Room Types

 Introduction

The accommodation product does not just consist of a guest room – single or double, but also the additional facilities and services, which are applicable to that room. For example, does the room have a sea view? Is there is mini-bar? Are there in-house movies? Can a guest dial direct from the room?  Is there room service? Can the guest have access to the Internet? All these services, facilities and amenities may be included in the accommodation product of a hotel.

Since the accommodation product normally cannot be examined before purchase, guests are reliant upon the front office staff to describe the product to them accurately.  It is, therefore, particularly important for the front office staff to have full knowledge of what is included in the accommodation package of a hotel.

 Classification of Guest Rooms

To cater to the different needs of their customers, hotels usually provide a variety of accommodation. In other words, a hotel offers different types of guest-rooms for sale.

Hotel guest-rooms can be classified in a number of ways depending on the following:

·         According to the number or size of beds in the room

·         The room size, the décor and the view

·         Special accommodation such as the executive floor for business people, non-smoking rooms, and presidential suites for VIPs

Types of Hotel Rooms

 Some of the commonly found rooms in accommodation industry are listed as below:

o   Single Room: It is the room which provides single occupancy. This room only has single bed. The size of the bed is normally 3ft x 6 1/2ft. Most hotels have twin or double rooms and charge for single room of occupied by one person.

o   Double Room: It is the room which provides double occupancy. This room has double bed. The size of the bed is generally 6 feet by 6 & 1/2 feet.

o   Triple Room: It is the room which provides occupancy for 3 people. Either it has 2 double & 1 single bed OR 3 single beds. This type of rooms is suitable for groups and delegates of meetings and conferences.

o   Quad Room: It is the room which provides occupancy for four guests. Either it has four single beds OR two singles & one double bed.

o   Twin Room: It is the room which is meant for double occupancy. These rooms have two single beds separated by a bed –side table.

o   Hollywood  twin Room: It is the room which provides double occupancy. It has two single beds close to each other with a common head –board.

o   Studio Room: It is designed with the minimum basic requirement to live. It does not have the facilities of a bed room and hence used only for day use purpose.

o   Parlor Room: It is a living or sitting room. It has a sofa -cum-bed

o   Cabana Room: It is the room which is situated near swimming pool or sea beach. This room is used for changing purpose. It has facilities for a shower, lockers, wooden benches, etc.

o   Suite Room: Suite Room is a combination of one or more bedrooms & a drawing room. It may also contain a bar & small kitchen. The décor of such units is of very high standards, aimed to please the affluent guests who can afford the high tariffs of the room category According to the design and market segment hotels give different names to suites like honeymoon suite, Executive suite, Deluxe suite, Maharaja suite etc.

o   Suite Room: The most luxurious room in a hotel which has two or more bedroom with kitchenette

v  It is the most important room because

v  Size of the room is larger than other rooms

v  More facilities are offered like a compact kitchenette

v  The room has facilities like refrigerator, beverage pantry etc.

v  A particular type of décor or color which would give the suite its name

v  Very elaborate fittings and fixtures

v  Most expensive room in the hotel

o   Types of suite are:

v  Single suite/mini suite/junior suite- This is a single room with one living room

v  Double suite – This is double room with a living room

v  Duplex suite – This room spreads over two floor with inter connecting staircase

o   Penthouse:  A room that opens onto the roof & may be accompanied by a swimming pool, patio, a tennis court, & other facilities & amenities. It has very opulent décor and furnishings and is among the costliest rooms in the hotels, preferred by celebrities and affluent people.

o   Executive Room:  A room that has a large bedroom with a sitting area provided with chairs & usually a sofa & coffee table. This is really a combination bedroom-cum-sitting room. Sometimes, a temporary wooden partition may be provided between the sitting area and bed room space. They are also known as junior suites

o   Lanai Room: It provides a large balcony attached with the room. From the balcony one gets a view of natural scenic beauty likes sea beach, mountain, valley etc. They are usually found in resort hotels.

o   Duplex Room: They are two rooms at different levels inter connected through internal staircase. Usually one room is used as drawing room and other as bed room. This room is generally used by business men who wish to use the lower level as an office and meeting place and the upper level room as a bedroom.

o   Hospitality Room: It is used by the guest to entertain his or her guests. It is hired on hourly basis and has facilities such as sofa sets, dining table, T.V, mini bar etc.

o   Interconnecting Rooms: Two rooms adjacent to each other having an interconnecting door allowing entry from one room to the other without having to go through the corridor. The interconnecting door can be locked to discontinue its use. These rooms are generally preferred by families

o   Adjoining Room: These rooms are situated next to each other sharing a common wall between them. These rooms may be given to the groups.

o   Queen room: A room has a queen size bed. The size of the bed is 5 feet by 6 feet. An extra bed may be added to this room on the request of a guest and charged accordingly.

o   King room: A king room has king size bed. The size of the bed is 6 feet by 6 & 1/2feet. An extra bed may be added to this room on the request of a guest and charged accordingly.

o   Double-double room: A double- double room has two double beds and is normally preferred by a family or group as it can accommodate four persons together. This room is usually preferred by families and is also known as family room and twin double room.

o   Efficiency Room : Efficiency room is a room with a pantry/kitchen for basic cooking facility

o   Serviced Apartment : A room or suite of rooms designed as a residence and generally located in a building occupied by more than one household. These apartments can be a part of the hotel where all the facilities are given by the hotel  like housekeeping room service etc. These apartments are generally taken by long staying guests and families