Imagine stepping into a spectacular lobby. It smells of rich wood and fresh flowers. The lighting is perfect. Everything breathes exclusivity.
But then, you open the service menu or the hotel website and read:
“We offer a completed bathroom and room with lights.”
Suddenly, the magic breaks. That phrase doesn’t sound like luxury; it sounds like a technical real estate listing. It sounds cold. It sounds cheap.
In the Hospitality sector, international guests aren’t paying for a bed or a shower. They are paying for feelings. And when we translate literally from Spanish to English, we often kill that feeling.
3 Common Mistakes That Cheapen Your Brand
At Swift Lingua, we’ve analysed hundreds of hotel websites, and we see the same patterns that drive premium clients away:
- The Obvious vs. The Evocative
- 🇪🇸 Spanish original: “Habitación luminosa con vistas al mar.”
- ❌ Literal Translation: “Luminous room with sea views.” (Grammatically correct, but boring).
- ✅ Transcreation: “Sun-drenched sanctuary overlooking the Mediterranean.” This sells.
- The “False Friends” Trap
- Sometimes, confusing similar-sounding words changes the meaning entirely.
- For example, describing facilities incorrectly or making a “Tasting Menu” sound like a clinical test rather than a “Gastronomic Journey.”
- The Tone Mismatch
- Spanish often uses direct commands (“Enjoy…”, “Consult…”). In luxury English, this can sound aggressive or demanding. The Anglo-Saxon client prefers a softer invitation (“We invite you to indulge…” or “Feel free to explore…”).
The Solution: Transcreation (Translation + Creation)
If you’ve obsessed over every detail of your interior design, why neglect the words that sell it?
Transcreation is about taking your original message, understanding the emotion you want to convey, and rewriting it so that the brain of a client from New York, London, or Dubai clicks instantly.
Don’t just translate words. Translate the experience. 👉 Does your website sound like 5 stars in every language? At Swift Lingua, we audit your copy to ensure your international reputation shines as brightly as your hotel. Contact us here.
