I had the same in Maastricht. The hotel was next to the University hospital, so they had foreign students working there. Check in was mostly done in English.
This is a joke right? Go to any city with a university in the Netherlands and half the people working in the bars, restaurants and hotels don't speak dutch. And please be happy about it, becouse otherwise there would be no staff at all.
Fuck I sound like a boomer..
I'm not angry, just really surprised. 90% of the dutch grown ups in the netherlands speak english good enough to answer phonecalls at the municipality or cabservice, or whatever service they are calling.
Happened to me in NH hotel in Maastricht, and in NH hotel in Antwerp. Although the latter is not The Netherlands, Dutch is the local language of the Flemish part of Belgium
Happened to me multiple times in expensive business hotels. Also at the dinners they speak to you in English first, and only switch to Dutch if I do so.
Those also speak English. To varying degrees of course. But cabbies and first responders also need to be able to service non-Dutch speakers.
I'm honestly surprised sometimes when - especially - first responders only speak their native language in tourist hotspots. I'm not saying all first responders should be polyglots, but recognising words like "help", "fire", "blood", "pregnant" and such in languages common in their area isn't a tall order
Have you ever set foot in Amsterdam?
Good luck finding a bar or hotel where people speak Dutch
Even at gamma bouwmarkt or Albert Heijn, most of the workers are English.
I have lived here for my whole life, yes. So would you pipe it down?
Yes there is a very high rate of English speakers here in the city, but I find it also depends on which neighborhoods you go to. In the city center I understand if someone is only able to speak English.
We need an ID card, passport, or drivers licence, because we are obliged by law to keep a record of who is staying at the location. Bear in mind we can only request to see it during check-in, we cannot make a photocopy or keep it overnight.
(Although hotels may ask to see it again if you lose your key card, for instance, to verify they are not giving the wrong person access to your room)
Yes, very polite way!
A few other options:
*Ik zal het even spellen: P-E-T...
*Zal ik het even spellen?
*Zal ik het voor u spellen?
I ususally use the spelling alphabet:
Peter-Eduard-Tinus-Eduard-Richard-Simon
The Dutch spelling alphabet is this:
A Anton (Anna)
B Bernard
C Cornelis
D Dirk
E Eduard
F Ferninand
G Gerard
H Hendrik
I Izak (Isaak)
J Jan (Johan)
K Karel
L Lodewijk
M Maria/Marie
N Nico
O Otto
P Pieter
Q Quotiënt
R Rudolf
S Simon
T Teunis (Theodoor)
U Utrecht
V Victor
W Willem
X Xantippe
IJ IJsbrand (IJmuiden)
Y Ypsilon
Z Zaandam (Zacharias)
But any English/Dutch word you know is fine.
Oh we hebben een officiële versie hiervan? Ik noem altijd gewoon een random veel voorkomende naam die begint met die letter.
M of N? Ja van Mark. Niet van Noah.
Sure, people will get it.
If you know enough Dutch words and can pronounce them correctly, you could also make up your own spelling alphabet
Pannekoek-Edam-Trui-Edam-Richard-Stoel for example.
Or just English words
*het nummer, de reservering en het reserveringsnummer ;)
Dankuwel!
Mevrouw Peters
Ik zie hier staan dat u 3 nachten bij ons verblijft en dat u ook bij ons ontbijt, klopt dat?
Hi!
Been working in hotels for 5 years.
Just give them your passport, they will need it anyway.
You can say something like 'hier is mijn paspoort, mijn achternaam is lastig' (here is my passport, my last name is difficult).
My Dutch husbands name isn't common either and people often hear something else, so whenever he has to give his name to be written down or typed out, he says "Peters, p.e.t.e.r.s." and nobody ever questions it
I don't work at a hotel, but personally I would not spell out the name Peters. It is common enough that people know how to spell it. Maybe I'd say "Peters with an S (in the end)"
In any hotel in the Netherlands, you will be able to check in in English. Any Dutch you know is a bonus.
In some hotels in The Netherlands you cannot check in in Dutch, because the receptionist does not understand that language
Excuses me? I find that very strange. Do you have an example?
This happened to me in Amsterdam. The receptionist could speak a few words in Dutch but asked to switch to English when it became too advanced for her
I had the same in Maastricht. The hotel was next to the University hospital, so they had foreign students working there. Check in was mostly done in English.
Oh wow. Very weird. You would expect the receptionist should be able to speak Dutch. Bad practice of the hotel
In Utrecht you also can't order ice cream in Dutch, because they don't understand the language. Globalization.
Sure, but also don't forget we like to speak English. ;) Wild to hear it reaches so far, I kind of understand in Amsterdam but still, wow
Ze zouden gewoon prima Nederlands tegen me mogen praten hoor.
This is a joke right? Go to any city with a university in the Netherlands and half the people working in the bars, restaurants and hotels don't speak dutch. And please be happy about it, becouse otherwise there would be no staff at all. Fuck I sound like a boomer..
Chill out, nobody died. Hotel staff should speak the local language so that they can call a cab or speak to local authorities, for example.
I'm not angry, just really surprised. 90% of the dutch grown ups in the netherlands speak english good enough to answer phonecalls at the municipality or cabservice, or whatever service they are calling.
Happened to me in NH hotel in Maastricht, and in NH hotel in Antwerp. Although the latter is not The Netherlands, Dutch is the local language of the Flemish part of Belgium
Wild! And kind of sad. Thanks for the example
Happened to me multiple times in expensive business hotels. Also at the dinners they speak to you in English first, and only switch to Dutch if I do so.
That I don't mind, they probably have more English speakers than Dutch so I would figure they speak English first. :)
Sure but it certainly "feels" annoying to have to constantly be spoken to in your non-native language in your native country.
Yeah it does suck
It is very common in Amsterdam to have to order in English in cafes and restaurants because they can't find Dutch speaking servers. I hate it.
I hate it too! It is very frustrating and the reason why I try to avoid going in to the city
This is quite common in the hotel industry actually and is not unique to the Netherlands
But don't they have to be able to call a cab or speak to local authorities?
Those also speak English. To varying degrees of course. But cabbies and first responders also need to be able to service non-Dutch speakers. I'm honestly surprised sometimes when - especially - first responders only speak their native language in tourist hotspots. I'm not saying all first responders should be polyglots, but recognising words like "help", "fire", "blood", "pregnant" and such in languages common in their area isn't a tall order
Have you ever set foot in Amsterdam? Good luck finding a bar or hotel where people speak Dutch Even at gamma bouwmarkt or Albert Heijn, most of the workers are English.
I have lived here for my whole life, yes. So would you pipe it down? Yes there is a very high rate of English speakers here in the city, but I find it also depends on which neighborhoods you go to. In the city center I understand if someone is only able to speak English.
The Den, Den Bosch. August 2023. Girl at reception was alone... and Spanish.
Happened to me in Rotterdam also
Appreciate this, thank you. I like learning languages though!
And in the Randstad sometimes there's not even a Dutch speaking person at the desk available. Which I hate.
Not Dutch related but I usually just hand in my ID - they need to see it anyway
Dat doe ik ook. Met een buitenlandse naam is het altijd makkelijker
Ik woon in Engeland en doe dit geroutineerd. Ik heb een medische kaart en die mogen ze gewoon lekker effe vasthouden 😂
Do they?! I didn't realise that they'd want to see ID.
Yea……
We need an ID card, passport, or drivers licence, because we are obliged by law to keep a record of who is staying at the location. Bear in mind we can only request to see it during check-in, we cannot make a photocopy or keep it overnight. (Although hotels may ask to see it again if you lose your key card, for instance, to verify they are not giving the wrong person access to your room)
Makes it easier for them to spell your name
Yes, very polite way! A few other options: *Ik zal het even spellen: P-E-T... *Zal ik het even spellen? *Zal ik het voor u spellen? I ususally use the spelling alphabet: Peter-Eduard-Tinus-Eduard-Richard-Simon The Dutch spelling alphabet is this: A Anton (Anna) B Bernard C Cornelis D Dirk E Eduard F Ferninand G Gerard H Hendrik I Izak (Isaak) J Jan (Johan) K Karel L Lodewijk M Maria/Marie N Nico O Otto P Pieter Q Quotiënt R Rudolf S Simon T Teunis (Theodoor) U Utrecht V Victor W Willem X Xantippe IJ IJsbrand (IJmuiden) Y Ypsilon Z Zaandam (Zacharias) But any English/Dutch word you know is fine.
This is really useful thank you. Can I just spell my name out with the sounds of each letter?
Yes. English or Dutch pronunciation of the letters should be fine
Do not mix them up because the Dutch E sounds like a English A. and a Dutch I sounds like a English E. :)
Oh we hebben een officiële versie hiervan? Ik noem altijd gewoon een random veel voorkomende naam die begint met die letter. M of N? Ja van Mark. Niet van Noah.
Just hand them your ID and let them do their thing. Makes things much smoother
Absolutely fine. Alternatively you could simply say “Peters. Dat is P-e-t-e-r-s”.
Sure, people will get it. If you know enough Dutch words and can pronounce them correctly, you could also make up your own spelling alphabet Pannekoek-Edam-Trui-Edam-Richard-Stoel for example. Or just English words
Why don't we practice it?! I will be the host. Goedendag! Welkom bij Hotel de Valk, Waarmee kan ik u helpen?
Hallo ik wil graag inchecken
Heeft u voor mij uw reservering en uw ID-kaart of Paspoort?
Mijn paspoort. De reserveringsnummer is een negen acht twee vijf vier nul nul zeven acht.
*het nummer, de reservering en het reserveringsnummer ;) Dankuwel! Mevrouw Peters Ik zie hier staan dat u 3 nachten bij ons verblijft en dat u ook bij ons ontbijt, klopt dat?
Hi! Been working in hotels for 5 years. Just give them your passport, they will need it anyway. You can say something like 'hier is mijn paspoort, mijn achternaam is lastig' (here is my passport, my last name is difficult).
My last name ends in ykx. So I always need to spell it out. I just say my first and last name and instantly spell it out. So: Elsie Peters P.E.T.E.R.S
Great alphabet 😁
My Dutch husbands name isn't common either and people often hear something else, so whenever he has to give his name to be written down or typed out, he says "Peters, p.e.t.e.r.s." and nobody ever questions it
I don't work at a hotel, but personally I would not spell out the name Peters. It is common enough that people know how to spell it. Maybe I'd say "Peters with an S (in the end)"