Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Hotel in Spanish: Same Word, Different Pronunciation, and Related Lodging Vocabulary
Hotel · noun (masculine) · oh-TEHL
Hotel in Spanish is hotel—one of those convenient cognates that looks identical in both languages. The difference is pronunciation: the h is silent and the stress falls on the last syllable, oh-TEHL. For broader lodging vocabulary, learn hospedaje, posada, and alojamiento.
oh-TEHL. Two syllables. The h is completely silent—never aspirate it. Stress the final syllable. The plural is hoteles (oh-teh-LEHS).
Reservamos un hotel cerca de la playa.
We booked a hotel near the beach.
Hotel in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for hotel, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| hotel | hotel | oh-TEHL | Default, widely understood |
| hospedaje | hotel | lodging in general, often smaller or budget accommodations | |
| posada | hotel | inn or guesthouse, traditional or rustic setting | |
| alojamiento | hotel | accommodation, used broadly in travel contexts |
How Native Speakers Use Hotel
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Booking a room
¿Cuánto cuesta la noche en este hotel?
How much is a night at this hotel?
The most common traveler scenario—asking about room rates at the front desk.
Recommending a place to stay
Te recomiendo buscar un hospedaje en el centro histórico.
I recommend looking for lodging in the historic center.
Hospedaje is broader than hotel—it can include hostels, guesthouses, and rental rooms.
Describing a traditional inn
Nos quedamos en una posada con vista a las montañas.
We stayed at an inn with a view of the mountains.
Posada evokes a charming, often rustic lodging. In Mexico, posadas are also the famous Christmas celebration processions.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Hotel
Pronouncing the h
Incorrect: Hoh-TEHL (aspirating the h like in English)
Correct: oh-TEHL (silent h)
Hotel in Spanish starts with a silent h, so the first audible sound is the vowel o. Giving it the breathy English h sound immediately marks you as a non-native speaker.
Using the wrong article
Incorrect: La hotel tiene piscina.
Correct: El hotel tiene piscina.
Hotel is masculine: el hotel. Despite ending in -l (not a typical gender clue), it takes the masculine article.
Lock in Hotel Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Hotel used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using hotel in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Reservamos un hotel cerca de la playa. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Hotel in Spanish
- Is hotel spelled the same in Spanish?
- Yes, hotel is spelled identically in Spanish and English. It entered both languages from French hôtel. The only difference is pronunciation—silent h and final-syllable stress in Spanish.
- What is the difference between hotel and hospedaje?
- Hotel refers specifically to a commercial lodging establishment with rooms and services. Hospedaje is a broader term covering any type of accommodation—hotels, hostels, guesthouses, or even staying at someone's home.
- What does posada mean beyond inn?
- In Mexico, a posada is also a traditional Christmas celebration held during the nine nights before December 25th. Families and neighbors reenact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter, complete with food, piñatas, and songs.