Hotel Room Types, Pricing Structures, and Industry Terms

Hotel Room Types

Hotel rooms are typically categorized as follows:

• Basic Rooms
• Single or Single Occupancy Rooms
• Double Rooms (Often implies one double bed)
• Double-Double Rooms (Often implies two double beds)
• Twin Rooms (Often implies two single beds)
• Junior Suites

Hotel Rates and Pricing Structures

Defining Price and Rates

Price:

Monetary value assigned to a good or service on the market.

Rates:

A set of prices; the catalog price to be paid for specific services. Rates often vary based on high, medium, and low seasons.

Types of Hotel Rates (Rating Categories)

1. Official Rates (Rack or Counter Rate)

   This is the maximum rate charged directly by the hotel to the public.

2. Net or Flat Rate

   A discounted rate offered to intermediaries (e.g., travel agencies or wholesalers).

3. Confirmed Rate

   The rate quoted to the customer at the time of booking. If the reserved room is unavailable upon the guest's arrival, they must be given a better room within the same price category for the confirmed rate.

4. Commercial Rate

   A discounted rate applied to the counter fee, typically given to regular customers or business travelers (e.g., sales representatives or health visitors).

5. Special Rate

   A rate reserved for specific groups such as employees of other hotels, journalists, or business partners.

6. Family Rate

   Promotional drawings or discounts offered by the hotel. Examples include:

   • Partial Drawings: Children under 12 stay free.
   • Total Progressive: For four people, one pays 100% of the fee, another 50%, another 25%, and the last person is not charged.

Additional Rate Adjustments

• Deductions: Special discounts applied to certain customers.
• Gratuities: Complimentary services or stays (e.g., for each group of 20 PAX, one person is not charged).

Essential Hotel Industry Terminology (A-B)

All-Suite:

A level of service provided by a hotel intended to offer guests a more homelike atmosphere, typically featuring separate living and sleeping areas.

Amenities:

Personal toiletries and supplementary items provided in the room, such as shampoo, toothpaste, hair dryers, irons, etc.

American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA):

The primary American association representing hotel owners and managers.

American Plan (AP):

A rate structure that includes the room plus all three daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

Athletics Director:

The director responsible for overseeing facilities dedicated to physical exercise and sports, and supervising the coaching staff.

Atrium Concept:

An architectural style common in many hotels where the hallways of the rooms overlook the central lobby, spanning from the first to the top floor. (Concepto de atrio)

Back Office:

The hotel's accounting and administrative department, handling non-guest-facing operations.

Back Office Accounts Payable:

Money prepaid by a passenger, company, or group for future use or services.

Bank Cards:

Credit cards (e.g., Visa, MasterCard) used for payment.

Banquet Manager:

The person responsible for overseeing service and operations for banquets or special events.

Banquet Sheet:

A detailed list of instructions and requirements for executing a specific banquet or special event.

Bell Captain:

The person in charge of supervising the bell staff.

Bell Staff:

Personnel responsible for carrying luggage and bags, running errands, and familiarizing passengers with basic room information (location of key elements, hours, telephone extensions, etc.).

Bellboy / Bellperson:

A member of the bell staff, often referred to as a "Buttons."

Blackout:

A power outage or temporary loss of electricity.

Blocking on the Horizon:

The reservation of rooms far in the distant future or for immediate future dates.

Blocking Procedure:

The required procedures used to reserve a specific room or set of rooms for particular dates.