the guest room hotel management. contents categorizing the guest room guest room make up key control...

The Guest Room

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

Contents

Categorizing the guest roomGuest Room Make UpKey Control SystemsReview

Categorizing the Guest Room

Room TypesRoom ConfigurationsRoom DesignationsRoom NumberingRoom Status Reconciliation

Room Types

Room types are based on the intended number of occupants

Standard type is based on one occupant – this is called single occupancy

Often single occupancy rooms have a lower rate than those with two guests in a room, called double occupancy rooms

Triple and quad occupancy rooms are for three and four guests respectively

Room ConfigurationsRoom configurations characterise the

physical make up of a guest room, therefore looking at differences in guest rooms within a particular hotel

Room configurations are an important aspect of how a hotel will determine the sleeping room rate

Offering guests an upgrade allows the hotel the potential for increased room revenue

Standard ConfigurationThe standard configuration is defined as the

room configuration that makes up the majority of the sleeping rooms at a particular hotel

Some hotels refer to their standard configuration as the run of house (ROH)

The run of house rooms are understood to be the greatest number of available rooms

A new trend has standard rooms being referred to as “deluxe” or “superior” rooms which can be perceived as added value

Enhanced ConfigurationThe enhanced configuration is the next level

up from the standard configuration

It is understood to include more amenities and services than the standard configuration

Sometimes called a “concierge” or “business level” room, these rooms carry a higher room rate than the standard configuration

Enhanced Configuration (Cont.)

The rooms offer everything the standard room do plus extra services/ amenities which may includeUpgraded soft goodsUpgraded hard goodsUpgraded amenitiesItems targeted to the business travellerAccess to a private lounge

Suite ConfigurationThe suite configuration involves larger

rooms (in terms of square footage)

By definition the suite must only be larger than the standard and may not include greater levels of service or amenities

Varying sizes of suites allow the hotel to charge higher rates for bigger rooms

Suite Configuration (Cont…)Suites are identified by their size in relation to

the standard configuration and the names may differ from hotel to hotel

An example of how the suite names may change respective to the room size is as followsJnr SuiteCorner SuiteBi-level SuiteHospitality SuitePresidential Suite

Room Configurations and Target Markets

Room configurations remain constant amongst all hotel target markets

The standard configuration is the category of guest room that is the most prevalent at a specific hotel

All suite hotels have enhanced configurations and larger suites as well

Extended stay target market also uses the same philosophy

Disabled Access ConfigurationDisabled access configurations include rooms

that are equipped to make the overnight stay of the disabled guest more pleasant and may include:Raised bedsWider doorwaysTelecommunication DevicesVoice activated dialingClocks with larger, brighter numbersClosed caption televisionsElevated toilets

Disabled Access Configuration (Cont…)

Disabled configuration equipment continued..Bathrooms equipped with metal handrailsRoll in showersVisual alert smoke detectors, door knocks, telephones

and alarm clocks

Room DesignationsThe final remaining identifier for room

categories is the room designation which identifies whether it is a smoking or nonsmoking room

In the early 1980’s hotels began to convert a portion of their sleeping rooms to permanently nonsmoking rooms

Many hotels particularly in North America are now 100% non smoking

Room Preferences Room type, configuration and designation all come

together to create the specific room a hotel guest may seek

Room Type

+

Room Configuration

+

Room Designation

=

Guestroom Preferences

SingleDoubleTripleQuad

SmokingNonsmoking

StandardEnhanced SuiteDisables Access

Room NumberingAssigning guest room numbers is the

identification method hotels have used for most of history

Typically, odd numbers are on one side of the floor, even numbers on the other

Whatever pattern is begun with the initial guest rooms floor, it is carried on throughout the remainder of the floors

Sequential Room Numbering

1st Floor Guest Room Corridor

101 103 105 107 109

102 104 106 108 110

Room Status ReconciliationRoom status reconciliation is defined as

ensuring that rooms are properly designated by their current status and assigned a new status as it changes

Both housekeeping and the front desk maintain room status

Rooms status categories/designations are groups by the guest room’sState of OccupancyState of cleanlinessState of exception

State of Occupancy

Occupied – applies to a room that has been assigned to a guest and that guest has checked in

Vacant – the guest has checked out of the room

Ready – the room is available for new occupancy

State of Cleanliness & ExceptionState of Cleanliness has two categories:

Dirty – room has not been cleaned by housekeepingClean – room has been cleaned but not yet verified as clean

State of Exception – room was removed from inventory for a specific reason (e.g. repairs or renovation)

Room Status Codes

R oom S ta tu s C yc le

V acan t/C lean(V /C )

V acan t/D irty(V /D )

O ccu p ied /D irty(O /D )

O ccu p ied /C lean(O /C )

V acan t/R ead y(V /R )

Room Status Cycle

Figure 4-13

Guest Room MakeupThe product for sale is a place to sleep, so all

guest rooms have a bed of some kind and the other universal items in a guest room are phone, television and a bath

Hotels are given industry ratings based in part on the makeup of their guest rooms and what is inside them

The standard configuration of every hotel room always contains the universal items

Standard Configuration Items In-room work stations Pull out sofa beds or Murphy

beds One or more night stands Vanity areas Coffee makers Irons and ironing boards In-room safes Closet/dresser Blackout drapes Clock radio or alarm Hotel collateral

Selection of local directories Phones with message lights Several chains offer

retrieval of written messages on a CCTV channel

In-room movies Video games may be

available Data ports Glasses and ice bucket Mini bar Complimentary newspapers

Key Control SystemsKey control systems are used to ensure guest

safety by changing the access to a guest room between guests

Key control systems evolved into systems that were easy to replace with key cards

These key cards are reprogrammed for each new guest and if the card is lost it can be erased easily

Lost key cards pose no security risk as there is no room number printed on them