My reservation includes half board.
MED-za pen-SIO-ne — stress on MED and the SIO of pensione.
Clarify at check-in if your booking includes meals, to avoid being charged for food you already paid for.
'Mezza pensione' (half board) includes breakfast and dinner. 'Pensione completa' (full board) includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 'Solo pernottamento' or 'bed and breakfast' includes only the room (and breakfast respectively). These terms come from the traditional 'pensione' (guesthouse) system.
Ho prenotato la pensione completa.
I booked full board.
Full board includes all three meals and is common at resort hotels
Posso cambiare da mezza pensione a solo colazione?
Can I change from half board to breakfast only?
You may be able to downgrade if you prefer to dine out
Quale ristorante è incluso nella mezza pensione?
Which restaurant is included in the half board?
At resort hotels with multiple restaurants, only one may be included
The Italian pensione system, from which 'mezza pensione' and 'pensione completa' derive, dates back to 19th-century guesthouses that provided simple accommodation with meals. Today these terms are used even at large resort hotels.