Nos alojamos en un glamping con cama de matrimonio y bañera de hidromasaje en medio del bosque.)
A posh hotel
A fancy, expensive hotel with luxury facilities and excellent service. Think five-star treatment! The word ‘posh’ is a positive adjective that means luxurious or upper class. If you have the money, staying in a posh hotel is an option.
- Example: "For our anniversary, we treated ourselves to a stay at a posh hotel with a spa and ocean views". (Para nuestro aniversario, nos regalamos una estancia en un hotel de lujo con spa y vistas al mar).
A youth hostel
A budget-friendly place where travellers (often young people) stay in shared dormitories. A great option for backpackers! I used to stay in youth hostels when I was young. Nowadays, I don’t think I would be able to sleep in a room full of people snoring.
- Example: "The youth hostel was cheap and lively, and I met travellers from all over the world there". (El albergue juvenil era barato y animado, y allí conocí a viajeros de todo el mundo).
Home exchange
If you want to go on holiday somewhere nice and you don’t mind someone else coming to stay in your home, then this type of accommodation might be right for you. This is a system where, using one of the official websites, you put your home up for availability and you can visit someone else’s home in return. It is a great way to travel without spending lots of money on a place to stay. You just have to pay a subscription fee for the service and sometimes a small cleaning charge. It’s definitely a cheaper way to travel!
- Example: "We did a home exchange with a family in Paris—they stayed in our house while we stayed in theirs!" (Hicimos un intercambio de casas con una familia de París: ¡ellos se quedaron en nuestra casa y nosotros en la suya!).
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is not a type of accommodation as such, it’s the name of a website that was set up by a young man from the United States called Casey Fenton in 2003. This was a free website that (mostly young) people could offer their ‘couch’ or spare room to travellers. You get to stay for free in a stranger’s house. It’s a fantastic way to meet locals and travel on a budget. My friend met her husband this way, so sometimes you get more than a free night’s accommodation, now she has two kids!
- Example: "During my gap year, I did couch surfing in several countries and made some great friends along the way." (Durante mi año sabático hice couchsurfing en varios países e hice grandes amigos por el camino).
A caravan
A small, mobile home on wheels that people tow with their car or park at a campsite. In the UK caravan parks are often a cheaper holiday accommodation option for families.
- Example: "We drove across the country in a caravan, stopping at different scenic spots every night." (Atravesamos el país en caravana, parando cada noche en lugares pintorescos).
Aparthotel
A mix of an apartment and a hotel. You get a small kitchen and more space, but with hotel-style services like cleaning and reception.
- Example: "We booked an aparthotel so we could have our own space but still enjoy hotel amenities like breakfast and housekeeping". (Reservamos un apartahotel para disponer de nuestro propio espacio pero sin renunciar a las comodidades del hotel, como el desayuno y el servicio de limpieza).
A resort
A large holiday complex with hotels, restaurants, pools, and activities—often by the beach or in the mountains. Package holidays are often at resorts.
- Example: "The resort had everything we needed: a private beach, a golf course, and even a kids' club." (El complejo tenía todo lo que necesitábamos: una playa privada, un campo de golf e incluso un club infantil).
Bed and breakfast (B&B)
A small hotel or a house where guests stay in a room and are served breakfast in the morning. This is very typical if you are travelling around the UK.
- Example: "The bed and breakfast we stayed at was so charming, and the owner made delicious homemade pancakes!" (El bed and breakfast en el que nos alojamos era encantador y el propietario preparaba unos panqueques caseros deliciosos).
Boatel
This is a new one for me! A hotel on a boat! It could be a floating hotel on a river or even a converted cruise ship. It is often targeted towards people who are ‘water tourists’ and want to be near water facilities for their holiday activities.
- Example: "We booked a boatel in Amsterdam and had the most amazing view of the canals from our cabin." (Reservamos un boatel en Ámsterdam y tuvimos la vista más increíble de los canales desde nuestro camarote).
A campsite
An area where people set up tents or park caravans and motorhomes. Facilities like showers and toilets are usually available, although it depends on the site.
- Example: "The campsite was right next to a lake, so we went swimming every morning." (El camping estaba justo al lado de un lago, así que íbamos a nadar todas las mañanas).
A motorhome
A large vehicle with a living space inside, including a kitchen and beds. You can drive and sleep in it, making it perfect for road trips.
- Example: "We rented a motorhome and travelled around Scotland, stopping wherever we wanted to explore." (Alquilamos una autocaravana y viajamos por Escocia, parando allí donde queríamos explorar).
A cabin
A small wooden house, usually in the mountains or the forest. Great for a cozy getaway!
- Example: "We stayed in a cabin with a fireplace and woke up to beautiful snowy views every morning." (Nos alojamos en una cabaña con chimenea y nos despertamos con hermosas vistas nevadas cada mañana).
If you would like to practice your reading skills and learn vocabulary related to landscapes, click here: English Vocabulary to Talk About Landscape
Test Yourself!
Match the descriptions to the correct type of accommodation.
1. A small, wooden house in the forest or mountains.
a) Caravan
b) Resort
c) Cabin
d) Boatel
2. A hotel-style accommodation on a boat.
a) Bed and breakfast
b) Boatel
c) Campsite
d) Youth hostel
3. A budget-friendly place where travellers sleep in shared rooms.
a) Aparthotel
b) Home exchange
c) Youth hostel
d) Posh hotel
4. A mix between a hotel and an apartment.
a) Aparthotel
b) Resort
c) Glamping
d) Motorhome
5. A place where people stay in tents or park caravans.
a) Campsite
b) Glamping
c) Self-catering accommodation
d) Couch surfing
6. A luxury-style camping experience.
a) Campsite
b) Glamping
c) Caravan
d) Aparthotel
7. A home that can be driven and has built-in living spaces.
a) Caravan
b) Motorhome
c) Couch surfing
d) Boatel
8. A place where you cook your own meals instead of eating out.
a) Self-catering accommodation
b) Resort
c) Posh hotel
d) Youth hostel
9. A system where people swap homes for vacations.
a) Couch surfing
b) Home exchange
c) Aparthotel
d) Bed and breakfast
10. A large holiday complex with many facilities and entertainment options.
a) Aparthotel
b) Resort
c) Campsite
d) Motorhome
11. Staying at someone’s house for free, usually arranged online.
a) Home exchange
b) Couch surfing
c) Boatel
d) Bed and breakfast
12. A small, family-run lodging where breakfast is included.
a) Bed and breakfast
b) Posh hotel
c) Aparthotel
d) Resort
Answer Key:
1. c; 2. b; 3. c; 4. a; 5. a; 6. b; 7. b; 8. a; 9. b; 10. b; 11. b; 12. a
