Descriptions of levels in a building

Question

I work in a hotel and my americn customers get confused hen I send them to the first floor. What would they say?

Tanit · Accepted Answer

Maybe second floor? Not sure, as I've never been to the USA.

Have a look at this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences#Levels_of_buildings.

There are also variations in floor numbering between the US and UK. In most countries, including the UK, the "first floor" is one above the entrance level while the entrance level is the "ground floor". This is opposed to in the US, however, where the ground floor is considered the first floor. In a British lift, one would press the "G" or "0" button to return to the ground floor, whereas in an American elevator, one would push the "1", "G", or "L" (for Lobby) button to return to the ground floor. The "L" button in a British lift would take you to the lower ground floor (i.e. the floor below ground, the basement), which may also be numbered "-1" (minus one).
American (AmE) apartment buildings / (BrE) blocks of flats frequently are exceptions to this rule. The ground floor often contains the lobby and parking area for the tenants, while the numbered floors begin one level above and contain only the apartments themselves.

BarbaraPA · Answer

Just tell them to go up one flight.

(Yes, we call that the second floor.)

You could say to them "This is the ground floor, and your room is on our first floor, just one flight up." That gives them a bit of education as well

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Let's just hope there isn't a mezzanine.

Clive

Descriptions of levels in a building

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