A hotel guest’s room preferences are defined by his/her choice of:Room TypeRoom ConfigurationRoom Designation

How might guest room preferences evolve in the future?

Figure 4-2

Room types are based on the intended number of occupants. The four basic types are:Single OccupancyDouble OccupancyTriple OccupancyQuad Occupancy

Guest room rates typically change with the greater number of occupants.

Figure 4-3

Room configurations characterize the physical makeup of the guest room.

The standard configuration is the room configuration that makes up the majority of the sleeping rooms at a particular hotel.

This is also referred to as Run of House (ROH) rooms.

Figure 4-4

The enhanced configuration is understood to include more amenities and/or services than the standard configuration.

The suite configuration involves a larger room (in terms of square footage) than the standard configuration.

The disabled access configuration represents guest rooms equipped to meet the guidelines of the ADA.

Figure 4-5

Room configurations remain constant among all hotel target markets.

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

Enhanced and suite configurations for these target markets are based on the most prevalent (ROH) room makeup.

Figure 4-6

The room designation identifies whether it is a smoking or nonsmoking room.

Hotels may distinguish room designations by grouping them on separate floors.

How does the recent tobacco legislation limiting smoking areas affect how hotels designate their rooms?

Figure 4-7

Room Room TypeType

++Room Room

ConfiguratioConfigurationn

++Room Room

DesignatioDesignationn

== Guest Guest Room Room

PreferencPreferenceses

SingleSingleDoubleDoubleTripleTripleQuadQuad

StandardStandardEnhancedEnhanced

SuiteSuiteDisabled AccessDisabled Access

SmokingSmokingNonSmokinNonSmokin

gg

Guest Room Preferences

Figure 4-8

Hotels assign room numbers by floor. Each floor designates the first portion of the room numbers, while the rest of the room numbers are sequentially assigned on that floor.

The assignment of the first floor room numbers is relative to the location of the front desk and lobby.

What numbers are routinely omitted in North America? Asia?

Figure 4-9

1st Floor Guest Room Corridor

Sequential Room Numbering

101 103 105 107 109

102 104 106 108 110

Room Numbering

Figure 4-10

The hotel industry assigns a status to every guest room to discern what guest rooms are available for sale.

Room status reconciliation ensures that rooms are properly designated by their current status and assigned a new status as it changes.

Figure 4-11

Room status categories are grouped by the guest room’s state of occupancy, state of cleanliness, and state of exception.

These states are:OccupiedVacantDirty

Figure 4-12

Clean Ready Out of Order

State of OccupancyOccupied–Applies to a room that has been

assigned to a guest and the guest has checked in.Vacant–The guest has checked out of the room.Ready–Room is available for new occupancy.

Figure 4-13

A room status code combines both occupancy and cleanliness informationVacant/ReadyVacant/CleanVacant/DirtyOccupied/DirtyOccupied/Clean

Figure 4-14

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 )

Figure 4-15

The universal items in North American Hotels are:BedPhoneBathroomTelevision

What are some other items that might be included in a hotel’s standard configuration?

Figure 4-16

Key control systems are used to ensure guest safety by changing the access to a guest room between guests.

They include:Metal KeysKey CardsComputer Controlled Systems

What are the strengths and weaknesses of each system?

Figure 4-17

Hotels and their respective guest rooms come in all shapes and sizes. Many hotel home pages offer "virtual tours" of their guest rooms.

Using the Internet URLs provided, select a few hotels and compare and contrast the differences in guest room make up and design.

How can these Internet marketing tools be better utilized?

Figure 4-18