Housekeeping
out of order
phrase
Meaning
Not working; for a hotel room, closed for repairs and taken off sale until the problem is fixed.
Where you use it
Room status codes in the PMS include OOO (out of order) for rooms that cannot be sold, for example after a water leak. On lifts, machines or phones, guests see an "Out of order" sign. Maintenance must fix the problem before housekeeping can release the room again.
Examples
Room 508 is out of order until the air conditioning is fixed.
Sorry, the lift on this side is out of order. Please use the one by the restaurant.
Usage note
Many hotels separate out of order (OOO: taken off sale for a longer repair) from out of service (OOS: a short problem; the room stays in stock but is not given to guests).
Common phrases
put a room out of order · out-of-order room · OOO status · out of order sign
More about this term →laundry service
noun
Meaning
A hotel service that washes, dries, irons or dry-cleans guests' clothes, usually for a fee shown on a price list.
Where you use it
Guests put clothes in a laundry bag, fill in the laundry list and call housekeeping for collection. Hotels offer same-day or express laundry service, pressing (ironing only) and dry cleaning. The hotel laundry also washes all the hotel's linen.
Examples
If you leave your shirts in the laundry bag before 9 a.m., our laundry service will return them the same evening.
Is there a laundry service, or a washing machine that guests can use?
Common phrases
same-day laundry service · express laundry service · laundry bag · laundry list · dry cleaning
More about this term →beach towel
noun
Meaning
A large towel that a hotel gives guests to use at the pool or on the beach, separate from the towels in the bathroom.
Where you use it
In many resorts guests get a towel card at check-in and exchange it for a beach towel at the towel desk; if the card or towel is lost, a fee may be charged. Staff often remind guests not to take bath towels from the room to the pool. Also called a pool towel.
Examples
You can exchange your towel card for a beach towel at the pool bar.
Please use the beach towels at the pool, not the bath towels from your room.
Common phrases
towel card · change a beach towel · beach towel deposit · lost beach towel
More about this term →room status
noun
Meaning
The current condition of a room in the hotel system, such as vacant clean, vacant dirty, occupied or out of order.
Where you use it
Housekeeping and the front desk share room status all day through the PMS or a phone app. Common codes are VC (vacant clean), VD (vacant dirty), OC (occupied clean), OD (occupied dirty) and OOO. Reception should give guests only rooms that are vacant and inspected.
Examples
Can you update the room status for 506? It's clean and ready now.
The room status report shows twelve vacant dirty rooms on the third floor.
Common phrases
update the room status · room status report · vacant clean · vacant dirty · room status discrepancy
More about this term →stayover
noun
Meaning
In housekeeping, a room whose guest is staying another night, so it needs daily cleaning but not a full departure clean.
Where you use it
Room attendants' daily lists separate stayovers from departures and arrivals. A stayover clean usually means making the bed, tidying, emptying the bins and replacing used towels; departure rooms get a full clean. In everyday English, a stayover is a night spent at someone else's place.
Examples
I have eight stayovers and six departures on my list today.
Please start with the departures; the stayovers can wait until after lunch.
Common phrases
stayover room · stayover clean · stayovers and departures · stayover guest
More about this term →housekeeper
noun
Meaning
A person who works in a hotel's housekeeping department; the head of the whole department is called the executive housekeeper.
Where you use it
The meaning depends on the hotel: in many it means a room attendant, in others a supervisor. Common job titles are executive housekeeper, assistant housekeeper and floor housekeeper. Guests may simply say "The housekeeper came this morning" about the person who cleaned their room.
Examples
The executive housekeeper checks every VIP room before the guests arrive.
Could you ask the housekeeper to bring two more pillows?
Common phrases
executive housekeeper · assistant housekeeper · floor housekeeper · head housekeeper
More about this term →public areas
noun
Meaning
The parts of a hotel that all guests and visitors can use, such as the lobby, corridors, restaurants, toilets, lifts and the pool area.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to PA in housekeeping: PA team, PA attendant, PA cleaning. Public areas are cleaned several times a day and again at night, when the lobby is quiet. Smoking is normally banned in indoor public areas.
Examples
The public areas team cleans the lobby toilets every hour.
Please check all the public areas before the VIP group arrives.
Common phrases
public areas team · PA attendant · clean the public areas · public area cleaning
More about this term →room inspection
noun
Meaning
A check by a housekeeping supervisor that a cleaned room meets the hotel's standards before it is given to a new guest.
Where you use it
Supervisors use a checklist to inspect rooms: bed, bathroom, minibar, amenities, lights and remote controls. Only after inspection is the room status changed to inspected or ready. The verb is inspect: "Has 410 been inspected yet?"
Examples
The room inspection found hair in the shower, so the attendant had to clean it again.
VIP rooms get a second room inspection by the executive housekeeper.
Common phrases
room inspection checklist · carry out a room inspection · pass inspection · inspect a room
More about this term →dry cleaning
noun
Meaning
A way of cleaning clothes such as suits and silk dresses with chemicals instead of water, offered by many hotels as a paid service.
Where you use it
Guests fill in the laundry and dry cleaning list in the room and leave the bag for collection. The list shows prices and return times, such as same-day service for items collected before 10 a.m. Pressing means ironing only.
Examples
Could you send this suit for dry cleaning? I need it for a meeting tomorrow.
Dry cleaning collected before 9 a.m. is returned the same evening.
Common phrases
send for dry cleaning · dry cleaning service · laundry and dry cleaning list · same-day dry cleaning · pressing
More about this term →Food & Beverage Service
room service
noun
Meaning
A hotel service that brings food and drinks ordered by phone or app to a guest's room.
Where you use it
Part of the food and beverage department. Guests order from an in-room menu; staff take the order, give a delivery time and later collect the trays. Some hotels add a tray or delivery charge, and some offer 24-hour room service.
Examples
Room service, good evening. What can I get for you?
Your order will be with you in about 30 minutes, and the room service charge will be added to your bill.
Common phrases
order room service · 24-hour room service · room service menu · room service tray · room service charge
More about this term →buffet
noun
Meaning
A meal where dishes are laid out on long tables and guests serve themselves, choosing what and how much they want.
Where you use it
The main service style in most resort restaurants, especially at breakfast. Staff talk about the breakfast buffet, open buffet, live cooking stations and refilling the buffet. Guests ask, "Is the buffet open yet?"
Examples
The breakfast buffet is open from seven to ten in the main restaurant.
Could you refill the salad section of the buffet? It's almost empty.
Usage note
The final t is silent: /bəˈfeɪ/. Also, Turkish "büfe" can mean a kiosk or snack bar; in English that is a kiosk or snack bar, not a buffet.
Common phrases
breakfast buffet · open buffet · buffet dinner · buffet restaurant · refill the buffet
More about this term →à la carte
adjective
Meaning
Describes food ordered as separate dishes from a menu, each with its own price, rather than as a set meal or a buffet.
Where you use it
In Turkish resorts, à la carte restaurants are speciality restaurants (Italian, fish, Turkish, Far Eastern) where guests sit and order from a menu. They often need a reservation and, even on all-inclusive, may be limited per stay or charged extra.
Examples
Would you like to book a table at one of our à la carte restaurants this week?
The à la carte menu is available from 7 to 10 p.m.
Usage note
A French phrase that is often written without the accent: a la carte. Turkish hotels write it as alakart.
Common phrases
à la carte restaurant · à la carte menu · order à la carte · book an à la carte dinner
More about this term →waiter
noun
Meaning
A person who takes orders and serves food and drinks to guests at their tables in a restaurant or bar.
Where you use it
Waiters greet guests, take orders, serve, clear tables and bring the bill. Waitress is used for women, but server is now common as a neutral word, especially in the US. Hotel restaurants use titles such as commis waiter, chef de rang and head waiter.
Examples
Your waiter tonight is Emre. He'll be with you in a moment.
We need two more waiters for the wedding dinner on Saturday.
Usage note
"Garson" comes from French garçon, but English speakers do not use that word for restaurant staff. Guests usually get a waiter's attention by saying "Excuse me".
Common phrases
head waiter · call the waiter · tip the waiter · work as a waiter
More about this term →dietary requirements
noun
Meaning
Special needs about food that a guest has because of health, allergies, religion or personal choice, such as gluten-free or vegan meals.
Where you use it
Asked about on booking forms, at check-in and before events: "Do you have any dietary requirements?" Also dietary needs or dietary restrictions. Kitchens label dishes with allergen information, and staff must pass allergy details to the chef carefully.
Examples
Do any of your guests have dietary requirements for the gala dinner?
The guest has a severe nut allergy, so please tell the chef about her dietary requirements.
Common phrases
special dietary requirements · cater for dietary requirements · dietary needs · dietary restrictions
More about this term →tip
noun
Meaning
An extra amount of money that a guest gives a waiter, porter, driver or other staff member to thank them for good service.
Where you use it
Guests leave a tip on the table or add it to a card payment, and staff may share tips through a tip box or tip pool. Gratuity is the formal word, while a service charge is an amount the business adds to the bill. Tipping customs differ from country to country.
Examples
The guests left a generous tip for the pool bar team before they checked out.
Is the tip included in the bill? – No, service isn't included.
Usage note
Tip is also a verb ("Do people usually tip the driver?") and can mean a piece of advice, as in a travel tip.
Common phrases
leave a tip · generous tip · tip box · share tips · add a tip
More about this term →continental breakfast
noun
Meaning
A light breakfast of bread, pastries, butter, jam, fruit, juice and hot drinks, without cooked dishes such as eggs or sausages.
Where you use it
Used in rate descriptions to show what breakfast includes, in contrast with a full English breakfast or a hot buffet. When a rate includes only continental breakfast, some hotels charge extra for cooked items.
Examples
The rate includes a continental breakfast served in the lobby café.
Guests leaving early can take a continental breakfast box from 5 a.m.
Common phrases
serve a continental breakfast · continental breakfast included · continental breakfast buffet · light continental breakfast
More about this term →F&B
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for food and beverage: everything a hotel serves to eat and drink, and the department that runs its restaurants, bars, room service and events.
Where you use it
Used in job titles and reports: F&B manager, F&B director, F&B revenue, F&B outlets (restaurants and bars). Read aloud as "F and B". The department works closely with the kitchen, which is led by the executive chef.
Examples
The F&B manager wants to add a vegan option to every buffet.
F&B revenue was up 12% this month thanks to the new beach bar.
Common phrases
F&B manager · F&B department · F&B outlets · F&B revenue · F&B service
More about this term →banquet
noun
Meaning
A formal meal for a large number of people, such as a wedding dinner or gala; in hotels, also the department that organises such events.
Where you use it
Hotels have banquet halls, banquet menus and a banquet team that sets up tables, serves and clears. Conference and wedding business is often called banqueting or banquets and events. Related terms: banquet event order (BEO), banquet captain.
Examples
We need 20 extra staff for the banquet on Saturday night: 400 guests, four courses.
The wedding banquet will be held in the ballroom.
Common phrases
banquet hall · banquet menu · banquet team · wedding banquet · banquet event order
More about this term →starter
noun
Meaning
A small dish served at the beginning of a meal, before the main course, such as soup, salad or a cold appetiser.
Where you use it
British English; American English says appetizer. Waiters ask "Would you like a starter?" and "Are you ready to order your starters?" Menus are often divided into starters, mains and desserts.
Examples
For a starter, I'll have the lentil soup, and then the grilled sea bass.
Our set menu includes a starter, a main course and a dessert.
Usage note
In American English, entrée means the main course, while in France and Australia it means the starter. Check the menu to avoid confusion.
Common phrases
order a starter · for a starter · share a starter · starters and mains · cold starter
More about this term →main course
noun
Meaning
The largest and most important dish of a meal, usually meat, fish or a vegetarian dish served with side dishes.
Where you use it
Often shortened to main or mains on menus and in the kitchen: "two mains for table six". Waiters ask "What would you like for your main course?" The main course comes after the starter and before dessert. American English also says entrée.
Examples
For the main course tonight, we have lamb shank or grilled salmon.
Would you like a short break before I bring your main courses?
Common phrases
for the main course · order a main course · mains · vegetarian main course · serve the main course
More about this term →bartender
noun
Meaning
A person who prepares and serves drinks at a bar, takes orders and keeps the bar area clean and well stocked.
Where you use it
The usual word in American English and in international hotels; British English also says barman or barmaid, and bar staff for the team. A bartender who specialises in cocktails may be called a mixologist. In all-inclusive resorts, bartenders also check guests' wristbands.
Examples
Ask the bartender at the pool bar about our cocktail of the day.
We need two more bartenders for the gala dinner on Saturday.
Common phrases
head bartender · pool bar bartender · ask the bartender · bartender's recommendation
More about this term →take an order
phrase
Meaning
To ask guests what they would like to eat or drink and write it down or enter it into the system so it can be prepared.
Where you use it
A daily phrase in restaurants, bars and room service. Waiters say "Can I take your order?" or "Are you ready to order?" On the phone, room service staff repeat the order back to the guest. The guest places an order; the staff take it.
Examples
Good evening. Are you ready, or shall I come back and take your order in a few minutes?
Room service, good evening. I'll take your order and then read it back to you.
Usage note
Do not say the guest "gives an order"; that sounds like a command. The guest orders or places an order.
Common phrases
take someone's order · place an order · repeat the order · take a drinks order
More about this term →allergen
noun
Meaning
A substance in food, such as gluten, nuts, milk or eggs, that can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Where you use it
EU and UK food rules list 14 major allergens, and restaurants must be able to tell guests which of them a dish contains. Buffets often show allergen symbols on food labels. Staff should never guess: "Let me check with the chef which allergens are in this dish."
Examples
All allergens are shown on the cards next to each dish on the buffet.
Please tell your waiter about any allergies, and we'll check the allergens with the kitchen.
Usage note
An allergy is the reaction a person has; an allergen is the substance that causes it.
Common phrases
allergen information · contain allergens · allergen labelling · 14 major allergens · allergen-free
More about this term →gluten-free
adjective
Meaning
Describes food made without gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, which people with coeliac disease cannot eat.
Where you use it
Hotels offer gluten-free bread, pasta and desserts, often on request. For guests with coeliac disease (celiac in American English), even crumbs matter, so staff should mention the risk of cross-contamination honestly rather than simply calling a dish gluten-free.
Examples
We can prepare gluten-free bread for you every morning if you let us know the night before.
The gluten-free desserts are on the left side of the buffet.
Common phrases
gluten-free bread · gluten-free menu · gluten-free options · coeliac disease · cross-contamination
More about this term →local drinks
noun
Meaning
Alcoholic and soft drinks produced in the country, which are usually included in an all-inclusive package, unlike most imported brands.
Where you use it
A key phrase in all-inclusive concept descriptions: "local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks included; imported drinks and fresh juices at extra charge." Bartenders often explain which brands are local. Every hotel's concept is different, so staff should know their own list.
Examples
Local drinks are included in your package, but imported whisky is extra.
Our ultra all-inclusive concept covers local drinks and selected imported brands.
Common phrases
local drinks included · local alcoholic drinks · imported drinks · at extra charge · all-inclusive concept
More about this term →service charge
noun
Meaning
An extra amount, usually a percentage of the bill, that a restaurant or hotel adds for service and sometimes shares among the staff.
Where you use it
Menus and bills should say clearly whether service is included: "A 10% service charge will be added to your bill." Guests often ask whether they should still leave a tip. Rules on service charges differ from country to country, so staff should know the hotel's policy.
Examples
Does the bill include a service charge, or should we leave a tip?
A 12.5% service charge is added to all room service orders.
Common phrases
service charge included · add a service charge · discretionary service charge · service charge and tax
More about this term →dress code
noun
Meaning
Rules about what people should or should not wear in a place, such as a restaurant, a gala dinner or a religious site.
Where you use it
Resorts often have a dress code for dinner and the à la carte restaurants: no swimwear, long trousers for men, closed shoes. Signs say "smart casual" or "no beachwear". Guides explain the dress code before mosque visits: shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women.
Examples
Please note the dress code in the à la carte restaurant: long trousers for gentlemen.
The dress code for the mosque is simple: cover your shoulders and knees, and ladies need a headscarf.
Common phrases
strict dress code · smart casual dress code · follow the dress code · dress code applies
More about this term →high chair
noun
Meaning
A tall chair with long legs and a small tray, used to seat a baby or small child at the table during meals.
Where you use it
Families ask for one in restaurants and with room service: "Could we have a high chair, please?" Restaurant staff should clean high chairs after each use and check the safety belt. For older children, a booster seat raises them on a normal chair.
Examples
Could we have a table for three and a high chair for the baby?
High chairs are available in all our restaurants; just ask your waiter.
Common phrases
ask for a high chair · baby high chair · high chair available · booster seat
More about this term →gala dinner
noun
Meaning
A special formal dinner for a celebration or event, such as New Year's Eve or a company meeting, often with entertainment and a set menu.
Where you use it
Resorts announce gala dinners for New Year, Christmas and Easter, and conference groups often end their event with one. In all-inclusive hotels the gala dinner may be included or cost extra, and there is usually a dress code and a table reservation.
Examples
The New Year's Eve gala dinner starts at 8 p.m. in the main restaurant.
The pharmaceutical company has booked a gala dinner for 300 guests on the last night of the congress.
Common phrases
New Year's Eve gala dinner · gala dinner menu · attend the gala dinner · gala dinner supplement
More about this term →house wine
noun
Meaning
A cheaper wine that a restaurant or hotel chooses as its standard option and sells by the glass, carafe or bottle.
Where you use it
Guests ask "What's the house wine?" or order "a glass of the house red". Waiters should know the grape and region of the house wines and be ready to suggest something from the wine list. Set menus often include a glass of house wine.
Examples
Our house wine is a dry white from the Aegean region.
Could we have a carafe of the house wine, please?
Common phrases
house wine by the glass · a carafe of house wine · house red · house white
More about this term →Guest Relations & Complaints
guest
noun
Meaning
A person who is staying at a hotel or using its services, such as its restaurant, spa or pool.
Where you use it
The standard word in hospitality for the people you serve. Staff talk about guest requests, in-house guests (staying now) and arriving or departing guests. Customer is used more in shops and call centres.
Examples
We have 180 guests in house tonight and 40 arrivals tomorrow.
The guest in 305 has asked for two extra pillows.
Usage note
Guest is used even though the person pays. In a hotel, customer can sound cold or too commercial.
Common phrases
in-house guest · hotel guest · guest request · welcome a guest · arriving guests
More about this term →complaint
noun
Meaning
A statement from a guest that something is wrong or not good enough, such as noise, a dirty room or slow service.
Where you use it
Guests make complaints in person, by phone, by email or in online reviews. Staff receive, handle, log and resolve complaints, and many hotels record them in a complaint log. The verb is complain about something.
Examples
We've had two complaints about noise from the bar after midnight.
Please write every complaint in the log so the morning shift can follow up.
Usage note
Turkish "-den şikayet etmek" leads to "complain from". The correct preposition is about: "The guest complained about the noise." Also note the spelling: complaint (noun), complain (verb).
Common phrases
make a complaint · handle a complaint · receive a complaint · resolve a complaint · complaint log
More about this term →inconvenience
noun
Meaning
Trouble, difficulty or discomfort caused to a guest; the word is often used when staff apologize for a problem.
Where you use it
A key word in service apologies: "We apologize for the inconvenience", "Sorry for any inconvenience caused." It is polite and formal; face to face, naming the actual problem ("I'm so sorry the room wasn't ready") sounds more sincere.
Examples
The pool will be closed for cleaning until noon. We apologize for any inconvenience.
To make up for the inconvenience, we'd like to offer you dinner on us tonight.
Common phrases
apologize for the inconvenience · sorry for any inconvenience · cause inconvenience · minor inconvenience
More about this term →guest relations
noun
Meaning
The hotel department that looks after guest satisfaction, welcomes guests, handles special requests and helps solve complaints.
Where you use it
Very important in Turkish resort hotels. Guest relations staff greet VIPs and repeat guests, arrange birthday surprises, check on guests during their stay (courtesy calls) and follow up on complaints. People say the guest relations desk or a guest relations manager.
Examples
Please contact guest relations if there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable.
Guest relations arranged a cake and flowers for the couple's anniversary.
Common phrases
guest relations desk · guest relations manager · guest relations team · contact guest relations
More about this term →look into
phrasal verb
Meaning
To find out more about a problem or request so that it can be solved; staff often promise this to a guest.
Where you use it
A standard, reassuring phrase in complaint handling: "I'll look into it right away." It sounds more professional with a time and an action: "I'll look into it and call you back within ten minutes."
Examples
I'm sorry the air conditioning isn't working. I'll look into it right away.
We've looked into the charge on your bill, and it was our mistake. It has been removed.
Common phrases
look into a complaint · look into it right away · look into the matter · promise to look into
More about this term →complimentary
adjective
Meaning
Given free of charge by a hotel or business, often as a courtesy or as part of good service.
Where you use it
Sounds more elegant than free in hospitality: complimentary Wi-Fi, a complimentary upgrade, a complimentary drink. A complimentary room is given free, for example to a tour operator's staff or a VIP. Inside the hotel it is often shortened to comp.
Examples
We'd like to offer you a complimentary bottle of wine to welcome you.
Wi-Fi is complimentary in all rooms and public areas.
Usage note
Do not confuse it with complementary (with an e), which means completing or going well with something else, as in complementary colours.
Common phrases
complimentary upgrade · complimentary breakfast · complimentary drink · complimentary room · complimentary Wi-Fi
More about this term →escalate
verb
Meaning
To pass a problem or complaint to a more senior person or department because it cannot be solved at the first level.
Where you use it
Front-line staff escalate issues to a supervisor, the duty manager or the general manager. A complaint can also escalate on its own when the guest becomes more upset or takes it further, for example online. The noun is escalation.
Examples
If the guest is still unhappy, escalate it to the duty manager.
The complaint escalated quickly because nobody called the guest back.
Common phrases
escalate a complaint · escalate to a manager · escalate an issue · escalation procedure
More about this term →follow up
phrasal verb
Meaning
To contact someone again or check later that a problem has been solved or a request has been completed.
Where you use it
Good complaint handling ends with a follow-up call or visit. Staff follow up on a request, follow up with a guest or colleague, and leave notes so the next shift can follow up. The noun is follow-up, with a hyphen.
Examples
I'll follow up with housekeeping and call you back in fifteen minutes.
Guest relations followed up the next morning to make sure the new room was quiet.
Common phrases
follow up on a request · follow up with a guest · follow-up call · follow-up email
More about this term →online review
noun
Meaning
A comment and rating that a guest posts on a website or app about their stay, meal or tour, which other travellers can read.
Where you use it
Hotels monitor online reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and booking sites, and managers reply to them publicly. Staff may be mentioned by name in a good review. Common phrases: leave a review, respond to a review, review score.
Examples
Three online reviews this week mentioned how friendly our pool bar staff are.
Please reply to every negative online review within 24 hours.
Common phrases
leave an online review · respond to an online review · negative online review · review score
More about this term →repeat guest
noun
Meaning
A guest who has stayed at the same hotel before and has come back again.
Where you use it
Hotels flag repeat guests in the PMS and often welcome them with a personal note, a small gift or an upgrade. Guest relations may hold a cocktail party for repeat guests. Also called a returning guest.
Examples
The Hoffmanns are repeat guests; this is their ninth summer with us.
We have twelve repeat guests arriving today, so please prepare welcome cards for them.
Usage note
"Repeater" is common in Turkish hotels, but with guests, repeat guest or returning guest sounds more natural in English.
Common phrases
repeat guest programme · repeat guest cocktail · welcome back a repeat guest · loyal repeat guests
More about this term →VIP
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for very important person: a guest who receives special attention because of their status, spending, loyalty or influence.
Where you use it
Hotels mark VIPs in the PMS, often in levels such as VIP 1 to VIP 3, and plan VIP amenities, upgrades and a personal welcome. Staff discuss VIP arrivals, VIP treatment and the VIP list in daily briefings. Spoken letter by letter: V-I-P.
Examples
We have two VIP arrivals today, and the general manager will meet them in the lobby.
Please make sure the VIP room has fresh flowers and a fruit plate by 3 p.m.
Common phrases
VIP guest · VIP arrival · VIP treatment · VIP amenities · VIP list
More about this term →stay
noun
Meaning
The period of time a guest spends in a hotel or another place, from arrival to departure.
Where you use it
Heard in almost every conversation with guests: "Enjoy your stay", "How was your stay?", "during your stay". Staff also talk about a short stay, a long stay and an extended stay. As a verb, guests stay at a hotel or stay in a room.
Examples
Welcome to the hotel, Mr Becker. I hope you enjoy your stay.
During your stay, the spa is open every day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
How was your stay with us?
Usage note
With a hotel name, English normally uses at and often the: "We're staying at the Hilton." Turkish speakers often drop the article or use in.
Common phrases
enjoy your stay · during your stay · extend your stay · short stay · pleasant stay
More about this term →apologise
verb
Meaning
To tell someone that you are sorry for a problem, mistake or inconvenience that you or your hotel has caused.
Where you use it
The first step in handling any complaint. Staff say "I apologise for the delay" or "Please accept our apologies." You apologise to someone for something. American English spells it apologize; the noun is apology.
Examples
I do apologise for the noise last night. We've spoken to the guests next door.
The manager apologised to the family and moved them to a quieter room.
Usage note
Turkish "-den özür dilemek" leads to "apologise from someone", which is wrong. Use to: "apologise to the guest".
Common phrases
apologise for the inconvenience · apologise to a guest · sincerely apologise · accept our apologies
More about this term →feedback
noun
Meaning
Comments and opinions from guests about their stay or a service, which a hotel uses to see what works well and what to improve.
Where you use it
Hotels collect feedback through surveys, comment cards, online reviews and short conversations at check-out. Managers often share guest feedback with each department every week. Staff say "Thank you for your feedback" even when the comments are negative.
Examples
Thank you for your feedback about the breakfast; I'll pass it on to our chef.
We've had a lot of positive feedback about the new spa.
Usage note
Feedback is uncountable: say "some feedback" or "a piece of feedback", never "a feedback" or "feedbacks".
Common phrases
give feedback · guest feedback · positive feedback · negative feedback · feedback form
More about this term →deal with
phrasal verb
Meaning
To take action to solve a problem, answer a request or look after a person or situation.
Where you use it
Used all the time in hotels: deal with a complaint, deal with a difficult guest, deal with a request. "I'll deal with it personally" sounds reassuring to an upset guest. The past form is dealt with: "Your request has been dealt with."
Examples
Don't worry, I'll deal with the air conditioning problem right away.
Our guest relations team deals with complaints during the day, and the duty manager at night.
Common phrases
deal with a complaint · deal with a request · deal with a difficult guest · deal with it personally
More about this term →compensation
noun
Meaning
Something a hotel or company gives a guest, such as money, a discount or a free service, to make up for a problem or a loss.
Where you use it
Guests ask for compensation after serious problems such as air conditioning that did not work for days, a lost booking or damaged luggage. Hotels decide case by case and often offer a discount, a free night or a dinner. In legal contexts it means money paid for a loss or injury.
Examples
As compensation for the noise, we'd like to offer you a free dinner tonight.
The guest is asking for compensation because the pool was closed for three days.
Common phrases
ask for compensation · offer compensation · claim compensation · as compensation for
More about this term →accommodate
verb
Meaning
To provide what a guest needs or asks for; also, to have enough space for a certain number of people.
Where you use it
A polite, professional verb: "We'll do our best to accommodate your request", "I'm afraid we can't accommodate pets." It also describes capacity: "The ballroom can accommodate 400 guests." Hotels accommodate guests, requests and groups.
Examples
We'll try to accommodate your request for rooms next to each other.
The restaurant terrace can accommodate up to 120 people.
Common phrases
accommodate a request · accommodate guests · can accommodate up to · happy to accommodate
More about this term →goodwill gesture
noun
Meaning
Something small that a hotel gives a guest for free, such as a dessert, a drink or a late check-out, to show it cares after a problem.
Where you use it
Used when the hotel does not have to pay anything but wants to keep the guest happy: "As a goodwill gesture, we've upgraded your room." Also written gesture of goodwill. Managers decide which goodwill gestures staff can offer without asking, such as a fruit basket or a free drink.
Examples
As a goodwill gesture, we've sent a bottle of wine to your room.
The manager offered the family a free late check-out as a gesture of goodwill.
Common phrases
as a goodwill gesture · gesture of goodwill · offer a goodwill gesture · small goodwill gesture
More about this term →courtesy call
noun
Meaning
A short phone call or visit to a guest, usually soon after arrival, to check that everything is fine and to offer help.
Where you use it
Guest relations or front desk staff make courtesy calls to VIPs, repeat guests and guests who have had a problem. A typical one: "Good evening, this is Elif from guest relations. Is everything all right with your room?" Keep it short and do not call late at night.
Examples
Please make a courtesy call to room 512 about an hour after check-in.
During the courtesy call, the guest mentioned that the shower was not hot enough.
Common phrases
make a courtesy call · courtesy call to a guest · courtesy call after check-in · in-room courtesy visit
More about this term →Tours & Guiding
tour guide
noun
Meaning
A person whose job is to show tourists around places of interest and explain their history and culture.
Where you use it
Tour guides lead groups on city tours, museum visits and excursions, give commentary and keep track of time and head counts. In Turkey, tourist guiding is a profession regulated by law, and guides wear an official badge while working.
Examples
Our tour guide will meet you in the lobby at 8:30 with a blue umbrella.
The tour guide explained the history of Ephesus in English and German.
Usage note
A tour guide shows and explains places; a tour leader (or tour manager) travels with the group for the whole trip and handles the organisation.
Common phrases
licensed tour guide · local tour guide · work as a tour guide · tour guide's commentary
More about this term →itinerary
noun
Meaning
A detailed plan of a trip or tour that shows where travellers will go, in what order and at what times.
Where you use it
Agencies send the itinerary before the trip, and guides follow it during the tour. You plan, change or follow an itinerary; a day-by-day itinerary lists each day's programme. It can also mean a guest's travel plan: "Could you send me your flight itinerary?"
Examples
Day three of the itinerary includes Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis.
Because of the weather, we've had to change the itinerary and visit the museum first.
Usage note
Stress the second syllable: i-TIN-e-rar-y. Turkish speakers sometimes stress the first syllable.
Common phrases
detailed itinerary · day-by-day itinerary · change the itinerary · follow the itinerary · travel itinerary
More about this term →excursion
noun
Meaning
A short trip, usually lasting a day or less, that tourists take from their hotel to visit a place or do an activity.
Where you use it
Hotels, agencies and guest relations sell excursions such as boat trips, jeep safaris and city tours. Common phrases: book an excursion, go on an excursion, optional excursion (one that is not included in the package price).
Examples
The excursion to Cappadocia leaves at 5 a.m. and returns late in the evening.
Guests can book excursions at the guest relations desk or through our app.
Common phrases
book an excursion · go on an excursion · optional excursion · boat excursion · excursion desk
More about this term →guided tour
noun
Meaning
A visit to a place such as a museum, city or historic site, led by a guide who explains what the group sees.
Where you use it
Offered in different languages and lengths: a two-hour guided tour, a guided walking tour, a private guided tour. You join, book or take a guided tour; the opposite is a self-guided tour, often with an audio guide.
Examples
There is a guided tour of the old town in English every morning at ten.
We booked a private guided tour of Topkapı Palace for the family.
Common phrases
take a guided tour · join a guided tour · private guided tour · guided walking tour
More about this term →meeting point
noun
Meaning
An agreed place where a tour group or travellers gather at a set time, before or during a tour.
Where you use it
Guides announce the meeting point and time before free time: "Our meeting point is the main gate at three o'clock." Agencies print the meeting point on vouchers and pick-up lists, and airports have signed meeting points for transfers.
Examples
You have one hour of free time. The meeting point is in front of the fountain at 12:30.
Your driver will be waiting at the meeting point in the arrivals hall with a name sign.
Common phrases
meet at the meeting point · agreed meeting point · return to the meeting point · meeting point and time
More about this term →pick up
phrasal verb
Meaning
To collect someone from a place by car, minibus or coach, for example from their hotel or the airport.
Where you use it
Used all the time for transfers and excursions: "The bus will pick you up at 7:40." The noun is pick-up or pickup: pick-up time, pick-up point, hotel pick-up. Drivers follow a pick-up list that shows the order of the hotels.
Examples
The minibus will pick you up from the hotel entrance at 7:40.
Pick-up for the boat trip is between 8:15 and 8:30, so please be ready in the lobby.
Common phrases
pick up from the hotel · pick-up time · pick-up point · hotel pick-up · free pick-up
More about this term →day trip
noun
Meaning
A journey to a place and back on the same day, usually for sightseeing or an activity, without staying overnight.
Where you use it
Common in tourism offers: a day trip to Pamukkale, a day trip from Istanbul to Bursa. You go on, take or book a day trip. People on day trips are called day-trippers, which sounds slightly informal.
Examples
Many guests take a day trip to Rhodes by ferry from Marmaris.
The day trip includes lunch, entrance fees and hotel pick-up.
Common phrases
go on a day trip · take a day trip · day trip to · full-day trip · day-tripper
More about this term →entrance fee
noun
Meaning
The amount of money a visitor pays to enter a museum, historic site, park or other attraction.
Where you use it
Tour descriptions state whether entrance fees are included or excluded. Also called admission fee or simply admission. Guides often collect money or buy tickets for the group and explain discounts for children, students or museum pass holders.
Examples
The tour price does not include entrance fees to the museums.
Please have some cash ready; the entrance fee for the small museum is paid at the door.
Common phrases
pay an entrance fee · entrance fees included · entrance fees not included · museum entrance fee
More about this term →sightseeing
noun
Meaning
The activity of visiting famous or interesting places in a city or region as a tourist.
Where you use it
Often used with go: "We went sightseeing in the old town." Common combinations are sightseeing tour, sightseeing bus and a day of sightseeing. Hotels and agencies sell sightseeing tours, often on hop-on hop-off buses in big cities.
Examples
If you only have one day for sightseeing, start with Sultanahmet.
The guests went sightseeing all day and asked for a late dinner.
Usage note
Sightseeing is uncountable, so never "sightseeings". The places themselves are sights: "the sights of Istanbul".
Common phrases
go sightseeing · sightseeing tour · sightseeing bus · a day of sightseeing
More about this term →landmark
noun
Meaning
A famous building or place that is easy to recognise and helps people find their way, or that is important in a city's history.
Where you use it
Guides and concierges use landmarks to give directions ("Walk towards the clock tower; it's a well-known landmark") and in tour descriptions ("Istanbul's most famous landmarks"). A historic landmark is a protected building or site.
Examples
The Galata Tower is one of Istanbul's best-known landmarks.
The hotel is easy to find; it's opposite the town's main landmark, the old mosque.
Common phrases
famous landmark · historic landmark · local landmark · well-known landmark
More about this term →tourist attraction
noun
Meaning
A place or event that many visitors go to see, such as a museum, historic site, natural wonder or theme park.
Where you use it
Often shortened to attraction: "the main attractions", "a popular attraction", "top attractions near the hotel". Concierges and guides recommend attractions and explain opening hours and crowds. Touristy is an informal, often negative adjective for a place full of tourists.
Examples
Pamukkale is one of Turkey's most popular tourist attractions.
The concierge gave us a map with all the tourist attractions in the old town.
Common phrases
popular tourist attraction · main attractions · visit an attraction · top attractions · local attractions
More about this term →souvenir
noun
Meaning
A small object that a traveller buys or keeps to remember a place, such as a magnet, a ceramic plate or local sweets.
Where you use it
Tours often include stops at souvenir shops, which should be stated clearly in the itinerary. Common phrases: souvenir shop, buy souvenirs, a souvenir of the trip. Guests also ask where to buy real local products rather than mass-produced souvenirs.
Examples
We'll stop for twenty minutes at the souvenir market before going back to the bus.
Turkish delight and evil eye beads are popular souvenirs.
Common phrases
souvenir shop · buy souvenirs · souvenir of the trip · local souvenirs
More about this term →free time
noun
Meaning
A period during a tour when the group is not guided and people can walk around, shop, eat or rest on their own.
Where you use it
Guides announce free time with a clear end time and meeting point: "You have 45 minutes of free time. Please be back at the bus at 3:15." Itineraries also show free time, for example a free afternoon or a free day.
Examples
After the museum, you'll have an hour of free time in the bazaar.
Free time ends at 4 o'clock, so please meet me at the fountain.
Common phrases
have free time · an hour of free time · free time for lunch · free afternoon · free day
More about this term →boat trip
noun
Meaning
A short journey on a boat for pleasure, often with stops for swimming, sightseeing or lunch, usually lasting a few hours or a day.
Where you use it
One of the most popular excursions on the Turkish coast. Guests go on, take or book a boat trip; daily trips usually include lunch and two or three swimming stops. A longer trip on a gulet with nights on board is called a blue cruise.
Examples
The boat trip leaves the harbour at 10 and stops at three bays for swimming.
If the wind is too strong, the boat trip may be cancelled or moved to another day.
Common phrases
go on a boat trip · book a boat trip · daily boat trip · boat trip with lunch · sunset boat trip
More about this term →World Heritage Site
noun
Meaning
A place of special cultural or natural value that UNESCO has added to its World Heritage List, such as Ephesus, Pamukkale or the historic areas of Istanbul.
Where you use it
Guides and brochures use it to show a site's importance: "Ephesus became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015." These sites have protection rules, so guides explain what visitors must not do, such as climbing on walls or taking stones. Often shortened to heritage site.
Examples
Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis together form a World Heritage Site.
Göreme National Park is part of a World Heritage Site, so the whole area is protected.
Common phrases
UNESCO World Heritage Site · World Heritage List · become a World Heritage Site · heritage site
More about this term →headcount
noun
Meaning
Counting the people in a group to make sure everyone is there, for example before a tour bus leaves a stop.
Where you use it
Guides do a headcount at every stop and before leaving: "Let me just do a quick headcount." In hotels and events, headcount also means the number of people expected, such as the final headcount for a dinner, which the kitchen needs to plan the food.
Examples
Before we leave, I'll do a quick headcount. We should be thirty-two.
Please confirm the final headcount for the gala dinner by Thursday.
Common phrases
do a headcount · quick headcount · final headcount · headcount check
More about this term →tour leader
noun
Meaning
A person who travels with a group for the whole trip, looks after the organisation and any problems, and works with local guides at each place.
Where you use it
Also called a tour manager or tour escort. Hotels deal with the tour leader for check-in, the rooming list and wake-up times. A tour leader usually comes with the group from its home country, while a local tour guide explains the sites.
Examples
The tour leader collected the key cards and handed them out on the bus.
Please call the tour leader if any guest in the group is ill.
Common phrases
tour manager · tour escort · the group's tour leader · work with the tour leader
More about this term →audio guide
noun
Meaning
A small device or phone app that plays recorded information about a museum or site while visitors walk around at their own pace.
Where you use it
Museums rent audio guides in several languages, usually for a fee and sometimes with an ID card as a deposit. Guests who do not want a guided tour often ask about them. Large groups may use a whisper system instead, where the guide speaks into a microphone and everyone wears headphones.
Examples
You can rent an audio guide in English at the museum entrance.
If you prefer to explore on your own, the audio guide is a good choice.
Common phrases
rent an audio guide · audio guide app · audio guide in English · whisper system
More about this term →Travel Agencies & Tour Operators
travel agency
noun
Meaning
A business that sells holidays, tours, tickets and hotel stays to travellers, often earning a commission from suppliers.
Where you use it
Travel agencies sell tour operators' packages and also arrange their own tours, transfers and tickets. Hotels work with agencies through contracts, vouchers and rooming lists. In Turkey, travel agencies need a licence from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and must belong to TÜRSAB.
Examples
The guests booked through a travel agency in Hamburg, so the room is already paid.
She worked at a travel agency for five years before joining the hotel's sales team.
Usage note
The company is a travel agency; the person who works there is a travel agent. People also say "I'll ask my travel agent."
Common phrases
book through a travel agency · local travel agency · online travel agency · travel agency staff
More about this term →transfer
noun
Meaning
Transport arranged for travellers between two places, usually the airport and the hotel, as part of a booking or package.
Where you use it
Agencies and hotels organise airport transfers by shuttle bus, minibus or private car (VIP transfer). Staff confirm transfer times, check flight numbers and tell guests where to meet the driver. The verb has the same form: "We'll transfer you to the hotel."
Examples
Your airport transfer will pick you up at 4:15 tomorrow morning.
Is the airport transfer included in the package, or do we pay separately?
Usage note
The noun is stressed on the first syllable (TRANS-fer); the verb is often stressed on the second (trans-FER).
Common phrases
airport transfer · private transfer · shared transfer · transfer time · arrange a transfer
More about this term →tour operator
noun
Meaning
A company that puts together holiday packages from flights, hotels, transfers and tours and sells them directly or through travel agencies.
Where you use it
Resort hotels in Turkey sign contracts with foreign tour operators for allotments and rates. Tour operators send rooming lists, have representatives (reps) at the hotel and pass on guest feedback.
Examples
Most of our summer guests come through two big tour operators from Germany and the UK.
The tour operator's rep is at the hotel every Tuesday and Friday.
Usage note
A travel agency mainly sells; a tour operator creates the package. Many large companies do both.
Common phrases
tour operator contract · tour operator rep · major tour operator · work with a tour operator
More about this term →high season
noun
Meaning
The busiest time of year for tourism, when demand is strongest and hotel and travel prices are at their highest.
Where you use it
Also called peak season. The opposite is low season, and the periods in between are the shoulder season. On the Turkish coast, high season is mainly the summer months; contracts and price lists show separate rates for each season.
Examples
Room rates go up by about 40% in high season.
We hire extra seasonal staff for the high season, from June to September.
Common phrases
in high season · high-season rates · high season prices · peak season
More about this term →package holiday
noun
Meaning
A holiday sold at one price that includes travel and accommodation, and often transfers and meals, arranged by a tour operator.
Where you use it
A British term; American English prefers package tour or vacation package. Many guests in Turkish coastal resorts arrive on package holidays from Europe, with flights, transfers and an all-inclusive hotel in one booking.
Examples
Package holiday guests usually arrive together on the same flight.
We booked a package holiday to Antalya with flights, transfers and seven nights all-inclusive.
Common phrases
book a package holiday · go on a package holiday · package holiday company · cheap package holiday
More about this term →voucher
noun
Meaning
A document from a travel agency or tour operator showing that a guest has booked, and usually paid for, a hotel stay, tour or transfer.
Where you use it
Guests show the voucher, printed or on a phone, at check-in or when joining a tour. It lists names, dates, room type, board type and included services, and staff check it against the reservation. Voucher can also mean a gift or discount coupon.
Examples
Could I see your voucher, please? I need to check the board type.
The voucher says half board, but the guests say they paid for all-inclusive.
Common phrases
hotel voucher · show your voucher · voucher number · issue a voucher · gift voucher
More about this term →allotment
noun
Meaning
A number of rooms that a hotel gives a tour operator or agency to sell for set dates at agreed rates under a contract.
Where you use it
A key contracting term in resort tourism. The agency can sell rooms from its allotment until the release date; after that, unsold rooms go back to the hotel. People talk about giving, increasing or reducing an allotment.
Examples
We gave the operator an allotment of 30 rooms for July and August.
Their allotment is full, so they're asking us for ten extra rooms.
Usage note
Allotments come with a release period: a deadline, for example 14 days before arrival, after which unsold rooms return to the hotel.
Common phrases
room allotment · give an allotment · allotment contract · release from allotment · allotment period
More about this term →rooming list
noun
Meaning
A list of the guests in a group, sent before arrival, showing their names, room types and who shares a room with whom.
Where you use it
Sent by tour operators, agencies or event organisers to the reservations department. The front office uses it to pre-assign rooms and prepare key cards so that a large group can check in quickly.
Examples
We haven't received the rooming list for the conference group arriving on Friday yet.
According to the rooming list, the Petrov family needs two twin rooms.
Common phrases
send the rooming list · final rooming list · update the rooming list · group rooming list
More about this term →OTA
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for online travel agency: a website or app that sells hotel rooms, flights and tours online, such as Booking.com or Expedia.
Where you use it
Hotels list rooms on OTAs and pay them a commission for each booking. Revenue and reservations teams compare OTA bookings with direct bookings made on the hotel's own website, which carry no commission. Spoken letter by letter: O-T-A.
Examples
About half of our bookings this month came through OTAs.
The guest booked on an OTA, so we need to check the payment details in the extranet.
Common phrases
book through an OTA · OTA commission · OTA booking · OTA channel
More about this term →commission
noun
Meaning
A percentage of the price that a hotel or supplier pays an agency or online platform for each booking it brings.
Where you use it
Contracts state the commission rate, for example 15% of room revenue. Agencies earn commission on the tours and transfers they sell, and hotel staff may earn commission on excursions or upgrades. A rate is commissionable when commission is paid on it.
Examples
The OTA charges a commission of 18% on every booking.
Guest relations staff earn a small commission on the excursions they sell.
Common phrases
pay commission · earn commission · commission rate · commission on bookings
More about this term →low season
noun
Meaning
The time of year when the fewest tourists travel to a place, so hotels are quieter and prices are usually lower.
Where you use it
Used in pricing, contracts and staff planning: low-season rates, low-season offers. Also called off-season. The months between low and high season are the shoulder season. Many seaside resorts close in the low season, while city hotels may have their quiet period in summer.
Examples
In the low season, we offer 30% off for stays of five nights or more.
Most of the beach hotels in the area close in the low season, from November to March.
Common phrases
in the low season · low-season rates · low-season prices · off-season · shoulder season
More about this term →travel agent
noun
Meaning
A person whose job is to plan and sell trips, hotel stays, flights and tours to customers, usually working for a travel agency.
Where you use it
Guests say "I booked through my travel agent" or "My travel agent made the reservation." Hotels contact travel agents about prices, vouchers and changes. Many agents now call themselves travel consultants or travel advisors.
Examples
Our travel agent booked the hotel, the transfers and a city tour.
If you want to change your dates, please contact the travel agent who made the booking.
Common phrases
book through a travel agent · contact your travel agent · independent travel agent · online travel agent
More about this term →holiday rep
noun
Meaning
A tour operator's employee who looks after its guests at a resort, gives information, sells excursions and helps with problems.
Where you use it
Short for holiday representative; also resort rep or simply rep. Reps hold welcome meetings, have desk hours in partner hotels and act as a link between guests, the hotel and the tour operator. In Turkey they are often called otel rehberi.
Examples
Your holiday rep will be in the lobby every Monday and Thursday from 10 to 12.
The guest complained to her holiday rep, who then called the front office manager.
Common phrases
resort rep · speak to your rep · rep desk · rep desk hours
More about this term →welcome meeting
noun
Meaning
A short meeting that a tour operator's rep holds for newly arrived guests to give useful information about the hotel, the area and excursions.
Where you use it
Usually held the morning after arrival in the lobby or a meeting room, sometimes with a welcome drink. Reps explain departure transfer times, safety tips and the excursion programme, and many use it to sell tours. Times are on the information board and in the welcome pack.
Examples
The welcome meeting is tomorrow at 10:30 by the pool bar.
At the welcome meeting, the rep explained how to book excursions and when the return transfer would pick them up.
Common phrases
attend the welcome meeting · hold a welcome meeting · welcome meeting time · welcome pack
More about this term →brochure
noun
Meaning
A small printed booklet or digital document with pictures and information about a hotel, destination, tour or holiday offer.
Where you use it
Tour operators publish seasonal brochures with hotels and prices, and hotels hand out brochures for the spa, excursions or meetings. Today many are e-brochures or PDF files. Guests sometimes complain that the room did not look like the photo in the brochure.
Examples
You'll find all our excursions and prices in this brochure.
The tour operator wants new photos of the rooms for next year's brochure.
Usage note
The ch is pronounced like sh. British English usually stresses the first syllable (BROH-sher); American English often stresses the second (broh-SHOOR).
Common phrases
travel brochure · hotel brochure · holiday brochure · pick up a brochure · e-brochure
More about this term →FIT
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for free independent traveller: a guest who travels alone or in a small party, not as part of a group, and arranges their own trip.
Where you use it
Used in hotel and agency reports to separate individual business from groups and tour series: FIT rates, FIT bookings. Some people expand it as foreign independent traveller. Each letter is said separately: F-I-T.
Examples
Most of our guests in spring are FIT, not groups.
The agency sends us both FIT bookings and group series.
Common phrases
FIT guests · FIT bookings · FIT rates · FIT and groups
More about this term →DMC
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for destination management company: a local company that organises transfers, tours, events and hotels for groups coming from abroad.
Where you use it
Foreign tour operators and event planners work with a DMC in the destination because it knows the local suppliers, prices and rules. In Turkey such companies are often called incoming agencies. DMCs are especially important for MICE groups and incentive trips.
Examples
The DMC in Istanbul arranged the gala dinner and the Bosphorus cruise for the group.
We're looking for a reliable DMC in Cappadocia for a 150-person incentive trip.
Common phrases
local DMC · work with a DMC · DMC services · incoming agency
More about this term →travel insurance
noun
Meaning
Insurance that pays for problems during a trip, such as medical costs, a cancelled holiday or lost luggage.
Where you use it
Agencies offer travel insurance when guests book a package, and some visas require it. Guests who make an insurance claim often need documents from the hotel, such as receipts, a doctor's report or a police report.
Examples
Does your travel insurance cover medical treatment abroad?
The guest needs the doctor's report for her travel insurance claim.
Common phrases
take out travel insurance · travel insurance policy · travel insurance claim · covered by travel insurance
More about this term →Sales & Revenue
upselling
noun
Meaning
Encouraging a guest to buy a better or more expensive product or service, such as a higher room category, a better wine or a spa package.
Where you use it
A key skill in front office and F&B training. At check-in, staff might say "For only €30 more per night, I can offer you a room with a sea view." Good upselling sounds like a helpful suggestion, not pressure. The verb is upsell; selling extra items is cross-selling.
Examples
Front desk staff get a small bonus for upselling rooms at check-in.
Upselling works best when you explain what the guest gets for the extra money.
Common phrases
upselling at check-in · upselling techniques · upsell a room · cross-selling · upselling incentive
More about this term →ADR
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for average daily rate: the average price paid for each room sold, calculated as room revenue divided by the number of rooms sold.
Where you use it
One of the main hotel performance figures, reported daily together with occupancy and RevPAR. Managers say the ADR went up or dropped compared with last year. Example: €50,000 room revenue from 400 rooms sold gives an ADR of €125.
Examples
Our ADR in August was €148, up 9% on last year.
Occupancy went up, but our ADR dropped because of the discounts.
Common phrases
average daily rate · increase the ADR · ADR and occupancy · ADR growth
More about this term →RevPAR
abbreviation
Meaning
Short for revenue per available room: total room revenue divided by all rooms available for sale, or ADR multiplied by the occupancy rate.
Where you use it
Hotels use RevPAR to compare themselves with competitors and with past periods, because it combines price and occupancy in one number. Example: an ADR of €120 at 75% occupancy gives a RevPAR of €90. It is said as one word: REV-par.
Examples
Our RevPAR is higher than the competition this month, even with lower occupancy.
The owners want to see RevPAR growth, not just more guests.
Common phrases
revenue per available room · RevPAR growth · increase RevPAR · RevPAR index
More about this term →revenue management
noun
Meaning
Setting the right prices and selling conditions for each room type, date and sales channel to earn as much as possible from the hotel's rooms.
Where you use it
The revenue manager studies demand, booking pace, competitor prices and local events, then changes rates and restrictions such as minimum stay or stop sale. Prices that change with demand are called dynamic pricing. Many hotels use software, but decisions are still discussed in weekly revenue meetings.
Examples
Revenue management decided to close the cheapest rate for the festival weekend.
Good revenue management means selling the right room to the right guest at the right price.
Common phrases
revenue management system · revenue manager · revenue meeting · dynamic pricing
More about this term →corporate rate
noun
Meaning
A special room price that a hotel agrees with a company for its employees' business trips, usually lower than the public rate.
Where you use it
Sales managers negotiate corporate rates with companies that send many guests during the year, often with extras like free Wi-Fi or breakfast. A guest may say "I should be on the corporate rate" and give the company name, so the front desk checks the agreement.
Examples
We've agreed a corporate rate of €95 a night for the bank's staff.
Could you check whether my company has a corporate rate with your hotel?
Common phrases
negotiate a corporate rate · corporate rate agreement · corporate account · corporate client
More about this term →net rate
noun
Meaning
The price a hotel charges a travel agency or tour operator without commission; the agency adds its own profit before selling to the guest.
Where you use it
Common in contracts with tour operators and wholesalers. Hotels work either with net rates or with commissionable rates, from which the agency keeps a commission. Net rates are confidential and should not be shown to guests.
Examples
The net rate for the standard room is €70, and the agency sells it for €90.
Please send us your net rates for next summer by the end of October.
Common phrases
net rate contract · net rates for tour operators · commissionable rate · net rate plus mark-up
More about this term →stop sale
noun
Meaning
A message from a hotel telling tour operators and agencies to stop selling rooms for certain dates or room types, usually because it is nearly full.
Where you use it
A daily term in Turkish resort reservation offices, where it is used in English. Hotels put or send a stop sale and later release it. Many contracts work on free sale, which means partners can sell without asking until they receive a stop sale.
Examples
We're sending a stop sale for all sea-view rooms from 1 to 15 August.
The agency confirmed the booking after the stop sale, so now we're overbooked.
Common phrases
send a stop sale · put a stop sale on · release a stop sale · free sale · stop sale dates
More about this term →mark-up
noun
Meaning
The amount or percentage that an agency or seller adds to the cost price of a product or service to make a profit.
Where you use it
Tour operators buy hotel rooms at net rates and add a mark-up when they put together packages. Agencies that sell excursions, transfers or tickets also work with a mark-up or a commission. Also written markup. The verb is mark up: "They mark up the price by 20%."
Examples
We buy the room at €80 net and sell it with a 20% mark-up.
The agency's mark-up is included in the package price, so guests don't see it.
Common phrases
add a mark-up · 20% mark-up · net rate plus mark-up · mark up the price
More about this term →loyalty programme
noun
Meaning
A scheme in which a hotel chain or company gives regular guests points, discounts or benefits to encourage them to keep booking with it.
Where you use it
Big hotel chains run loyalty programmes with member levels such as silver, gold and platinum; members collect points and may get upgrades, late check-out or free nights. Front desk staff are trained to recognise members at check-in. American English spells it program.
Examples
Are you a member of our loyalty programme? You'd earn points for this stay.
Gold members of the loyalty programme get a free late check-out until 2 p.m.
Common phrases
join the loyalty programme · loyalty points · loyalty member · membership level
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