Glossary

This Glossary is provided to help guests understand more about the rental of inns, resorts and vacation rentals. It is not comprehensive but serves as a primer for terms guests may encounter in renting specialty lodging. Not all terms apply to all properties or managers.

Advance Lodging Reservation

A Booking for a set period of time in the future such as renting a lodging property for a week or weekend. Advance Lodging Reservations require the owner or manager to keep the property available for the guest's exclusive use on the dates booked. In return, Advance Lodging Reservations are only cancelable in accordance with the owner or manager's terms and conditions.
Origin: Merchant Account Terms

After Hours

Managers and Owners provide service during long hours, but most are not open 24 hours a day. Calls, assistance and other services provided outside of normal business hours are referred to as after hours.
Origin: Industry

After Hours Fees

Charges to Guests or Owners for services provided after hours. Essential services such as loss of water, power or heat are usually provided free of charge. After hours calls for non-essential services usually bear a fee.
Origin: Industry

AHMA - American Hotel & Motel Association

A trade association that offers benefits and services to hospitality properties and suppliers. It propose legislation affecting hotels, sponsors seminars and group study programs, conducts research, and publishes Lodging magazine.
Origin: AHMA.org Link: AHMA.org

Amenities

The features and benefits associated with a property such as furniture, equipment, furnishings, resort priviledges and so forth. Amenities widely between types of accomodations such as hotels, motels, cabins, bed and breakfasts; and also between one unit and another.
Origin: Industry

Amenity Fee

A certain amount paid to an owner or property complex above and beyond the rental rate that allows the renter access to certain amenities (golf, tennis, beach chairs etc.)
Origin: Industry

Arrival Date

The date at which a guest arrives or is allowed to arrive and use a property. In lodging this also usually includes a time before which the guest is not allowed access.
Origin: Industry

Attractions

General all-inclusive term travel industry marketers use to refer to products that have visitor appeal, like museums, historic sites, performing arts institutions, preservation districts, theme parks, entertainment and national sites.
Origin: Industry

Availability Calendar

An online calendar which can be updated to allow renters see the dates open for a certain property (Room, Suite or Home).
See also: Common Calendar Origin: Industry

Availability Calendar

An on line calendar which can be updated to allow renters to see the dates open for a certain property.

Back to Back

When one booking immediately follows another booking without a day between them, that is referred to as a back to back. In that case, cleaning must be done between when one guest checks out and the next checks in.
Origin: William May

Beach Front Accommodations

Buildings or rooms and living units in a building which is along side a body of water and generally with a reasonably level geographically between the building and the water. Generally means there are no other buildings between the building and the water. Is more specific than Ocean Front Accommodations which may not be on a beach.
See also: Ocean Front Accommodations Origin: Industry

Bed Tax

City or county tax added to the price of a lodging facility.
Origin: Industry

Booking Fee

An additional charge assessed by owners and managers for completing paperwork, handling credit cards, arranging housekeeping and coordinating a lodging property rental.
Origin: Industry

Cancellation Policy

The terms and basis on which a lodging property owner or manager will or will not accept cancellations. Also dependent on the terms on which the guest booked the property. Usually stated as a number o days prior to first date of occupancy on which a guest may request a cancellation. Fees may apply to cancellations or cancellations may be denied altogether.
See also: "Guarantee Reservation" and "Advance Loding Reservation" Origin: Industry

Cancelled (Booking)

A previously confirmed (Completed) Booking that has been later Cancelled. Our software uses this is a Booking Status.
See also: Abandoned, Aborted, Blocked, Confirmed, Order, Hold, Incomplete, In Error, Out of Service, Quoted, Unblocked Origin: William May

Carpet Cleaning

Usually performed periodically by a vendor using specialized steam or other equipment to clean wall-to-wall carpeting.
Origin: Industry

Central Reservations

An office which receives phone calls, answers quest inquiries and arranges bookings of lodging facilities and other types of travel services
See also: Front Desk Origin: Industry

Check-In

The process by which guests arrive and check into a lodging property. Check In may be accomplished at a front-desk office, by meeting a representative at the property or by a telephone phone in requirement. These vary by the requirements of the owner or manager.
Origin: Industry

Check-Out

The process by which guests arrive and check out of a lodging property. Check Out may be accomplished at a front-desk office, by meeting a representative at the property or by a telephone phone in requirement. These vary by the requirements of the owner or manager.
Origin: Industry