I've been asked to contact someone in France on behalf of a community band who will be visiting that country in June. As many of them are elderly they are concerned about their accommodation and do not wish to be put up in communal college-tyoe dormitories, which is where they stayed last time they visited albeit 30 years ago. I'm priming myself with all the necessary vocabulary and trusting my basic grammar will suffice (shades of the policeman in 'Allo, 'Allo) . The word / concept which is eluding me is the word for dormitory itself as I find my dictionary totally useless and confusing on this word.
Eg
Principal Translations/Principales traductions. dormitory n, US (university dormitory résidence universitaire nf. dormitory n, UK (school dormitory), dortoir nm
Please help [comfused]
Belfast another appalling attack, we need to ask what is driving this.
Harriet Sperling's Wedding Dress


(if anyobdy is wondering it was meant to be a mattress in each room)
