German for Hotel Jobs: Phrases for Reception, Housekeeping and Breakfast Service
The German for hotel jobs depends on the role: at reception you handle phone bookings, complaints and invoices, so conversational German around B1–B2 is realistic; housekeeping and kitchen work often start at A1–A2. Some international hotels work in English, but guests and colleagues in Germany will still expect German.
Checked in October 2026 against the Federal Employment Agency’s skilled-labour shortage analysis, the Federal Statistical Office (earnings 2025), the Federal Government (minimum wage), IHK pages on hospitality training, make-it-in-germany.com and the Bavarian state portal plus trade press (Western Balkans regulation).
Are hospitality jobs in demand in Germany?
Yes, in parts of the sector. In the Federal Employment Agency’s shortage analysis for 2024 (published May 2025), restaurant service occupations (Berufe im Gastronomieservice) and cooks were among the largest shortage occupations at skilled-worker level. Hotel reception and housekeeping were not among the shortage occupations highlighted in the report, so demand there depends more on region and season.
The other side: hospitality (Gastgewerbe) had the lowest median pay of all sectors in 2025 (details under “Pay in hotels”).
What German level do you need for each hotel job?
There is no legal language requirement for hotel work; the employer decides. This table is our estimate from what each job involves, not an official rule.
| Role | German job title | Realistic level | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reception, front office | Rezeptionist/in, Front Office Agent | B1–B2 | Phone calls, complaints, local tips, invoices |
| Night reception | Nachtportier, Night Auditor | B1 | Often alone, must handle emergencies |
| Breakfast service | Frühstücksservice | A2–B1 | Short, repeated phrases |
| Housekeeping | Zimmerreinigung, Housekeeping | A1–A2 | Instructions, safety labels, short guest contact |
| Kitchen help, dishwashing | Küchenhilfe, Spüler/in | A1–A2 | Hygiene and safety instructions |
For a broader view of language levels across jobs, see jobs in Germany without German.
Reception phrases: check-in
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Guten Abend und herzlich willkommen im Hotel Lindenhof! | Good evening and welcome to Hotel Lindenhof! |
| Auf welchen Namen haben Sie reserviert? | What name is the reservation under? |
| Darf ich bitte Ihren Ausweis oder Reisepass sehen? | May I see your ID card or passport, please? |
| Sie haben ein Doppelzimmer für drei Nächte, bis Freitag. | You have a double room for three nights, until Friday. |
| Das Frühstück ist inklusive, von 6:30 bis 10:30 Uhr im Erdgeschoss. | Breakfast is included, 6:30 to 10:30 on the ground floor. |
| Ihr Zimmer ist im dritten Stock, Zimmer 312. Der Aufzug ist dort links. | Your room is on the third floor, room 312. The lift is over there on the left. |
| Hier ist Ihre Schlüsselkarte. Das WLAN-Passwort steht auf der Karte. | Here is your key card. The Wi-Fi password is on the card. |
| Ich wünsche Ihnen einen angenehmen Aufenthalt! | Have a pleasant stay! |
Room numbers, prices and times come up all day. If numbers slow you down, see German numbers and pronunciation.
Reception phrases: check-out
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Möchten Sie auschecken? | Would you like to check out? |
| Hatten Sie etwas aus der Minibar? | Did you take anything from the minibar? |
| Hier ist Ihre Rechnung. Zahlen Sie bar oder mit Karte? | Here is your bill. Are you paying cash or by card? |
| Soll die Rechnung auf eine Firma ausgestellt werden? | Should the invoice be made out to a company? |
| Wir bewahren Ihr Gepäck gern bis zum Nachmittag auf. | We’ll gladly keep your luggage until the afternoon. |
| Gute Reise! Wir freuen uns auf Ihren nächsten Besuch. | Have a good trip! We look forward to your next visit. |
Reservations on the phone
On the phone there are no gestures, and names, dates and prices come fast. General phone tips are in making a phone appointment in German.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Hotel Lindenhof, Rezeption, mein Name ist Ana Silva. Was kann ich für Sie tun? | Hotel Lindenhof, reception, Ana Silva speaking. How can I help you? |
| Für welchen Zeitraum möchten Sie buchen? | For which dates would you like to book? |
| Für wie viele Personen? Einzelzimmer oder Doppelzimmer? | For how many people? Single or double room? |
| Einen Moment bitte, ich schaue nach, ob wir noch etwas frei haben. | One moment, please, I’ll check whether we have anything available. |
| Können Sie mir den Namen bitte buchstabieren? | Could you spell the name for me, please? |
| Sie bekommen gleich eine Bestätigung per E-Mail. | You’ll receive a confirmation by email shortly. |
| Bis 24 Stunden vor Anreise können Sie kostenlos stornieren. | You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before arrival. |
Handling complaints at reception
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Das tut mir sehr leid. | I’m very sorry. |
| Ich kümmere mich sofort darum. | I’ll take care of it right away. |
| Ich schicke Ihnen gleich jemanden von der Haustechnik. | I’ll send someone from maintenance right away. |
| Ich kann Ihnen ein ruhigeres Zimmer zum Innenhof anbieten. | I can offer you a quieter room facing the courtyard. |
| Darf ich Ihnen als kleine Entschuldigung ein Getränk an der Bar anbieten? | May I offer you a drink at the bar as a small apology? |
| Ich gebe das an meine Vorgesetzte weiter. | I’ll pass this on to my manager. |
Never promise refunds you are not allowed to give. Ich kläre das und melde mich bei Ihnen (I’ll check and get back to you) is always safe.
Giving directions
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Zum Bahnhof sind es etwa zehn Minuten zu Fuß. | It’s about ten minutes on foot to the station. |
| Gehen Sie aus dem Hotel nach links und dann immer geradeaus bis zur Ampel. | Turn left out of the hotel and go straight on to the traffic lights. |
| Die Straßenbahn hält direkt vor dem Hotel. | The tram stops right outside the hotel. |
Housekeeping vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Bettwäsche | bed linen |
| das Bettlaken | sheet |
| der Bettbezug | duvet cover |
| der Kopfkissenbezug | pillowcase |
| das Handtuch / das Badetuch | towel / bath towel |
| der Bademantel | bathrobe |
| der Etagenwagen | housekeeping trolley |
| der Staubsauger | vacuum cleaner |
| das Reinigungsmittel | cleaning product |
| das Abreisezimmer | check-out room |
| das Bleibezimmer | stayover room |
| Bitte nicht stören | Do not disturb |
| die Fundsache | lost-and-found item |
| defekt / kaputt | broken |
| die Haustechnik | maintenance |
| die Hausdame | head of housekeeping |
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
Breakfast service phrases
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Guten Morgen! Welche Zimmernummer haben Sie, bitte? | Good morning! What is your room number, please? |
| Möchten Sie Kaffee oder Tee? | Would you like coffee or tea? |
| Das Buffet ist dort drüben. | The buffet is over there. |
| Wir machen Ihnen gern frische Eier: Rührei, Spiegelei oder ein gekochtes Ei? | We’ll gladly make you fresh eggs: scrambled, fried or boiled? |
| Glutenfreies Brot finden Sie am Ende des Buffets. | You’ll find gluten-free bread at the end of the buffet. |
| Darf ich abräumen? | May I clear the table? |
| Das Buffet schließt um halb elf. | The buffet closes at half past ten. |
Dialogue 1: check-in, room not ready yet
Gast: Guten Tag, ich habe ein Zimmer auf den Namen Moreau reserviert.
Rezeption: Guten Tag, Herr Moreau, herzlich willkommen! Einen Moment bitte. Ja, ein Einzelzimmer für zwei Nächte mit Frühstück. Darf ich bitte Ihren Ausweis sehen?
Gast: Hier, bitte.
Rezeption: Danke. Leider ist Ihr Zimmer noch nicht fertig, der Check-in ist ab 15 Uhr. Ich kann Ihr Gepäck gern so lange aufbewahren.
Gast: Schade. Wie lange dauert das ungefähr?
Rezeption: Etwa eine Stunde. Ich rufe Sie an, sobald es fertig ist. Bis dahin können Sie gern in der Lobby einen Kaffee trinken, er geht aufs Haus.
Guest: Hello, I have a room booked under the name Moreau. Reception: Hello, Mr Moreau, welcome! One moment, please. Yes, a single room for two nights with breakfast. May I see your ID, please? Guest: Here you are. Reception: Thank you. Unfortunately your room isn’t ready yet; check-in is from 3 p.m. I can keep your luggage until then. Guest: Pity. About how long will it take? Reception: About an hour. I’ll call you as soon as it’s ready. Until then, have a coffee in the lobby, it’s on the house.
Dialogue 2: a booking on the phone
Rezeption: Hotel Lindenhof, Rezeption, mein Name ist Ana Silva. Was kann ich für Sie tun?
Gast: Guten Tag, ich möchte ein Doppelzimmer vom 12. bis zum 14. November buchen.
Rezeption: Gern. Also zwei Nächte, Anreise Donnerstag, Abreise Samstag. Einen Moment bitte. Ja, wir haben noch ein Doppelzimmer frei, für 139 Euro pro Nacht inklusive Frühstück.
Gast: Gut, das nehme ich. Mein Name ist Kowalski.
Rezeption: Können Sie das bitte buchstabieren?
Gast: K, O, W, A, L, S, K, I.
Rezeption: Danke, Herr Kowalski. Sie bekommen gleich eine Bestätigung per E-Mail. Auf Wiederhören!
Reception: Hotel Lindenhof, reception, Ana Silva speaking. How can I help? Guest: Hello, I’d like to book a double room from 12 to 14 November. Reception: Certainly. So two nights, arriving Thursday, leaving Saturday. One moment, please. Yes, we still have a double room available, for 139 euros a night including breakfast. Guest: Good, I’ll take it. My name is Kowalski. Reception: Could you spell that, please? Guest: K, O, W, A, L, S, K, I. Reception: Thank you, Mr Kowalski. You’ll get a confirmation by email shortly. Goodbye!
(Hotel, names and prices are fictional.)
Practise the German for hotel jobs out loud. Reading a dialogue is not the same as answering a guest who speaks fast. SipLingo lets you hold voice conversations with an AI partner in everyday and work situations and explains your grammar and word-order mistakes in your own language. It is speaking practice, not a hospitality course or a certificate.
The Ausbildung route: Hotelfachmann / Hotelfachfrau
The classic German qualification is the three-year dual training (duale Ausbildung) as Hotelfachmann or Hotelfachfrau: you work in a hotel and attend vocational school. Since the update of 1 August 2022 it puts more weight on reception and reservations. The related three-year Kaufmann/Kauffrau für Hotelmanagement is more commercial.
For people from outside the EU, make-it-in-germany.com says that the visa for vocational training normally requires German at B1, and you must show that you can support yourself (for company-based training it lists at least 1,048 euros gross or 822 euros net a month in 2026; check the page for the current amount). Whether B1 is enough in practice is covered in is B1 enough for an Ausbildung, and the interview in Ausbildung interview German.
Pay in hotels
Only verified numbers:
- Minimum wage: 13.90 euros gross per hour in 2026, rising to 14.60 euros in 2027. It applies to hotel staff, including mini-jobs.
- Sector median: 35,545 euros gross a year for full-time hospitality employees in 2025, including bonuses (Federal Statistical Office), against 54,066 euros across all sectors. This covers all hospitality jobs, not one role.
- Collective agreements: many hotels pay according to regional collective agreements, which differ by state and job group. Ask the employer whether one applies.
For a specific job and region, check the Federal Employment Agency’s Entgeltatlas. Restaurant work is covered in German for waiters and restaurant staff.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Goethe-Institut: Deutsch am Arbeitsplatz – German at work exercises – Exercises on applications, job interviews, phone calls, emails and job fields
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government): Applying for a job in Germany: CV, cover letter, interview – German CV and cover letter norms, documents, job interview tips
Frequently asked questions
Are hospitality jobs in demand in Germany?
Restaurant service staff and cooks were among the largest shortage occupations in the Federal Employment Agency’s 2024 analysis; hotel reception and housekeeping were not highlighted.
What German level do I need to work in a hotel?
There is no legal minimum; the employer decides. Realistically, reception and reservations need about B1–B2, breakfast service A2–B1, and housekeeping or kitchen help A1–A2.
Can I work in a hotel in Germany without German?
In some international hotels, especially in housekeeping or the kitchen, you may start with very little German. You will still need it for safety instructions, colleagues and promotion.
How much do hotel workers get paid in Germany?
At least the minimum wage of 13.90 euros an hour in 2026. The median for full-time hospitality employees was 35,545 euros gross a year in 2025, the lowest of all sectors.
What hotel jobs in Germany offer visa sponsorship?
Germany has no “sponsorship” system as such: you need a job or training contract and a residence permit that fits you. Routes include the skilled-worker visa (recognised qualification), the training visa (e.g. Hotelfachmann/-frau) and, for six Western Balkan countries, the Western Balkans regulation, which does not require a recognised qualification; the government plans to halve its quota of 50,000 from 2027 (not yet law when we checked in October 2026).
Practise check-ins, phone bookings and guest complaints in German by voice.
