Introduction to

2 Hospitality Industry

Hospitality is a part of Tourism Industry, which helps in

providing other services like accommodation and food to
the guests. Hospitality refers to an association between
the guest and the host, where the host welcomes the
guest and makes sure that their stay is pleasant.
This Unit explains the basic concepts of hospitality,
various types of accommodation facilities offered by
Hospitality Industry and also gives a brief idea about
the various Guidelines for the Classification of Hotels in
India. Last two sessions of this Unit focus on front office
and travel desk operations of hospitality industry.
The responsibility of the Customer Service Executive
(Meet and Greet) involves making a guest feel welcome
and comfortable. The CSE must have attained training
in the basic aspects of hospitality starting from receiving
the guests to escorting the guest to the airport. The
knowledge of hospitality would empower the Executive
to provide quality and standard services to their
customers.

Session 1: Types of Accommodation in

Tourism and Hospitality Industry
The professionals who are working in Tourism and
Hospitality Industry must possess the knowledge to
understand the needs of the guests. They should work
 Notes to fulfil their needs and help in satisfying the guests;
only then, the guests will take back fond memories and
share their good experience back at home.

Accommodation
Staying arrangements is one of the basic needs of
tourists at the destination during their trips. It is a type
of residential establishment which provide boarding
and lodging to the travellers who stay away from their
homes for more than a day and are in need of lodging for
sleep, rest, food, safety, shelter from cold temperatures
or rain, storage of luggage and access to common
household functions.
Let us briefly consider the various types of
accommodation which are broadly classified into
primary and secondary type.

Primary Accommodation

Hotel
A commercial establishment providing lodging, meals,
and other guest services, is termed as hotel. Thus, a
hotel is a place where a bonafide traveller can get food
and accommodation where he is in a position to pay for
it and is in a fit condition to be received.
Today, hotels not only provide accommodation and
meals but also offer a variety of other services as per
the needs of the guest. For example, many hotels offer a
health club, crèche, etc.
Types of hotels
Based on the facilities offered to the tourists, the hotels
are broadly classified into the following types.
International Hotels: They are the modern western
style hotels, found mostly in metro cities and at major
tourist destinations and are located at prime locations
in the city. These hotels are classified on the basis of
internationally accepted star grading which ranges
from one star to five stars. The grading is given to the
hotel depending on the facilities and services which the
hotel provides. The facilities which are provided by the
five star are an information desk, conference centre,

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 travel desk, multi cuisine restaurants,
banquet halls, room service, swimming
pool, gymnasium, health clubs, shopping
arcades, beauty parlours, entertainment
or cultural programmes, etc.

Floating Hotels: These types of hotels are

located on the surface of water such as
the sea, river, or lake. These hotels have
facilities which are similar to a regular
hotel. For example: Houseboats of Kashmir
Fig. 2.1 Kerala houseboat hotel, India
and Kerala or old cruise liners which have
been converted into a hotel.

Commercial Hotels: These hotels are located

mostly near the business or commercial
centres and mainly serve the business
tourists, middle income tourists and their
repeat customers. Most of these hotels
are equipped with parking space,
restaurants, and facilities for their business
guests such as convention centres and
meeting rooms. Fig. 2.2 Umaid bhawan palace, Jodhpur, India

Heritage Hotels: These are the old properties like castles,

forts, palaces, and havelis belonging to royalty which
have been renovated and converted into hotels. Here,
tourists enjoy the majestic grandeur and splendour of
the olden days. Some examples of heritage hotels are
Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur, Rambagh Palace in
Jaipur, Shalini Palace in Kolhapur, Lalitha Mahal in
Mysuru and Sheesh Mahal in Orchha.

Resorts
Resort hotels are usually located in the mountains, on
an island, or in some other exotic locations away from
cities like sea side, hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries,
etc. These hotels have recreational and relaxation
facilities, scenery which includes indoor and outdoor
games like golf, tennis, sailing, skiing and swimming,
gambling, spa, etc. Resort hotels provide enjoyable and
memorable guest experiences that encourage guests to
repeat to the resort.

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 Resorts can be of various types and
can be classified on the basis of climate,
and topography. Broadly they are divided
in the following categories:
Mountain and Hill Resorts
In India, almost all mountainous and
hilly areas of India are dotted with places
of tourist interest. In the north are the
Himalayan ranges, blessed with scenic
Fig. 2.3 Dessert hut resort, Jaisalmer, India
beauty which is beyond description.
Besides, there are high hills in the
northeast and in and around the Nilgiris in the south.
There are hill ranges of medium to low heights in the
Western Ghats, Vindhyas, Satpuras and the Aravalis in
addition to isolated hillocks elsewhere. Hill resorts are
divided into following three categories according to their
altitude:
(i) resorts at great heights (between 2,100–3,500
meters above mean sea level)
(ii) hill resorts at medium altitudes (between 1,200
and 2,100 meters above mean sea level)
(iii) hill resorts at low altitudes (between 800 and
1,200 meters above mean sea level)

Ski or Winter Resorts

A winter or ski resort is developed in cold locations,
mostly having snow for skiing, snowboarding, and other
winter sports. One can enjoy holidays in these winter
resorts in India and stay in the best winter resorts that
offer ultimate luxury as well as some warm cozy time
with loved ones. Some examples of these are Grand
Dragon (Laddakh), Avlan (Mussoorie), Solang Valley
(Manali), Kasauli Resort (Kasauli) and Savoy hotel
(Ooty), Auli (Uttarakhand), etc.
Beach Tourism or Sea-side Resorts
India’s long coastline of over 7000 Km from Kandla
in Gujarat to Kolkata in West Bengal and along the
islands offers an opportunity for the promotion of beach
tourism. A number of beautiful beaches of Goa and
that of Kovalam in Kerala are quite popular with the

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 tourists. There are vast stretches of shining
golden sands of beaches at Chorwad and
Ahmedpur-Mandvi. The Maharashtra coast
has eight small beaches from Mumbai’s
famous Juhu to Murud at a distance of
220 km. Goa’s 105 km long coastline has
as many as 40 beaches, out of which 12 are
very popular with the tourists. Karnataka’s
beaches are at Mangalore and Karwar. The
sun-swept Marina beach in Chennai (Tamil
Nadu) is the world’s second longest beach.
Fig. 2.4 Beach tourism
It runs for a distance of 12 km from Chennai
harbour in the North to Santhome Church
in the South. Two beaches of Andhra Pradesh, namely
Ramakrishna Mission and Rishi Konda are located in
close proximity of Vishakhapatnam. Orissa’s Gopalpur
beach is surrounded by sand dunes. Besides Puri and
Konark, Chandipur near Balasore is known for its 55
km recession of the tides each day at its head. Digha
beach of West Bengal is situated on the shores of Bay
of Bengal. With a total length of 6 km, it is one of the
widest in the world amidst gently rolling sea and thick
casuarinas forest on its two sides.
All-season Resorts
These are located at any places of natural scenic beauty
with food services and amenities.

Supplementary and Secondary Accommodation

Supplementary accommodation plays a very important
role in the total available tourist accommodation in a
country. This type of accommodation can cater to both
international as well as domestic tourist
traffic. The secondary accommodations are—
Motel
The concept of motel, a kind of hotel with
parking, originated in the USA perhaps in
the year 1925 in San Luis Obispo, near Los
Angeles. Since, the automobile trade was
catching up, there was discovered a need
for hotel for drivers and this was called
Fig. 2.5 Motel, USA

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 a motel by an architect developer, Arthur Heineman’
(An extract from the article Smithsonianmag.com,
December 12, 2016). Motel was meant for local
motorists and foreign tourists travelling by road.
Primarily designed to serve the needs of motorists,
motels almost exclusively meet the demand for transit
accommodation. The services provided by motels
include parking, garage facilities, accommodation,
restaurant facilities, public catering and recreational
facilities. With a view to provide the above services
to the motorists, all the motels are equipped with
filling stations, repair services, accessories, garages,
parking space, elevator service to the automobile
entrance, restaurants, etc. The Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India, has developed the guidelines to
approve motels in India so that a set standard can be
established.

Youth Hostels
Youth hostels made their first appearance in
Germany in about 1900. In order to provide
some sort of accommodation and services,
the dormitories in the inns were equipped
with cots, mattresses, sheets, and blankets.
The youth hostel can be defined as a
building which offers clean, moderate, and
inexpensive shelter to young travellers
Fig. 2.6 (a) Youth hostel, Mussoorie, India exploring their own country or other
countries and travelling independently or in
groups for holiday or educational purposes.
Caravan and Camping Sites
These are very popular in some European
countries as also in the United States. These
are also known as open air hostels, tourist
camps or camping grounds. Camping,
originally practised by hikers on foot, is
Fig. 2.6 (b) Camping increasingly giving way to car camping. The
sites are usually located within the large cities in open
spaces. Equipped to receive mobile accommodation in
the form of caravans, the camping sites provide facilities
for parking, tent-pitching, water, electricity, toilet, etc.

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 Bed and Breakfast (B&B) Establishments or Notes
Home-stays
A Bed and Breakfast (B&B) is an intimate, independently
run lodging establishment, where breakfast is included
in the room rate. These are houses with rooms converted
into overnight facilities; this can have up to 1 to 10
guest rooms. They are also known as ‘Home Stays’. The
owners of the B&B usually stay on the premises and are
responsible for serving breakfast to the guests.
Indian Tourism’s Home Stay Scheme is a golden
opportunity for all those Apartment, Bungalow, or
Cottage owners who can provide accommodation and
food facility to domestic and international tourists.
This scheme is based on India’s core philosophy and
tradition, Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam. This unique and
profitable scheme will enable the property owners to
introduce tourists to the culture, cuisine, customs
and lifestyle of India. A home stay is similar in concept
to that of a bed and breakfast establishment. Guests
are either accommodated in the family home, or in
separate quarters nearby. Nowadays, most home stays
provide their guests with just as much comfort as a
reputable hotel. There are a number of reasons why
staying at a home stay can be preferable to staying in a
hotel. These benefits are—distinctive and characterful
accommodations, personalised service, local knowledge,
home cooked food, celebrating festivals with local
traditions, etc.
Forest Lodges
The rest houses at sanctuaries, which fill in the shortage
of accommodation at such places, are called Forest
Lodges. The state concerned makes land available free of
cost, provides water and electricity connections and also
undertake supporting construction for staff quarters,
garbage and dormitory for drivers. Their location is
finalised with the concerned ministry and State Forest
Department. ITDC is entrusted with the responsibility
for the management of all the forest lodges. These
lodges are very popular among nature tourists who love
wildlife as they provide a clear view of the forests to
the residents from the guest rooms. Examples of forest

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 Notes lodges are Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam,
Bharatpur Sanctuary in Rajasthan and others.
Circuit Houses
Circuit House is the accommodation for Government
officers. There is one Circuit House in each city or a
small town in all the States of India. They may even
be called as Rest Houses. The rates charged are very
minimal and differ in case of an official trip or a personal
stay. The rates are different for different parts of the
country.

Other Types of Accommodations

Mansion
This type of accommodation is very popular in certain
European countries mostly in Austria, Italy and
Germany or some of the African countries. It is a type
of guesthouse or B&B, where in addition to lodging and
breakfast, guests are also offered lunch and dinner.
Pensions are usually family-run and cost less than
other accommodation options.
Inns
Inns is a concept that was first introduced by the Roman
empire. It was a place for the travellers to stay for the
night, where they were provided with shelter, food and
also shelter for the horses. Inns are similar to the sarai
in India that was prevalent during that time.
Chalet
As defined by the Webster’s dictionary, it is ‘a wooden
dwelling with sloping roof’ and the floor edges go beyond
the structure of the building found in Switzerland and
the Alpine region. They were originally used for dairy
cattle during summer season but have been converted
to vacation homes for ski and hiking tourists nowadays.
Timeshare or Vacation Rentals
Another new type or segment of the hospitality industry
is the timeshare hotels. These are sometimes referred
to as ‘Vacation-interval’ hotels. Timeshare hotels are
the ones in which the guests purchase the ownership

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 of accommodations for a specific period. These owners Notes
may also have the unit rented out by the management
company that operates the hotel. In a timeshare rental,
the vacation property is owned by the guest for a specific
period which is same every year. During the allotted
time period, the guest has access to the property. For
example, if Mr. Gupta owns a two bedroom timeshare
vacation home in Kerala for the last week of January,
he is guaranteed a stay every year during the same
time. Looking at the growth potential, The Ministry of
Tourist, Government of India, has prepared guidelines
for approval and classification of time share resorts.
They are classified in three subgroups— 3 Star, 4 Star
and 5 Star.
Capsule Hotels
These were first opened in Osaka, Japan in 1979. These
hotels serve mostly the business tourists. The rooms
in the capsule are lined similar to that of a ‘double-
decker’, or sleeping compartment of an AC 2 tier train.
Common washrooms, vending machines and a lounge
area are located on each floor. Facilities such as a bed,
a television, flexible lighting, a box for valuables, etc.,
are provided in each capsule room.

Activity 1
Visit the luxury or star category hotels and study comparatively
the facilities and services amongst them (5 star hotels, 4 star
hotels and 3 star hotels, etc.).
Material required
Writing material
Procedure
• Visit the luxury hotels in your city.
• Collect information about their star rating and services.
• Prepare a file and compare their services according to the
services and amenities.

Activity 2
Find out and list the five luxury hotels located at the following
tourist destinations in India.

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 Notes Material required
Writing material
Procedure
The following table may be referred by the students:

S. No. Tourist Destination Name of hotel

1. Delhi Hotel Leela Palace
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________

2. Agra _____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________

3. __________________ _____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________

Check Your Progress

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. ______________________hotels are usually located in the

natural areas like mountains, on an island, or in some
other exotic location away from cities like sea side, hill
stations and wildlife sanctuaries.
2. ___________are the old properties like castles, forts,
palaces, and havelis belonging to royalty which have
been renovated and converted into hotels.
3. ‘Houseboat’ type of accommodation is found in
_________________and _____________.
4. Capsule type of hotels are found in________________.
5. The term ‘Hotel’ originated in ________________ century
in France.

B. Subjective Questions

1. What are the primary and secondary types of

accommodation?
2. Define hotels. Write the various types of hotels.

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 3. Write a paragraph on: Notes
(a) Home Stays
(b) Camping and Caravan sites
(c) Motel
(d) Bed and Breakfast Establishment
(e) Timeshare rentals

Session 2: Categorisation of Hotels

Hotels are classified into various star categories on
the basis of facilities, amenities and services provided
by them. Comprehensive guidelines for the star
classification are prepared by the Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India. The guidelines for this classification
are revised from time to time.
Hotel classification may vary from one country to
another. Guidelines for the classification of hotels in
India ensure that they meet international standards in
facilities and services. Although the five-star and four-
star hotels in India have been able to meet international
standards, some of them do not figure anywhere on the
global map.
The classification is valid for a period of five years
from the date of approval of the chairman of Hotel and
Restaurant Approval and Classification Committee
(HRACC).
The entire list of hotels classified on the basis of star
category is available on the Ministry of Tourism website
which is updated time to time.
This categorisation assists the tourists in selecting
the hotel they would like to stay in.

HRACC
The Department of Tourism (Government of India) has set
up a Hotel and Restaurant Approval and Classification
Committee (HRACC) for awarding star categories to the
hotel properties.

Star Categorisation
Hotels are an integral part of a tourist’s visit to a place.
The services offered in a hotel can make or spoil a visit
completely. With the aim of providing standardised,

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 Notes world class services to the tourists, the Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India, has introduced a
voluntary scheme called E-Classification, Approval
and Occupancy of Hotels, which enables hotel owners
to fill out the application online for getting their hotel
classified.
Five Star Deluxe Hotels
These are the most luxurious hotels. These hotels are
located primarily in metropolitan cities like New Delhi
and major tourist destinations like Agra, Jaipur and
Goa. It is the highest level of category of hotels in India.
General Features
1. The minimum size of the room excluding
bathroom should be 200 sq. feet and the size of
the bathroom should be 45 sq. feet.
2. All rooms, public area with seating facilities and
various guest service areas to be air-conditioned.
3. One 24 hours multi-cuisine restaurant cum coffee
shop, one speciality restaurant and 24 hours
room service is must for Grade A cities and for
the remaining cities, one 24 hours multi-cuisine
restaurant cum coffee shop, 24 hours room
service and speciality restaurant is desirable.
4. A bar is mandatory and the license should be
obtained before applying for classification.
5. Having health-fitness, swimming pool and
conference facility is necessary for this category
of hotel.
6. Special room and facilities for differently abled
guests.
7. Telephone facility, wifi connection, business
centre, parking facilities and all communication
facilities are necessary.
8. Having metal detectors, X-ray machine,
positioning CCTV cameras, smoke detectors, first
aid kit at front desk, and fire exits are part of the
safety and security.

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 9. Sewage treatment plant, rain water harvesting, Notes
waste management, pollution control and non-use
of CFC equipment are the eco-friendly practices
which this category needs to abide by.
(Note: Grade A cities include Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad/Secunderabad.)

Five Star Hotels

These are the second highest star category of hotels.
These are further divided into 5 star with alcohol service
and 5 star without alcohol service. These luxurious hotels
are located in the big cities. These hotels provide all
the modern facilities for accommodation and recreation
matching international standards in hospitality. Some
examples of these top luxury (5 star and 5 star deluxe
category) hotels are Taj Lake Palace (Udaipur), The
Leela Palace (Udaipur), The Taj Mahal Palace (Mumbai),
The Oberoi Amarvilas (Agra), Taj Falaknuma Palace
(Hyderabad), The Oberoi Grand (Kolkata), Umaid
Bhawan Palace (Jodhpur), etc.
General Features
1. The minimum size of the room excluding bathroom
should be 200 sq. feet and bathroom should be
45 sq. feet.
2. 100 % rooms to be air-conditioned, public area
with seating facilities and various guest services.
3. One 24 hours multi-cuisine restaurant cum
coffee shop, one speciality restaurant and 24
hours room service for Grade A cities and for
the remaining cities one 24 hours multi-cuisine
restaurant cum coffee shop, 24 hours room
service and speciality restaurant is desirable.
Having a bar will not be mandatory for states in
which alcohol is prohibited.
4. Health-fitness, swimming pool and conference
facility is necessary for this category of hotel.
5. Special room and facilities for differently abled
guests.

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 Notes Four Star Hotels
These are also luxurious and comfort hotels but lesser
than 5 star deluxe and 5 star hotels, and are located in
the bigger and medium cities.
General Features
1. The minimum size of the room excluding bathroom
should be 140 sq. feet and bathroom should be
36 sq. feet.
2. 100 % rooms should be air-conditioned, public
area with seating facilities and various guest
services.
3. One multi-cuisine restaurant cum coffee shop
(07:00am to 11:00pm), one speciality restaurant
and 24 hours room service for Grade A cities
and for the remaining cities, one multi-cuisine
restaurant cum coffee shop (07:00am to 11:00pm)
and 24hours room service.
4. Special room and facilities for differently abled
guests.
5. Telephone facility, wifi connection, business
centre, parking facilities and all the communication
facilities are necessary.
6. Having metal detectors, X-ray machine, CCTV,
smoke detectors, first aid kit at front desk, and
fire exits are part of the safety and security.
7. Sewage treatment plant, rain water harvesting,
waste management, pollution control and non-use
of CFC equipment are the eco-friendly practices
which this category need to abide by.
Three Star Hotels
These are usually economy class hotels located in the
bigger and smaller cities and catering to the need of
budget travellers.
General Features
1. The minimum size of the room excluding bathroom
should be 130 sq. feet and bathroom should be
36 sq. feet.

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 2. 50% rooms should be air-conditioned, public Notes
area with seating facility, and various other guest
services.
3. One multi-cuisine restaurant cum coffee shop
(07:00am to 11:00pm) and 24 hours room service.
4. Special room and facilities for differently abled
guests.
5. Telephone facility and parking facilities are
necessary communication facilities.
6. Having metal detectors, CCTV, smoke detectors,
first aid kit at front desk, and fire exits are part of
the safety and security.
7. Sewage treatment plant, rain water harvesting,
waste management, pollution control and non-use
of CFC equipment are the eco-friendly practices
which this category needs to abide by.
One and Two Star Hotels
These hotels are mostly available in the small cities and
in particular areas of larger cities. Catering to the bag
packer tourist traffic, these hotels provide all the basic
facilities needed for general accommodation and offers
low tariff. One and two Star Hotels are the lowest of the
star category of hotels.
General Features
1. The minimum size of the room excluding bathroom
should be 120 sq. feet and bathroom should be
30 sq. feet.
2. 25 % rooms should be air-conditioned, public area
with seating facilities and various guest services
are desirable.
3. Should have one dining room serving all the meals.
4. Special room and facilities for differently abled
guests.
5. Communication facilities are desirable but not
necessary for these two categories.
6. Having CCTV, smoke detectors, first-aid kit at
front desk, fire exits are part of the safety and
security.

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 Notes 7. Sewage treatment plant, rain water harvesting,
waste management, pollution control and non-use
of CFC equipment are the eco-friendly practices
which this category needs to abide by.

Heritage Hotels
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, defines
Heritage Hotels as those hotels that have been
converted into hotels from palaces, castles, forts,
havelis, hunting lodges and residences of any size,
prior to 1950. The facade, architecture features and
general construction should have the distinctive
qualities and ambience in keeping with traditional
ways of life of the area. The architecture of the property
to be considered for the category should not normally
be interfered with. Any extension, improvement,
renovation, change in the existing structures should
be done keeping in mind the traditional architectural
styles and contraction techniques harmonising the
new with old. In a Heritage Hotel, a visitor is offered
rooms that have their own history, served traditional
cuisine toned down to the requirements of international
palates, is entertained by folk artists, can participate
in activities that allow a glimpse into the heritage of
the region, and can bask in an atmosphere that lives
and breathes of the past. Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur
and the Oberoi Cecil in Shimla are examples of
heritage hotels. Heritage Hotels will be sub-classified
in the following categories:
1. Heritage
As defined by the Ministry of Tourism, this covers the
hotels built in or converted from the palaces, residences,
havelies, castles, forts and hunting lodges built prior
to 1950. The hotel should have a minimum of five rooms
(ten beds).
2. Heritage Classic
This category includes the hotels built or created in
palaces, residences, havelies, castles, forts, and hunting
lodges built prior to 1935. The hotel should have a
minimum of 15 rooms (30 beds).

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 3. Heritage Grand Notes
This category consists of hotels built or created in
palaces, residences, havelies, castles, forts and hunting
lodges. The hotel should have minimum of 15 rooms
(30 beds) and should provide at least two sports facilities
as given in the guidelines and provide traditional as well
as continental cuisine.

Legacy Vintage Hotels

This concept has been introduced in addition to the
heritage hotels as these help to recreate the era prior
to 1950s. As stated by the Ministry of Tourism, ‘hotels
constructed with materials from heritage properties
(i.e. properties or buildings which were built prior to the
year 1950), provided that at least 50% of the material
used to construct the hotel is sourced from heritage
properties or buildings.’
These are further divided into three sub categories:
Legacy Vintage — Basic
It includes hotels which have materials sourced from
structures prior to 1950. It should possess at least five
rooms (ten beds). Traditional cuisine of the area is offered.
Legacy Vintage — Classic
It includes hotels which have materials sourced from
structures prior to 1935. It should have minimum of 15
rooms (30 beds). Traditional cuisine of the area and a
few dishes resembling continental cuisine are offered.
Legacy Vintage —Grand
It includes hotels which have materials sourced from
structures prior to 1935. It should possess at least
15 rooms (30 beds). Both traditional and continental
cuisines are offered to the guests along with two sport
facilities as listed in the guidelines.

Luxury vs Budget Hotels

Luxury Hotels
These hotels are also called Up-Market Hotels or World
Class Service Hotels according to the services offered

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 to their guests. Targeting the affluent segment of society,
hotels in the Up-Market category offer world class
products with personalised service of highest standards.
The emphasis is on excellence and class. These hotels
provide upscale restaurants and lounges, exquisite decor,
concierge services, opulent rooms and abundant amenities.
The design and interior decoration of the hotel itself
reflects the standards maintained by the hotel. The guest
rooms are large with exquisite decoration and furnishing.
Generally, a valet is assigned to each guest room. These
hotels have many speciality restaurants with full-assisted
services. Top-end recreational facilities, such as golf
course, tennis court, designer swimming pool with trained
lifeguard, and other sports facilities, shopping arcades,
beauty salons, health spas with sauna and jacuzzi, are a
regular feature. These hotels are generally patronised by
affluent people who care for quality and include business
executives, celebrities, and high-ranking political figures.
The Oberoi Udaivilas (Udaipur), Leela Palace (Delhi), Taj
Rambagh Palace (Jaipur) and The Oberoi (Mumbai) are
few luxury hotels in India.

Budget Hotels
These are also very popular as Economy Hotels and
focus on meeting the most basic needs of guests by
providing clean, comfortable
and inexpensive rooms. Also
known as economy or limited
service hotels, they appeal
primarily to budget minded
travellers and groups. The
clientele of budget hotels
may also include families
with children, and bus tour
groups of people travelling
together. These hotels have
clean, comfortable guest
rooms, coffee shop, and a
multi cuisine restaurant,
telephone service in rooms,
and channelled music and
Fig. 2.7 Budget hotel
movies.

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 Notes

Activity 1
List the category-wise hotel names (at least five names in each
category) and their location at different tourist destinations in
India, collect pictures, and prepare a file. Do a comparative
study with the hotels located in your city.
Material required
Writing material, Internet, etc.
Procedure
1. Search the names of category-wise hotels from internet
located at different tourist destinations.
2. Note down the location and address.
3. Collect the pictures of each hotel.
4. Paste these pictures below the details of hotels.
5. Study these hotels in comparison with the hotels of
your city.
6. Make a file with the above details in the following format.

List of Luxury Hotels in India

Star Category Name Location/Address

5 Star Deluxe Hotel __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________

5 Star Hotel __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________

Activity 2
Select any country other than India and study the hotel
classification procedure and its criteria. Do a comparative analysis
and present it to the class discussing the following points.
1. Different classification of hotels
2. Step-wise procedure of classification
3. Classification committee members
4. Mandatory services and facilities for each category
5. Validity of the classification

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 Notes Material Required
Writing material
Procedure
1. First select one country, and collect the information of
its hotels.
2. List out the various points of comparison.
3. Similarly, study the basis of classification of hotels in
India and list out the details.
4. Make a presentation in the class.

Check Your Progress

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. ____________ hotels are luxury hotels.

2. Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur is an example of __________
hotel.
3. Castles, forts, palaces, havelis converted into hotels are
called ____________ hotels.
4. _____________is responsible for categorisation of hotels.
5. _____________hotels are economy hotels.

B. Subjective Questions

1. Briefly explain the categorisation of a hotel property.

2. What are the guest services offered by a five star hotel?
3. What do you mean by Heritage Hotels? Explain the
heritage classic, and heritage grand hotel property.
4. Differentiate between Luxury and Budget Hotels.
5. Differentiate between a 5 Star Deluxe and a 3 Star hotel
based on the classification of hotels.

Session 3: Type of Rooms and Guest Services

Category of Rooms
Category of rooms in hotels can be classified in the
following three types:
Type A— (a) Normal Room, (b) Deluxe Room,
(c) Executive Room, (d) Suite Room, (e) Deluxe Suite
Room, (f) Presidential Suite Room, etc.
Type B— Air Conditioned (AC) or Non-Air conditioned
(Non-AC)

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 Type C— Facing a particular view such
as poolside (Cabana Rooms), sea, garden,
mountain, etc.

Type of Rooms
Due to rapid growth and changing pattern
of the hotel and hospitality industry, many
changes have been made in the standard of
the services offered.
Tourists have a wide range of hotels as
well as different types of rooms to choose Fig. 2.8 A Hotel room
from when they decide to go on a trip. The
room charges also differ based on the category of hotel
chosen and room selected.

Room Type Basic Room Features

Deluxe Room • Amenities such as refrigerator, stock of beverages, and a mini-bar.

• Bedding— One or two queen beds, or one king size bed
• Prominent location with highest comfort.

Suite Room • Separate living and sleeping area, with cooking facilities.
• Suite rooms have one, two or three bedrooms, sometimes in
addition with a parlour and a full kitchen.

Superior Room • Comfort and furnishing as in a deluxe room but less desirable
location.
• Bedding usually one or two double beds or queen beds, or a
king bed.
• Rate and bedding may differ from international hotel chain as
compared to other properties.

Standard Room • One or two double beds; one queen bed or two twin beds.
• Rooms usually do not have a view.
• Many such rooms may be located in the least convenient part of
the hotel.

Economic or • Usually used by budget class tourists or guests

Budget Room • Rates may be low and discounted
• Smaller in size than other rooms
• Smaller bedding in the room

We should also keep this in mind that these terms are

used differently by different hotels as luxury or standard

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 hotel room types. These room types may be as
following:
Single Room
A single room is for one person, and usually has
a full-size bed (double bed).
Double Room
A double room usually has space for two guests,
Fig. 2.9 Double room with a double bed (full-size) or queen-size bed.
Twin Room
A twin room usually has space for two guests,
with two separate beds (twin or single beds).
Triple Room
A triple room can accommodate three guests,
either with one double bed and a single bed, or a
different combination of three.
Fig. 2.10 Twin room
Suite
A suite is bigger than your normal hotel room.
In fancy hotels, suites could even have multiple
rooms. You might also see an executive suite or
a family suite.
Adjoining or Connecting Rooms
This means that two rooms are connected
Fig. 2.11 Triple room together by a door going from one room directly
into the other. Large groups of people or families might
ask to be put in adjoining rooms.
Types of Beddings inside a Hotel Room
Besides the room category, a CSE working in the travel,
tourism and hospitality sector, also needs to understand
the types of beds provided by a hotel so as to deal with
the choices of comfort of the traveller. The main types of
bedding in a hotel room are:

King Bed
It has large size mattresses, i.e. 76 inches wide and 80
inches long. These types of beds are provided only in
suites or deluxe rooms.

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 Queen Bed Notes
It is about 60 inches wide and 80 inches long. A room
with queen beds may have either one or two beds.

Standard Double Bed

This is 54 inches wide and 75 inches long and is usually
provided in standard and economy rooms. A room may
have one or two such beds.

Twin Bed
It is about 39 inches wide and 75 inches long in size and
is designed for one adult. In most of the cases, a room
equipped with twin beds has two beds and sometimes
an extra bed may be added on the demand of guests
and is chargeable.

Room Features
Here are various amenities that hotel rooms might offer
to their guests. ‘Amenities’ is just another term for the
features provided to the guests.

Air Conditioner
Air conditioning keeps the rooms cool in hot weather.

Heating
In cold weather, heating will keep the rooms and hotel
warm.

Bathroom
This is the room where you’ll find a toilet, sink
and shower. Most hotel rooms have the bathroom
attached.

Internet access
Wired or wireless internet access is provided by the
hotels. This might be free of charge or maybe be on
chargeable basis requiring a password.

Wireless Printing
This allows the guests to print from their own computers
to a printer situated at a designated place in the hotel,

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 Notes which not need be connected to the printer with a wire.
However, the hotel will assist in configuring the client.

Fan
Some rooms might have ceiling fans

Balcony
A balcony is a platform outside a room that’s enclosed
by some type of railing. Balconies are on all the floors
higher than the ground level (first floor and higher).

Patio
It is a paved area outside the room on ground level that
usually has an outdoor table and chairs.

Smoke-free
If rooms are smoke-free, it means that smoking is not
allowed. Smoking and non-smoking are two terms used
to describe if smoking is allowed or not.

Facilities in a Hotel Room

There are some terms that are often used in the tourism
and hospitality industry to describe the facilities
provided in a hotel room.
Complimentary means ‘free’. Often hotels will serve a
complimentary breakfast, included in the cost of your
room, or have complimentary toiletries like shampoos
and soaps in the bathroom.
Bathtub is provided in the bathroom, where people can
clean themselves by taking a bath.
Shower allows people to bathe while standing. The
shower head is attached overhead and this area is
separated using an enclosed glass panel or shower
curtains to avoid spilling water all over the bathroom
while the guest bathes.
Towels are used to dry after taking a shower or bath.
These are divided into face towel, hand towel, bath towel
and bath mat.
Robes are provided for the guests to wear after they
have taken a shower. They are also called bathrobes.
These are mostly available in luxury hotels.

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 Toiletries are small personal items you might use in Notes
the bathroom, such as shampoo and conditioner for
washing hair, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste for
brushing teeth, etc.
Hair Dryer— Most hotels will have an electric hair dryer
for guests to dry their hair after a head bath. In standard
hotels, hair dryers are attached to the walls with a cord.
These are also called blow dryers.
Sink is used to wash hands. It has a faucet.
Soap is used to kill germs and bacteria while washing.
It can be either liquid (stored in a soap dispenser) or
a solid bar. Some hotels have both hand soap and
body soap.
Lamp provides extra light, besides the light fixtures on
the ceiling and walls. These could be placed next to the
beds as reading lamps or on the study table provided in
the room.
Executive desk may be provided in some rooms which
would be a desk to sit and write or work on. These are
sometimes called executive desks.
Kitchenette is a mini-kitchen where people can prepare
basic food, usually with a microwave and sink.
Kettle— In hotels, a kettle is placed for heating water
for preparing tea or coffee. Sachets of assorted teas,
coffee, sugar, sugar free and milk powder along with
two cups and two spoons are kept alongside the kettle.
Room Service is a service that lets the guests order
food or drinks and have it delivered to their hotel room.

Turndown Service is provided in the evening time,

where the bed is made ready for the guest to sleep in
at night. A goodnight message or mints maybe placed
beside the pillow.
Curtains usually hang from a rod to cover a window.
Curtains can be pulled open or closed to let sunlight in
or keep it out.
TV with a remote control (small hand-held device
used to change the channel or volume) is provided in
most rooms. Some hotels have a listing of the local TV
channels. Also, there are often pay-per-view channels
or movies that guests are later charged for.

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 Notes Safe is a small box locked with a combination lock or
key where guests can keep valuable items locked and
secure.
Cot is a small bed that folds up and rolls on wheels,
so it can be moved into rooms when an extra bed is
needed.
Pull-out Sofa is a couch that can be pulled out into a
sofa-bed.
Armchair is a more comfortable chair with rests for
both the arms.
Linens is a term used for bedsheets, pillow cases to
cover the pillows, a blanket or a comforter (the thick
blanket on top of a bed).
Iron and Ironing Board is provided in some categories
of rooms to help the guests to iron their clothes in the
room itself.
Private Jacuzzi is a hot tub located somewhere inside or
attached to the room. ‘Private’ is the opposite of ‘public’,
and means that this Jacuzzi is just for the people in
that room.

Guest Service in Hotel

Guest services include the consistent delivery of products
and services which not only meets the expectations but
also exceeds the expectations of guests. It focuses on
providing delightful hotel experiences that may last a
lifetime.
Legendary Hotelier Cesar Ritz’s view on Guest Service was:
No detail is too small and no request is too big if it is meant
to satisfying a customer.
His philosophy on guest service formed the foundation
for service in hotel industry. (National Council for Hotel
Management and Catering Technology)

Food and Beverage (F&B) Services

Food and beverage department deals with providing
quality food and beverages to the guests. It may be part of
a full-fledged hotel or running independently. The team
of food and beverage staff has to look at the receiving and
seating of the guest, taking of orders, serving the order,

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 clearance of the dishes and plates, settling of the bill Notes
and asking for guest feedback during the service or at
the end. Food and beverage department works in close
coordination with the food production department. A bar
is an area where the drinks are prepared as in the view
of the guest area inside the restaurant mostly. Other
than hotels, food and beverage services are available
on airlines, trains, cruise liners, organisation, schools,
colleges, hospitals, etc.
Most of the star-ranked hotels offer multiple F&B
services in their hotels, such as:
• Restaurant
• Lounge
• Coffee Shop
• Room Service
• Poolside Barbecue or Grill Service
• Banquet Service
• Bar
• Outside Catering Service

Food and Beverage Restaurant

These are the places in a hotel where food and drinks
are served. There are different types of restaurants:
All Day Dining Restaurants
They are usually called Coffee Shop or Cafe in Hotels.
They are usually big in size with many covers (seats),
compared to other restaurants in the same hotel.
The main reason why they are called All Day Dining
Restaurants is because of their hours of operation, as
they are open from 7 am to 11pm, whereas in 5-star
hotels, they are operational for 24 hours a day. The
services provided by these vary from breakfast in
the morning to lunch in the afternoon and dinner in
the evening.
Fine Dining Restaurants
These restaurants are characterised by their elaborate
and exclusive menu with special emphasis on the high
quality of food that they serve. The emphasis being on
fresh ingredients and natural flavours or on the type of

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 Notes cuisine served, or both. Usually the operation of this
restaurant revolves around the Head Chef or Chef De
Cuisine of this outlet.
Speciality Restaurants
These restaurants usually have a type of National
or Regional Character or Cuisine attached to them,
for example, Italian Speciality Restaurant, Chinese
Speciality Restaurant, etc. In some hotels, sometimes
they also have Multi Cuisine Speciality Restaurants,
which literally means that the restaurant serves
cuisines from more than one country or the dishes
on its menu has food specialties from many different
countries.
Lounge
Lounges can be found in different hotels. Their main
purpose is to offer food and drinks in a comfortable and
cozy seating in relaxed surroundings. There are many
kinds of lounges ranging from a lounge in a lobby,
Cocktail Lounge and Cigar Lounge to Executive and
Club Lounge on special floors.
Coffee Shop
It is a part of the hotel, mostly run 24 hours. It offers
some snacks along with coffee.
Room Service
It is a part of the Food and Beverage Department in
hotels. A menu is placed in the guestroom, as per the
convenience, the guest places the order and the food is
delivered to the guestroom. Room service is operational
24 hours and the variety of dishes in the menu differs
from hotel to hotel.
Bar
Bar is a place where alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic
drinks are served. There is usually a small snacks menu
too. The service is fast and quick. There are various
kinds of bars ranging from Formal Bars to Club Bars,
Pubs, Pool, Bars, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, Beach Bar
to Juice Bars and many more.

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 Discotheque or Nightclub Notes
They are outlets where music and entertainment takes
priority with the food and drinks. The operation is
very fast and the guest numbers are large. Security is
an important aspect in these operations. Music and
entertainment can range from DJ to live bands playing.
Meeting and Conference Rooms
These are rooms with limited seating and have audio
visual setup required for conducting meetings. They
are let out to guests for conducting their meetings.
The guest is charged for an entire day or on hourly
basis. These are smaller than banquet halls. Food and
beverage requirements maybe charged extra depending
on the guest’s requirement.
Banquet Halls
These are large Function Rooms which are primarily
used for functions and weddings. The staffing ratio of
full time staff in this section is very less as the function
and wedding business can sometimes be seasonal and
extra staff is usually filled in by employing part time
staff. This section is the most dynamic section in Food
and Beverage with the conference section, which is more
physically demanding and creatively oriented.
Delicatessen
This is also called a Deli in short. It is a place where
guests can buy fresh produce ranging from freshly
baked bread, cold meat, fresh salads, cakes, homemade
ice creams, light and healthy drinks, etc.
Others
There are many other Food and Beverage outlets
ranging from Fast Food Outlets to Food Courts to
Snack Bars which are usually standalone or in a
shopping centre.

Functions of Food and Beverage Servers

The main functions of F&B services in a hotel are to:
• prepare tables or counters for meals
• stock the service area with supplies (for example,
coffee, glassware, etc.)

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 Notes • greet customers, present menus and help the
customers in selecting menu items
• inform customers about daily specials
• record orders and place them with the kitchen
and bar
• pick up and serve orders
• check that the customers are enjoying their meals
and correct any problems
• suggest and serve desserts and beverages
• clean and reset tables
• tabulate and present bills for payment

Food Service Menus

A menu is a detailed list of food and beverage items
that are served in a restaurant along with the prices.
A carefully planned and designed menu can help in
increasing the sales of the dishes.
A menu is a presentation of detailed list of food
items that are served in restaurant. In any food
service organisation, it is a control tool to run a food
service operation. If a menu is developed with careful
planning following the food trends and featuring
menu, it can contribute in all sectors of the hotel. A
well planned menu can also ensure optimal utilisation
of hotel resources.
Types of Menu
Even though menu could be offered in different ways in
different food service organisations, traditionally there
are two types of food menus that are offered— À la carte
and Table D’ Hote. Other menus are usually adaptations
of these of two types.
Table d’Hote Menu (Table of the host)
A table d’hote menu may only offer one food item
from each category of the menu format and therefore
offers little choice. Or it can be a menu at a set price,
offering two or three courses with no choice. For
example, soup, main course and dessert. The word
has originated from the inns of France where the

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 guests ate at a common table called the host’s table Notes
in the sixteenth century.
Table d’hote menus are a good example of a non-
selective menu. The menu is at a fixed price with set
items. It can also be a cyclical menu, e.g. changing
every day and rotating through the month. The guest
is seated and served at a table by the waiting staff. The
various kinds of table d’ hote menus are:
(a) Banquet Menu
(b) Buffet Menu
(c) Coffee Houses Menu
(d) Cyclical Menu

À La Carte Menu (According to card)

According to the Oxford Dictionary, early in the 19th
century, it translates into ‘according to the card
(menu)’. A good example of a selective menu would be
À la carte menu. This is a menu with all the dishes
individually priced. Items on the menu are prepared
and cooked to order. All items on the menu are listed
at a different price and the guest is served at a table.
The various kinds of table À la carte menus are:
(a) Breakfast Menu
(b) Luncheon Menu
(c) Dinner Menu
(d) Room Service Menu
(e) Lounge Menu

Table Layouts for Dining

Once the type of menu is decided in the restaurant, the
cutlery, crockery and glassware are set on the table.
There are basically three types of table setting for dining
in the restaurant of a hotel.
Setting Table for Formal Dining
This type of table setup is required for formal events
like corporate lunch or dinner, or a wedding party. The
formal dining contains multiple courses and second
helpings are not offered.

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 The table setup looks as follows (Fig. 2.12):
Place card water glass
Wineglass
Bread plate (red)

Dessert spoon

Wineglass
Cake fork (white)
Bread
knife Service plate

Napkin Salad Plate

Cup and saucer

(generally aren't
placed on the
Salad Dinner table until the
fork fork Soup
Dinner spoon dessert course)
knife Teaspoon
Fig. 2.12 Table layout for formal dining

Setting Table for Casual Dining

Water This table setup is required for informal events
glass Wine like holiday parties and family gatherings.
glass
Plate Casual dining can contain multiple courses
Soup
spoon and service staff offers or serves second rounds
of helping when a guest requests for it. This
Napkin table setup appears as shown in Fig. 2.13.
Setting a Buffet Table
Salad fork Dinner This set up is required for catering to large
Dinner Teaspoon
fork knife groups of people. Buffet table setting can be
Fig. 2.13 Table Layout for casual dining done in numerous ways depending upon the
size and shape of the place, the menu, and the
number of guests (Fig. 2.14.)
• The food items are placed in a sequence from
lightest to heaviest, starters to desserts, or coolest
to warmest.
• Cutlery is placed on the guest tables.
• Glasses, cups, and saucers are placed on a
separate table to avoid congestion.
• Table decoration pieces are placed such that they
do not interfere with the food items.

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 • Plates are stacked not more than 15 plates per Notes
stack.
• Paper napkins are placed between the plates.

Butter Dish Flatware Napkins Beverages

Plates
Breads/Rolls

Main Course
Centrepiece

Salad Cold Foods Hot Foods

Fig. 2.14 Table layout for buffet

Types of Meal Plans and Tariffs

The term ‘Meal Plan’ refers to the meal types that will
be included in the guest’s room rate and services. This
plan includes the number and size of portions that will
be served per person. The various kinds of meal plans
used in the hotel and hospitality industry are:
1. European Plan (EP)— Room Tariff + Morning Tea
(No meal included)
2. Continental Plan (CP)— Room Tariff + Continental
Breakfast
3. Modified American Plan (MAP)— Room Tariff +
Breakfast + Lunch or dinner (options available)
4. American Plan (AP)— Room Tariff + Breakfast +
Lunch + Dinner
5. Modified American Plan (MAP)— Room Tariff +
Breakfast + Lunch/Dinner
6. Bermuda Plan (BP)— Room Tariff +Breakfast only
Apart from the above meal plans, some other
terms are also used in hotel industry, i.e. FAP—
Full American Plan which means breakfast, lunch
and dinner, CPAI—Continental Plan All Inclusive
(breakfast) and APAI— American Plan All Inclusive
(Breakfast, dinner and lunch).

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 Notes

Activity 1
Visit and collect the tariff brochures of luxury hotels located in
your city and compare the rates and services offered to their
guests.
Material Required
Writing material, collected tariff brochures of hotels, etc.
Procedure
1. Divide students into groups of five students each.
2. Visits the nearby hotels located in your city.
3. Each group will collect five tariff brochures of hotels.
4. Study and note the plans and tariff rates of hotels.
5. Present the report in the class.

Activity 2
Collect and compare the menus of restaurants near your home.
Material Required
Writing material, collected menus of different hotels, etc.
Procedure
1. Divide students into groups of five students each.
2. Visit the nearby hotels located in your city.
3. Each group will collect five menu cards of different
hotels.
4. Study and note the plans and tariff rates of hotels.
5. Present the study in the class.

Check Your Progress

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. ‘Modified American Plan’ includes_____________.

(a) Two meals of the day + Room rent
(b) One meal of the day + Room rent
(c) Room Tariff + Breakfast + Lunch/Dinner
(d) Only Room
2. ‘American Plan’ includes______________.
(a) three daily meals included with room rates
(b) Room Tariff + Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
(c) only Breakfast
(d) only Dinner
3. ‘Cabana’ means________________.
(a) Studio room
(b) Twin rooms

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 (c) Triple rooms Notes
(d) a room attached to the swimming pool ride for
changing or resting
4. Food or beverages served in guest room is known
as________________.
(a) Full service
(b) Room service
(c) Service station
(d) None of these

B. Subjective Questions

1. How many types of rooms are available for guests in a

luxury hotel?
2. Write the different types of meal plans offered to the
guests by the five star hotels.
3. What are the facilities provided to the guests inside the
hotel rooms?
4. List all the different types of food and beverage outlets
in a hotel and briefly explain each of them.

Session 4: Functions and Services of Front

Office
Front Office Department Manager heads the team of
staff working on various activities and responsibilities,
in the front office department. Few prominent activities
that the front office staff is involved in, are:

Reservations
Reservation is the part of Front Office Department.
Hotel bookings are made through this section. A large
hotel chain may have its own centralised reservation
system which is a single point where all reservations
of the chain are made, while independent hotels may
subscribe to an international reservation system that
is open to any hotel who subscribes to it. The main
functions are to:
1. book rooms in advance.
2. handle all the cancellation and revisit as per the
reservation made by the guests from different
sources and modes.

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 Notes 3. process and confirm reservation request.
4. forecast future room reservation status.
5. update room availability chart.
6. maximise the sale of rooms.
7. gather maximum information from the guests for
making reservation.
8. maintain good and healthy relations with the
sales and marketing department to maximise the
revenue of the hotel.

Reception
It is located at the lobby level of the hotel. It also
allocates the rooms and establishes the rates for
different types of guest. The person of the section is
called Receptionist. The main work of this section is
registration. Other functions of this section are to:
1. warmly receive all the arrival guests and to
welcome them.
2. complete registration formalities and perform the
procedure of check-in and check-out of the guest.
3. co-ordinate closely with housekeeping department
for clearance of department room, room change
and UR (Under Repaired) rooms.
4. issue VIP amenities voucher to the food and
beverage service.
5. assign or allocate rooms to the guest.
6. co-ordinate closely with the bell desk for luggage
handling and room keys.
7. create guest folios and settling guest account
are the most important job responsibilities of the
receptionist.

Guest Registration
Guest registration refers to recording the guest’s
information for official purposes. At the time of
reservation, the front office staff asks the guests to enter
their personal information on the Guest registration
Card (GRC). Registration activity is mandatory for

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 both— the guests with reserved accommodation as Notes
well as for the walk-in guests. During registration,
the guest is required to enter important information
on the GRC such as, Guest Name, Address, Contact
details, Organisation, Arrived details, Passport and
Visa Details- Date of Issue and Date of Expiry, Place
of Issue, Visa Type, Payment Option – Cash, Card, or
Cheque, Guest signature, etc. It is the responsibility
of the Front Office staff not to reveal the guest
information to unauthorised persons.

Telecommunications
The telecommunication department is responsible for
all communication within the hotel as well as outside
the hotel. The following points mark the importance of
this department:
1. guests can make local as well as international
calls directly from their respective rooms.
2. charges or the amount are directly posted to the
guest folios.
3. facilities given to the guest by the hotel like wake
up calls, do not disturb (DND), interconnecting
phones, calls waiting, etc., are handled by
telecommunication department.

Accounts
It mainly includes a Front Office Cashier and a Night
Auditor. The cashier is responsible for handling guest
payments. This person reports to the Accounts Manager
rather than the Front Office Manager.
The Night Auditor performs the duties of front desk
reception as well as accounting partly during the night
shift and needs to report to the heads of departments,
front office, and accounting.

Front Office Cashier

This section of the front office is located at the front
desk. Front Office Cashier, working in this section is
responsible for updating guest bills, keeping up to date
cash and credit transactions of the guests and get them
settled before the guest departure. Front office cashier

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 Notes ensures timely collection of all the guest bills from
different outlets and posts them in respective folios if
the Front Office is not computerised.

Concierge
The concierge staff is responsible for assisting guests
by booking tours, making theatre and restaurant
reservations, etc., along with taking care of their security,
lodging and arrangements of their visit to entertainment
set ups like theatre. This staff also provides information
about the City Events as well as about the tourist places
and provide guide maps to the guest. This department
helps the guests to book tickets for sightseeing, reserve
restaurants for the guests, and books movie tickets for
the guest.

Bell Desk
It is located at either side of the lobby. This desk is
responsible for handling the guest luggage during
arrival and departure. The bell desk section also handles
the payment by the guests for various services availed
at the hotel, delivers guest mail and messages to the
concerned guest room. The important functions of this
section are to:
1. co-ordinate the movement of guests’ luggage and
baggage during the check-in and check-out of the
guests.
2. distribute daily newspaper and magazines to the
guest rooms.
3. be responsible for creating reports for guest
Errand Card, left luggage procedure, and scanty
baggage procedure.

Lobby
It is an area which is located at the entrance of a hotel
building with sitting arrangement for guest’s visitors
to meet and wait. It is synonym to the word ‘Foyer’,
which means a wide passage or large hall just inside
the entrance of a public building. The dimension and
design of this area rely upon the size and design of the

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 building. Basically, lobby area must be furnished with Notes
all the necessary things.
Examples— Lobby desk, Bell desk, GRE/GRO,
Reception desk, Cash counter, Rest room, Business
centre, Safety lockers, etc.

Telephone Operator
This is a separate section under front office department
which is located on the back side of the hotel. They
are connected to the front desk and cannot be seen
by the guest. A telephone operator is an employee in
this section, responsible for handling all the incoming
and outgoing guest calls and hotel calls. The telephone
operator is responsible for posting all the charges
incurred by the guests and the hotel employees while
making calls.

Business Centre
Modern technology has changed the pace of
information system. People can do their job in a
home country while staying in far-away countries.
The role of fax, photocopying and secretarial work is
deemed important to provide these types of services
to the guest. There may be demand from the guest to
translate and interpret services as well as for hiring of
laptops, computers, and portable telephones in their
rooms. The responsibility of such type of services
comes under business services. The arrangement
of meeting rooms and conferences is also one of
the duties of business centre staff. It the hotel has
many non-English speaking guests, then bilingual
secretaries may be required in the business centre.

Hotel Room Status

This is a responsibility of the housekeeping department
to inform the room status to the front desk in a hotel.
During the guest’s stay, the housekeeping status of the
guestroom changes several times. The various terms
defined are typical of the room status terminology of the
lodging industry. Not every room status will occur for
each guestroom during every stay.

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 Notes The following terminologies are used for room status
in a hotel:
Occupied: A guest is currently registered to the room.
Vacant and Ready: The room has been cleaned and
inspected and is ready for an arriving guest.
Complimentary: The room is occupied, but the guest is
assessed no charge for its use.
Stay Over: The guest is not expected to check out today
and will remain at least one more night.
On-change: The guest has departed, but the room has
not yet been cleaned and readied for re-sale.
Do Not Disturb: The guest has requested not to be
disturbed.
Sleep-out: A guest is registered to the room, but the
bed has not been used.
Skipper: The guest has left the hotel without making
arrangements to settle his or her account.
Sleeper: The guest has settled his or her account and
left the hotel, but the front office staff has failed to
properly update the room’s status.
Vacant and ready: The room has been cleaned and
inspected and is ready for an arriving guest.
Out-of-order: The room cannot be assigned to a guest.
A room may be out-of-order for a variety of reasons
including the need for maintenance, refurbishing, and
extensive cleaning.
Double Lock: The guest room door is locked from inside
and outside two times so that no one can enter.
Lockout: The room has been locked so that the guest
cannot re-enter until a hotel official clears him or her.
DNCO (Did Not Check Out): The guest made
arrangements to settle his or her account (and thus is
not a skipper), but has left without informing the front
office.
Due out: The room is expected to become vacant after
the following day’s checkout time.
Checkout: The guest has settled his or her account,
returned the room keys, and left the hotel.

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 Late Checkout: The guest has requested and is being Notes
allowed to check out later than the hotel’s standard
check-out time.

Procedures for Booking Hotel Rooms

Hotel rooms can be booked by either personal contact
or through some travel agent. There are various modes
of room reservation in a standard hotel.

Mode of Reservation
These are the means by which a guest makes the
reservation of rooms in a hotel. The reservation may
come from the guests directly or through any other
organisation but the medium through which they reach
the hotel are different. Following are some of the modes
of reservation:
Letter
It is a written request for reservation, which may have
been sent through post, courier or hand delivered. It is the
most common method for advance booking. Reservations
made through letter, delivered through post or courier,
are time consuming. Fax or Email are more efficient and
fast methods used today for this purpose.
Telephone
This is a faster way of getting confirmation and is
handled directly by the reservation staff. During the
telephone conversation with the guest, the reservation
assistant takes down all the necessary details on the
reservation forms.
Fax (Facsimile)
It is the most common method as it is cheaper than
telephonic conversation and allows transmission in
written form, better than telex; as it allows graphic form
to be transmitted over telephone lines making it more
authenticated and better.
E-Mail or Internet (Computer)
With the fast advancement of internet in the world,
today most of the hotels allow reservation online on

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 Notes internet through their website. Even reservations sent
on E-mail are accepted.
CRS (Central Reservation System)
There are many private service providers providing
CRS services thus allowing direct reservation access to
travel agents, clients or instant basis through their own
networks. All hotels have their own CRS system.

Duties and Responsibilities of Front Office

Assistant

1. Perform Check-in and Check-out Procedures

Check-in Process
This is a critical process, since a lot of vital information
is exchanged between the guest and the hotel staff
during this process, irrespective of the mode of check-
in process, i.e. manual or computerised. The manual
process starts when a guest either walks-in (without
reservation) or one with prior reservation walks into the
hotel looking for desired or requested accommodation,
i.e., depending upon the availability of rooms, the walk-
in guest is assigned a room whereas the guest with prior
reservation is usually assigned the room for which he
has requested.
Check-out Process
Check-out point is the last contact that a guest will
have with the property and the experience at this point
will determine the kind of impression the guest will
carry with him/her. In other words, if it is smooth, the
guest will carry pleasant memories. Thus, to make this
process more efficient and error proof, you shall divide
it into three parts:
(a) Guest vacating the room;
(b) Guest settling the bill; and
(c) Guest departing.
Guest vacating the room usually depends upon the
hotel’s check-out time. Usually the check-out time is 12
noon. Sometimes depending on the availability of the

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 room and the type of client, the check-out time can be Notes
extended for the guest on special request.

Guest arrives Prepare for Guest Arrival

Check in
Rooms status and availability
Check reservation Expected arival and departure
status Special request
Special guests

Has the No No
guest made a Are rooms available? Deny request
reservation?

Suggest alternate rooms

Yes or hotels
Complete registration
form

Assign room and room Check method of

rate payment

Escort guest to room Issue room key

Fig.2.15 Check-in and check-out procedures in a hotel

2. Welcoming and Greeting a Guest at Front

Office
Front office is the visible department of a hotel where
guests interact firstly, so it is important to give warm
welcome and greeting to the guest because the first
impression should be memorable for a guest. An
unwelcoming or reluctant behaviour of the Front Office
Staff leaves a very bad impression on the guest and spoils
the image of the hotel. This may even adversely affect
the hotel’s revenue since it will lose repeat customers.
So, the hotel staff should extend a warm welcome to the
guest and may even offer a bouquet or a teeka on the
forehead, especially for customers who have travelled
long way and would be tired. Offer seating, tea or coffee
in the lobby area in case of little time required for
preparing hotel room for the guests.
First Impression
• Friendly Welcome— “Hi, Welcome to India/
Delhi/Bhopal” or “Good afternoon, Welcome

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 to Taj Palace. Is this your first time visiting
our city?”
• Stand Up— Get off the chair and be presentable
(put on ironed shirt and be well dressed)
• Make Eye Contact— Eye contact produces the
feelings of caring, trustworthiness and likability.
• Smile— Do not look sad. Instead, smile because
when we smile, it creates a spark that triggers the
brain’s pleasure centre. That’s why a smile is said
to be contagious.

Use Right Words

Here are some harsh versus polite hospitality words.
For example:

Harsh Polite Reasoning

‘No’ Find a solution ‘No’ gives no space for

discussion and gives a
feeling of snubbing
‘We can’t do ‘Please allow me to figure Gives an impression of
that’ out a solution’ earnestness to help
‘We’re sold ‘Tonight our hotel is fully It helps the client to feel
out’ committed, can I offer safe and assured
to help you find nearby
accommodations?’
‘Are you ‘Good Morning/Afternoon, To begin with a greeting
checking How may I assist you?’ feels welcoming
out/in’
‘I don’t know’ ‘Please allow me to find Makes the client feel
out this for you’ valued and respected
‘I don’t ‘I’m happy to help you Shows integrity and
work in that find the right person gives a feeling of not
department’ to better answer your being misled
question’
‘It’s our ‘Let me see how I can help Conveys the flexibility of
policy’ you with this’ the services of the hotel
‘You can’t do ‘Here are some alternative It makes the client feel
that; suggestions for you to…’ accommodating
‘No Problem’ ‘It’s my pleasure’ Exudes warmth and
personal touch
‘It’s not my ‘On behalf of ___ and Gives the feeling
fault’ our hotel, I sincerely of sincerity and
apologise….’ appeasement

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 Try to Offer Best and More Notes
Here are seven things more to offer to the customers:
• Anticipate their needs with questions.
• Give directions.
• Offer coupons and discounts to local attractions.
• Make a welcome guidebook with local favourites,
restaurant, banks, ATM, post office, grocery store
and more.
• Free drink coupons, gift basket, anniversary cake,
birthday card, more towels or room amenities—
make them feel extra special.
• Candy bar with guests’ name on it.
• Complimentary upgrades, free breakfast,
additional night stay completed.

Empower Yourself
For this, follow the given steps:
• Successfully resolve a guest issue
• Take on a new initiative
• Ask for additional tasks on your own
• Share ideas on how to improve a process at your
hotel
• Suggest ways to save energy, payroll and other
expenses
• Don’t be afraid to, sometimes, challenge the
status quo
• Do something that will make a guest super happy.
• Challenge yourself to do better.

Activity 1
Visit a hotel nearby as a guest and observe the various activities
being carried out at the front office.
Material Required
Writing material
Procedure
1. The students can visit in pairs or can visit individually
along with guardians.
2. Observe the activities going on at the front desk.

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 Notes 3. Make notes of the visit.
4. Prepare a report of about 250 words describing what all
you observed and compare it with what all you have read
about in this session.

Activity 2
From your visit in Activity 1, try to recollect and draw the layout
of the lobby of the hotel. Label the various sections in the lobby.
Material required
Writing material
Procedure
1. Take your notebook and draw a neat layout using a
pencil and scale.
2. Layout need not be of proper dimensions.
3. Label the various sections of the lobby using a pen.

Check Your Progress

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. The concierge is under which department?

(a) Security
(b) Division
(c) Accounting Rooms
(d) Front Office
2. The person handling the guest luggage is known
as_____________.
(a) Bell boy
(b) Night auditor
(c) Room attendant
(d) Front office attendant
3. Mr. X checks into room 207 for a one-night stay.
Early the next morning, Mr. X leaves the hotel without
paying the bill. When checking the 4pm housekeeping
report, the front desk finds room 207listed as vacant
and ready for sale and realises that the guest was a
__________________.
(a) Due out
(b) Sleeper
(c) Skipper
(d) Sleep out
4. DNCO stands for______________________.
(a) Did Not Collect Order
(b) Did Not Check Order
(c) Did Not Confirm Order
(d) Did Not Check Out

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 5. Which of the following Front Office Forms typically Notes
contains personal guest data, the length of stay, and
the method of settlement?
(a) Room rack slip
(b) Registration card
(c) Information rack slip
(d) Credit card voucher
6. Arranging local sightseeing and airport pick-up facilities
for the tourists by the hotel are the functions of
______________________.
(a) Front Office
(b) Travel Desk
(c) Reception
(d) Tour Operator

B. Subjective Questions

1. What is the importance of first impression for the front

office staff?
2. Write a dialogue between an angry guest and the
reception staff, due to the delay in the check-in
procedure.
3. Define centralised reservation system (CRS) in hotel
reservation. What are the other modes for booking of
hotel rooms?
4. Briefly explain the different sections of hotel front office.
5. Explain the check-in and check-out procedures in a
luxury hotel.

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