British Council-Tourist accommodation

Transcript of the podcast

?Travel agent: Good afternoon. How can I help you

Man: We’re interested in a holiday in Wales. We’d like to travel around and see a lot of the countryside. We’d also like to do quite a bit of walking

.Woman: We don’t want a package tour

Travel agent: That’s fine. I can give you information on the types of places you can stay, and help you book rooms in advance

.Woman: That would be perfect

Travel agent: Are you wanting selfcatering accommodation or accommodation with meals provided

Man: A mixture of the two, I think. The main thing is that we want to get away from towns and cities

Travel agent: Well, you’ll find that Wales can offer a variety of serviced accommodation away from the crowds. There are country hotels, which are usually quiet and in extensive grounds

.Man: I imagine they would be expensive

Travel agent: Yes, they can be. A cheaper option in a rural location would be farm accommodation. This is similar to a guest house or B&B, but on a working farm. You would get breakfast, and possibly an evening meal provided

?Woman: What options are there if we want to go self-catering

Travel agent: There are lots of country cottages, restored farmhouses, even castles, available on a selfcatering basis. You would probably find, though, that you have to book for a week at a time. So they’re probably not suitable if you want to tour around Wales

?Man: No. What about hostels

.Woman: I’m not sure I’d want to sleep in a dormitory

Travel agent: Many hostels nowadays have private rooms as well as dormitories. Or you could try camping. There are plenty of campsites in Wales

.Man: Maybe we could hire a caravan

Travel agent: Yes, most campsites allow both tents and touring caravans. That could be an ideal way to see the countryside

?Man: We’d love to spend a few days in the mountains. Are there places to stay there

Travel agent: Yes, there are bunkhouses, which are like hostels but simpler. And in the really remote areas there are camping barns. These are very basic, and just provide a place to sleep. You need to take everything with you – sleeping bag, food, even a torch

?Woman: How do we find out where all these places are

Travel agent: I’ll get you some brochures. And you can get a lot of information from the Welsh Tourist Board’s website

.Man: Thanks very much. We’ll have to go away and think about exactly we want to do

Answers