Hotel Glossary
Accommodation: A place to stay, typically a room in a hotel, motel, or inn.
ADR: Average Daily Rate. A hotel’s average rate per day, normally calculated by dividing the total revenue achieved during a given period by the number of room nights sold during that period.
ARM: Average Room Rate. The average price paid per room, normally calculated by dividing the total revenue achieved during a given period by the number of rooms sold during that period.
Arrival: A guest who arrives at a hotel.
Amenities: Extra services and facilities that a hotel offers its guests, beyond the basics of a room and bed. Services and facilities can include things like a swimming pool, spa, fitness center, restaurant, bar, concierge, 24-hour room service, laundry service, and Wi-Fi.
B&B: Bed and breakfast. A type of accommodation that typically includes a bedroom and private bathroom, as well as a continental breakfast.
Best Available Rate (BAR): The lowest rate that a hotel is currently offering, which may vary depending on the date and availability.
Blackout Dates: Dates when a hotel is not able to offer a discount, e.g. due to high demand.
Booking: The process of reserving a room at a hotel.
Booking window: The period of time during which a customer can book a room in order to receive a specific rate or discount.
Breakfast included: A type of room rate that includes breakfast in the price.
Business Traveller: A person who travels for work, either regularly or occasionally.
Check-in: The process of arriving at a hotel and registering for your stay.
Check-out: The process of leaving a hotel and settling your bill.
Children’s policy: A hotel’s policy regarding guests who are under 18 years of age.
Commission: A fee that is charged by a hotel to a travel agent or tour operator for making a booking.
Concierge: A hotel staff member who is available to assist guests with their needs, such as making restaurant reservations or arranging transportation.
Continental breakfast: A type of breakfast that typically includes coffee, tea, pastries, and fruit.
Corporate rate: A discounted room rate that is available to business travellers.
CRS: Central Reservations System. A system used by hotels to manage room reservations.
Do not disturb: A sign that guests can hang on their door to indicate that they do not wish to be disturbed.
Double room: A type of hotel room that has two beds, meant for two people.
Duty manager: A hotel employee who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the hotel in the absence of the general manager.
Eco-friendly: Describes products or services that have minimal negative impact on the environment.
En-suite: A bathroom that is attached to and accessed from a bedroom.
Family room: A type of hotel room that is larger than a standard room and can accommodate a family or group.
Fitness centre: A facility at a hotel that offers guests the use of gym equipment and other exercise facilities.
Full board: A type of room rate that includes all meals (usually breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the price.
Full-service hotel: A type of hotel that offers a wide range of services and amenities, such as a swimming pool, fitness centre, and restaurants.
GDS: Global Distribution System. A system used by travel agents and other industry insiders to search for and book hotel rooms, flights, and other travel products.
Half-board: A type of meal plan that includes breakfast and dinner.
High season: The busiest travel time of the year, when hotels are typically more expensive.
Holidays: Popular travel times during the year, such as Christmas or Easter.
Hotel star rating: A rating system used to classify hotels, from one to five stars.
Hostel: A type of budget accommodation that typically has shared rooms and bathrooms.
Individual booking: A hotel reservation that is made by one person, as opposed to a group booking.
Keycard: A card that is used to open your hotel room door, instead of a traditional key.
Length of stay: The number of nights that a guest stays at a hotel.
Low season: The least busy travel time of the year, when hotels are typically less expensive.
Loyalty scheme: A scheme offered by some hotels where guests can earn points or benefits (such as discount or free stays) for being loyal to the hotel brand
Manager: An employee of a hotel who is responsible for the overall running of the property.
Meal plan: A type of package that includes meals, often offered at a discount.
Mini-bar: A small fridge in a hotel room that is stocked with drinks and snacks (usually chargeable).
Motel: A type of hotel that is typically located near a highway, with easy access for travellers.
No-show: A guest who does not arrive at the hotel on the expected date of arrival, without cancelling their reservation in advance.
Occupancy: The percentage of rooms in a hotel that are occupied at any given time.
Off-peak: A time of year when there is less demand for travel, and thus hotels are typically less expensive.
On-site restaurant: A restaurant that is located within the hotel property.
OTA: Online Travel Agency. A company that sells hotel rooms and other travel-related products and services online, e.g. Expedia, Kayak, or Orbitz.
Peak season: The busiest time of the year for travel, when hotels are typically more expensive.
PMS: Property Management Software is software built to automate admin and streamline your business.
Porter: A hotel staff member who helps guests with their luggage.
Rate: The cost of a room at a hotel, typically given per night.
Reception: The lobby or front desk area of a hotel, where guests check in and check out.
Room block: A group of rooms set aside for a particular event or group of guests, usually at a discounted rate.
Room service: A service offered by some hotels in which guests can order food and drink to be delivered to their room.
RevPAR: Revenue per available room. A measure of a hotel’s profitability, calculated by multiplying a hotel’s average room rate by its occupancy rate.
Single room: A type of hotel room that has one bed, meant for one person.
Suite: A type of hotel room that is larger and has more amenities than a standard room, often including a separate living area.
Technology: Various tools that hotels use to improve the guest experience, such as electronic key cards and in-room entertainment systems.
Tourist season: A time of year when there is an influx of tourists, often resulting in higher hotel prices.
Travel agent: A professional who helps people plan their travel, often handling bookings and reservations.
Unoccupied: A room that is not currently being used by guests.
Vacancy: A room that is available for guests to book.
Weekend rate: A lower rate offered by some hotels for stays during the weekends.