Hello, <BR> <BR>I need some assistance in booking hotels. <BR>I wonder if anybody has a prepared fax-sheet to ask for availibility of rooms- and all in Spanish? I furthermore need then a kind of request letter to book the hotels. I can read Spanish fairly good, understand everything but my composing skills are the pits. Maribel, Pedro or anybody? It`s for Venezuela if that matters. And please don`t advise to use Babelfish, I had one of the best laughs when I tried to translate English to German using it. I don`t like to put myself in the situation offering to buy the whole hotel or proposing to the proprietor.. <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance <BR> <BR>Miriam

Miriam--Probably it would be easiest if you state here in English what you need to know (dates, number of rooms, number of guests, etc). One of us can post a translation for you that you can cut and paste into an email or onto a fax sheet.

Hello Escritora, <BR> <BR>you`re probably right about that, but since my plans are not fixed yet I just thought about a kind of "blank" form to fill in, with a friendly beginning, like " Dear..., I would to know if you have any rooms (double with bath) to rent from the...to the ..." After that I want to ask about the rate etc..And at the end sth. like, "Please reply to my email address and enclose a request form, thanks". I`ll be fine with that... <BR> <BR>Miriam <BR>

OK, I need the practice: <BR> <BR>Hola Sr./Sra: Quisieramos saber si ustedes tendran habitaciones disponibles en su hotel ____________(name of hotel) para las noches del _____ (day) de ________ (month) hasta el _______( day) del ________(month), 200_. Quisieramos reservar una habitación con dos camas/una cama grande y baño. Lo agradeceríamos mucho si ustedes pudieran notificaranos del precio y enviar a ésta dirección email su formulario, o notificarnos de cual sea su proceso preferído para confirmar la reservacion. Muchísimas gracias. Hasta luego.

Hi Kalena, <BR> <BR>thanks so much. Exactly what I needed. I tried to call the hotels (no website, of course) and didn`t get far with my Spanish (although I´ve lived there for one year, but that was ten years ago and I have very seldom the possibilty to practice it). English, French, German or Swedish was a no-go. (Ok, I didn`t expect somebody speaking Swedish, but you know when you`re desperate, you`ll try everything...). <BR>Let`s see if it works. Thanks again for taking the time. <BR> <BR>Kind regards <BR> <BR>Miriam

Interestingly, for my first hotel my daughter called and they spoke English. After that I tried faxing in English and every time I received a response in good English. <BR>While I wish I spoke some Spanish (going to have an interesting trip) <BR>I guess service people are beginning to accommodate their customers even in Spain.

Hello Myer, <BR> <BR>if it were Spain I wouldn`t worry. I want to send a fax to hotels in the Anden mountains in Venezuela. That`s a bit different. <BR> <BR>Miriam