CHAPTER 4: HOTEL

RESERVATION 1
RESERVATION
DEFINITION:
◈ Booking or reserving of a bedroom for accommodation by a guest.
◈ Usually involves arrangement such as a particular type of guestroom
being reserved for a particular person, for certain period of time.
◈ Reservations constitute a 'promise' to guests: that the rooms they
have booked will be available when agreed, on the terms agreed, and
with special requirements catered for.
◈ A mishandled reservation may lead to dissatisfaction and complaint.
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WHAT‘S IN?
◈ Steps in Reservation
◈ Handling Initial Enquiries
◈ Receive & Record
Reservation Request
◈ To Record the Reservation
Manually 3
Steps in Reservation
Let’s start with the first set of slides

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 Receive reservation Inquiries Reservation involve 7
steps:
Determine room availability 1. Receive reservation
inquiry
Deny request Accept request
2. Determine the room
availability
Documenting reservation details
3. Accept or deny request
Confirm reservation – issue confirmation number for reservation
4. Document reservation
Reconfirm Modify Cancel details
5. Confirm the
reservation
File reservation records 6. Maintain/file
reservation record

Guest check in 7. Compile reservation

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reports
 Reservation Procedures Reservation Activity
1. Receive reservation inquiry Obtain essential information in order to check availability of room.
2. Determine the room availability Check reservation charts or computerized system.
3. Accept or deny request for If the room is available, accept the reservation or booking.
reservation If the hotel is fully booked, offer alternatives. If the guest backlisted,
deny the booking.
4. Document reservation details Complete reservation form, diary or computer system
5. Confirm the reservation Send written confirmation
6. Maintain/file reservation record File the reservation and record any changes made.
7. Compile reservation reports Daily report – arrival & departure
Weekly report – forecast reservation
Monthly report – reservation from different sources.
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Handling Initial
Enquiries

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The process of making a hotel booking or
reservation:
◈ Begins with an enquiry from prospective
guests, who contact the hotel to ask for a
brochure, or to ask specific questions about
the price and availability of rooms for the
period they are interested.

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 RECEIVE RESERVATION INQUIRIES
In person - People come to the hotel (walk in).
- Face to face enquiries.
In writing - People send and written request for booking the hotel.
- Sending mail by mail, fax and email.
By telephone - People make enquiries by telephone directly to the hotel to make
booking.
- Fast, convenience and cost effective.
Online - People make booking through hotel website or recognized third
party booking agents.
- Agoda, [Link], AsiaRoom 9
SOURCES OF RESERVATION
◈ Corporate Clients (MICE)
◈ Social/Military/Edu ◈ Group Travelers
cational/Religious/ ◈ Leisure Travelers
Fraternal ◈ Current Guest
◈ Meeting/Incentives/
Conference/Event
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TYPES OF RESERVATION
◈ Guaranteed ◈ Non-guaranteed ◈ Confirmed
Reservation Reservation Reservation
– guest will guarantee – the hotel will hold the – made through writing
to pay for the room room till the stated of confirmation letter.
even it is not used. In cancellation time (6 Enough time to verify
return, the hotel pm). If the guest does reservation by mailing
promises to hold the not show up, the room guest a confirmation
room till the check out will be release for sales letter. Usually
time of the day od date to other guests. reservation have been
of departure. made earlier (3-6
months). 11
 HOW TO GUARANTEED THE RESERVATION?
Pre-payment The guest pays for the room charge in
advance.
Partial pre-payment or Hotels ask for the deposit of one night’s payment
deposit for each room reserved.
Credit card booking These are generally guaranteed.
Special agreement A company client or airline may pay for rooms to
be “held” for its use, regardless of whether or not
the rooms are actually taken up.
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OVERBOOKING

◈ Hotel accepting reservation than there are

room available by forecasting the number
of no-shows reservation, stay overs,
under stays, and walk-ins with the goal of
attaining 100% occupancy.

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Purpose Overbooking
1. To overcome the problem of “No-Shows”
and late cancellations.
2. To assist the hotel obtaining maximum
occupancy.
3. To compensate for early departure, last
minutes cancellation and non arrival.
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 Advantages vs Disadvantages
a) Minimise financial losses from a) May not be reliable and cause
cancellations, no show and under double booking (Based on past
stays. statistical trend.)
b) Minimise unnecessary refusal, b) Double booking and relocation
which may send prospective may alienate guest which cause
guest to competitors. losing the opportunity of lifetime
c) Based on past statistical trend; revenue.
should not result in excessive c) Double booking cause unpleasant
double booking. and stressful conflict for FO
d) Plan relocation, in the event of staff.
double booking, helping in
“juggle” booking for better yield
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management.
Receive & Record
Reservation Request

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DETERMINE THE ROOM AVAILABILITY
◈ The next step is to check the availability of
room on the dates requested by prospective
guest.
◈ Availability information should be readily
visible, using various diary, chart or
computerized reservation record – easy to
see at glance the rooms that available.
Room Availability Record
◈ 3 basic manual system;
1) Bedroom book or reservation journal (very
small hotels)
2) Conventional chart (small to medium-sized
hotels)
3) Density chart (medium to large hotels)
 Room Availability Charts
Conventional Chart - Show each room in the hotel individually.
- The room type is noted next to the room number.
- Used in small hotel.
Density Chart - Used in large hotel.
- Rooms are classified into groups of a similar type and no
allocation of specific room is made till the guest arrives.
- Much more visual.
Stop-go (space availability) - Summaries the information on the main chart in visual form.
Chart - Indicate whether particular room type is available, fully
booked or close to fully booked for a given night.
ACCEPT OR DENY REQUEST FOR RESERVATION
1. If a suitable room is available on the dates
requested, reservationist may offer it to the
enquirer, quoting any rates and conditions.
2. If the enquirer accepts, the booking can be
logged and confirmed.
3. If a suitable room is not available on the dates
requested, a number of different option may be
available:
a) The enquirer may be offered a different room types for the
same dates.
b) The enquirer may be asked whether he/she flexible on dates,
stating the dates on which the requested room type are
available.
4. Once a prospective guest has accepted the offer,
confirmed reservation can be made and recorded.
 How to Record the Reservation?
1. Booking can be done by;
a) Computerized system – PMS System
b) Manually – Booking diaries
2. Record the information about booking enquiry, setting out the
prospective guest’s needs and contact details and on going record of the
progress of the handling of the request.

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3. In manual system, a complete reservation form become the top
sheet of on-going guest file, in which will be placed
correspondence, registration document and others.
4. It allows quick reference to what has been agreed with the guest,
to prepare for their arrival at the hotel.
5. If hotel use computerized reservation system, the details can be
input immediately into an on screen electronic reservation
system reservation form.

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Examples of
Reservation
Form

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Examples of
Reservation
Form (PMS)

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Examples of
Online
Reservation
Form

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To Record the
Reservation Manually

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Manual Booking System

1. Hotel booking diary –

record of expected
arrivals due to stay at
the hotel on each day
of the year.
2. Variety of booking
diaries:

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CONFIRM THE RESERVATION
◈ Hotel send a letter of confirmation to people
who make reservation.
◈ This serves a number of purpose
(confirmation number).
◈ Confirmation number can be an evidence of
the contract between hotel and guest.
◈ All reservation system will print a
confirmation if required.
◈ Confirmation letter are particularly useful if
there are details that guest need to be aware:
a) Deposit request
b) Cancellation period
c) Arrival time and release time
Cancellation
◈ Cancellation period – 36 hours before arrival
date.
◈ If the guest cancel the booking at short
notice, the deposit that have been made will
be deducted or penalty.
FILING AND COMPILING THE RESERVATION
◈ The various booking are kept in arrival date
order and brought forward to the front desk
for each day’s arrival. Letters, memos,
reservation forms or tour operator’s list must
also be filed according for quick access.
To identify the different packages and rates
offered by hotels.
◈ The room rates have been established based
on the types of guest.

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Types of Rates offered by Hotels
RATES CHARACTERISTICS

Rack/Published 1) Usually quoted to walk in guest.

Rates 2) Highest rates charged by hotel.
3) Standard rate for the room – no meals, discount & reduction
Corporate Rates 1) Special rates offered to regular business clients.
2) Given to encourage repeat business/stay.
3) Re-negotiated periodically based on volume of business.
Commercial 1) Usually discounted rates extended to business people.
Rates 2) Encourage them to stay at the hotel.
3) May not be as attractive as corporate rates.

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 RATES CHARACTERISTICS

Contracted Rates 1) Special rates negotiated between the hotel and airlines and
travel agents for airlines crew, packages and group guests.
2) Agreed upon only if companies are able to generate a
specified number of room nights over period of time.
3) Review periodically.
Group Rates 1) Special rates given because of large number of rooms
reserved in a block.
Monthly Rates 1) Quoted for guests who stay for a month or more.
2) Important to state the special rate will be honoured provided
the guest stayed a minimum number of nights.
3) Long term rates.
Complimentary 1) A guest room which is not accorded a room rates.
(Comp.) Rates 2) Given at the discretion of management goodwill or to solicit
business.
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 RATES CHARACTERISTICS

Day Use Rates 1) Quoted when the room is used for only three or four hours of
the day and not overnight.
2) Hotel distinguish between day use and half day rate.
3) Day use – guest check in and check out on the same day,
without staying overnight.
4) Half day – a due out guest would like to stay beyond the
hotels check out hour, but not for another night (late check
out).
Family Plan 1) Designed to attract families.
Rates 2) Do not charged for children under certain age staying in a
room with parents.
Discounted Rates 1) Given to attract guests to the hotel.
2) Lower rate offered during promotional period.
3) Does not applicable during high season.
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 RATES CHARACTERISTICS

Package Plan 1) Rate that include other hotel products and services in
Rates addition to the guestroom.
2) Introduced by the hotels during full period to increase
demand for guest room.
Package Plan What is included? UK Terminology

European Plan Accommodation only Room only

Continental Plan Accommodation and continental Room and breakfast
(CP) breakfast
American Plan Accommodation and all three meal. Full Board
(AP) Referred as Bed and Board
Modified American Accommodation, breakfast and other Half Board
Plan (MAP) meals
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Room allocation
◈ Room allocation have been made based on:
- Guest preferences
- Availability of rooms
- Using system

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How to cancel reservations if required.
◈ You’re booking a stay at a new hotel, and
the opening is delayed
◈ hotels often overbook, and there are
situations where the math doesn’t work out
in their favor, and where they actually have
to “walk” people
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◈ After the fact a hotel can decide they no
longer want to sell you that room, either
because of some huge event (a concert,
sporting event, solar eclipse, etc.), or
because a big party wants to buy out the
whole hotel.
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THANKS!

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