Why do you say a hotel and not an hotel?

Answer 1

The letter "h" is not a vowel sound, but there are exemptions to the rule. If it is pronounced like a vowel sound for an example, "hour", an is should be used.

Answer 2

In English, we use "a" instead of "an" before words that begin with a consonant sound. Even though "hotel" starts with the letter "h," it is pronounced with a consonant sound at the beginning (i.e., /h/ sound), so we say "a hotel" instead of "an hotel."