Accomodation vs Accommodation: Which Spelling Is Correct?

You book the perfect hotel, then type “accomodation” into an email and a red squiggle shows up. Or worse, it does not, and the typo goes out anyway. This word hides two sets of double letters, which is why accomodation vs accommodation trips up even confident writers. A small slip can make a listing, résumé, or travel plan look careless. The good news is that one simple memory trick fixes it for good, and this guide walks you through it.

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What Does Accommodation Mean?

Accommodation is a noun with several related meanings. The core idea is making space or room for someone or something.

Lodging: a place to stay, such as a hotel room, hostel, or rental apartment.
Adjustment: a change made to meet someone’s needs, such as extra time on an exam.
Agreement: a compromise that settles a difference between two sides.
Adaptation: in science and psychology, a process of adjusting, such as the eye focusing on objects at different distances.

The word comes from the Latin accommodare, meaning “to fit” or “to make suitable.” That root also gives us “accommodate” (the verb) and “accommodating” (the adjective, meaning helpful and flexible).

Here is the word in action:

The price includes accommodation for three nights.
The school made an accommodation for students with dyslexia.
After weeks of talks, the two companies reached an accommodation.

Why Do People Misspell Accommodation?

This word is a spelling trap for a few simple reasons.

Pronunciation gives no clues. You say “uh-KOM-uh-DAY-shun.” Nothing in the sound tells you that there are two c’s or two m’s.

It has two sets of double letters. Most English words with double letters have only one pair. Here the brain tends to remember “something is doubled” but forgets that both the c and the m are doubled.

Typing speed hides errors. When you type fast, your fingers tap one m and move on. Because “accomodation” looks close to the right word, your eyes skip right over it.

Related words follow different patterns. “Recommend” has one c and two m’s. “Accommodate” has two of each. Mixing these patterns up is easy.

Accomodation vs Accommodation: Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Accommodation	Accomodation
Correct spelling?	Yes	No
Letter count	13 letters	12 letters
Double c?	Yes (cc)	Yes (cc)
Double m?	Yes (mm)	No (one m)
Found in dictionaries?	Yes	No, only as a misspelling
Used in professional writing?	Yes	Should be corrected

Notice that the misspelling usually keeps the double c and loses the double m. That is why it helps to focus on the mm when you proofread.

Accommodation or Accommodations?

Both forms exist, and the right one depends on where you are writing.

American English usually uses accommodations (plural) for places to stay: “We booked our accommodations online.” The singular is more common when talking about adjustments or agreements: “a reasonable accommodation.”

British English usually uses accommodation (uncountable) for lodging: “We found cheap accommodation near the station.” The plural is less common.

Both spell the word the same way. The difference is only the plural habit.

Context	American English	British English
Hotel or rental	accommodations	accommodation
Student housing	housing or accommodations	student accommodation
Disability adjustment	accommodation or accommodations	accommodation

Where You Will See Accommodation Used

Knowing the common settings helps you spot the word and spell it with confidence.

Travel and tourism. Hotels, hostels, resorts, and vacation rentals are all types of accommodation. Booking sites often filter results by “accommodation type.”

Education. Students may receive accommodations such as extended test time, note-taking support, or quiet testing rooms. Universities also use the term for dorms and student housing.

Workplace. Employers may provide a reasonable accommodation, such as an adjusted schedule or an ergonomic chair, so an employee can do their job. In the United States, this phrase appears in disability law.

Healthcare. Medical settings use the term for adjustments in care, and eye doctors use “accommodation” to describe how the eye adjusts focus.

Psychology. In learning theory, accommodation describes changing your existing ideas to fit new information.

Example Sentences You Can Copy

Lodging:

Our accommodation was a small cabin by the lake.
Several accommodations in the city center were fully booked.
She searched for affordable student accommodation near the campus.

Adjustments:

The company provided a standing desk as an accommodation.
He requested a testing accommodation for the exam.

Agreement:

The two sides finally reached an accommodation.

Verb and adjective forms:

The hotel can accommodate up to 200 guests.
The staff was very accommodating about our late arrival.

Common Mistakes With Accommodation

Dropping one m. Incorrect: We need accomodation for the weekend. Correct: We need accommodation for the weekend.

Dropping one c. Incorrect: Acommodation is included in the package. Correct: Accommodation is included in the package.

Using the same error in related words. Incorrect: accomodate, accomodating Correct: accommodate, accommodating

Adding the plural when you mean the uncountable form (in British English). In British writing, “a good accommodation” sounds odd. Use “good accommodation” instead.

Trusting spell check blindly. Spell check usually catches this error, but not always, especially in names, headings, URLs, or text typed into forms that do not check spelling. Proofread by hand when it matters, such as in a listing title or business email.

Easy Ways to Remember the Spelling

Try one of these until it clicks.

The two-and-two rule: Accommodation has two c’s and two m’s. Say it as “cc, mm.”
Room for everyone: Picture a big hotel room with space for two cots and two mattresses. The word is large enough to hold double letters.
Break it into chunks: ac + com + mo + da + tion. The “com” and “mo” are where people slip, so say each chunk aloud as you write it.
Link it to “accommodate”: If you can spell the verb, you can spell the noun. Both share the same double c and double m.
Write it three times: Typing or writing it a few times locks the shape into memory better than reading a rule.

Other Words That Trip People Up

If accommodation gives you trouble, these words often do too.

Word	Common misspelling	Quick tip
necessary	neccessary	One c, two s’s
recommend	reccomend	One c, two m’s
occurrence	occurence	Two c’s, two r’s
embarrass	embarass	Two r’s, two s’s
separate	seperate	“A rat” in “separate”
definitely	definately	Spelled “finite” inside

Practicing these together builds your instinct for double-letter words in general.

Mini Practice Quiz

Pick the correct option, then check the answers.

Which spelling is correct: accomodation or accommodation?
How many c’s are in accommodation?
How many m’s are in accommodation?
True or false: “accomodation” appears in standard dictionaries as a correct spelling.
Fill in the blank: The hotel can ___ 50 guests. (accommodate / accomodate)
Which sentence is correct? a) Our accomodation was close to the beach. b) Our accommodation was close to the beach.

Answers: 1. accommodation. 2. Two. 3. Two. 4. False. 5. accommodate. 6. b.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you say accommodation or accommodations?

Both are correct. Americans commonly say accommodations for places to stay, while British English prefers the uncountable accommodation. For adjustments and agreements, either form can appear depending on context.

Is accomodation a word?

No. Accomodation is a misspelling. The correct spelling is accommodation, with two c’s and two m’s.

What is meant by accommodation?

Accommodation means a place to stay, an adjustment made to meet someone’s needs, or an agreement that settles a difference. Context tells you which meaning is in use.

What are two types of accommodation?

Two common types are lodging (hotels, hostels, rentals) and reasonable accommodations (adjustments in school or work for people who need them). You may also see accommodation as a term in psychology and eye health.

Why is accommodation so hard to spell?

It has two sets of double letters (cc and mm), and its pronunciation does not reveal either one. That makes it easy to remember “something is doubled” but forget which letters.

Final Verdict: Accomodation or Accommodation?

Write accommodation, with two c’s and two m’s. Accomodation is a misspelling that can slip into emails, listings, and documents when you type quickly. Use the “two-and-two” rule, link it to the verb “accommodate,” and give it one last look when proofreading. A few extra seconds will keep your writing clean and professional.