Learn Spanish (Latin America): Aquí hay un hotel viejo.

We use hay (there is / there are) because we are talking about the existence of an unspecific place: un hotel (a hotel). If we were talking about a specific place, like el hotel (the hotel), we would use está to tell where it is located: El hotel está aquí (The hotel is here).

Can I say Hay un hotel viejo aquí instead?

Yes, you can! Both word orders are perfectly normal. However, Spanish speakers often put the location word (aquí) at the beginning of the sentence when using hay.

Why is it hotel viejo and not viejo hotel?

In Spanish, descriptive adjectives like viejo (old) almost always come after the noun they describe. So, an old hotel becomes un hotel viejo.

Are the letters 'h' in hay and hotel pronounced?

No, the letter 'h' is always silent in Spanish. You pronounce hay exactly like the English word eye, and hotel is pronounced oh-tel.