Hospitality Glossary

A comprehensive reference of terms, metrics, and concepts used across the boutique hospitality industry — from property types to revenue management.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

ADR

Average Daily Rate — the mean revenue earned per occupied room over a given period, calculated by dividing total room revenue by the number of rooms sold.

Revenue

Agritourism

A form of tourism that invites visitors to experience agricultural life, including farm stays, harvest experiences, and farm-to-table dining.

Property Types

Amenity Kit

A curated collection of personal care products and comfort items provided to guests, reflecting the property's brand and commitment to guest comfort.

Guest Experience

B

Bed and Breakfast

A small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, typically in a converted private home with the owner on-site.

Property Types

Boutique Hotel

A small, stylish hotel typically with fewer than 100 rooms, offering personalised service and a distinctive design aesthetic.

Property Types

C

Channel Manager

Software that synchronises a property's availability, rates, and inventory across multiple online booking platforms in real time.

Operations

Concierge

A dedicated hospitality professional who assists guests with personalised recommendations, bookings, and arrangements to enhance their stay.

Operations

D

Direct Booking

A reservation made directly with a property through its own website, phone, or email, without an intermediary such as an OTA.

Marketing

Dynamic Pricing

A revenue strategy that adjusts room rates in real time based on demand, competition, seasonality, and other market factors.

Revenue

G

Game Lodge

An accommodation establishment located within or adjacent to a wildlife reserve, offering safari experiences and guided game drives.

Property Types

Glamping

A portmanteau of 'glamorous' and 'camping,' referring to luxury outdoor accommodation that combines nature immersion with high-end comfort.

Property Types

Guest Farm

A working farm that offers accommodation and hospitality experiences, allowing guests to engage with rural life and agricultural activities.

Property Types

Guest Journey

The complete sequence of experiences and interactions a guest has with a property, from initial discovery and booking through to post-departure follow-up.

Guest Experience

Guesthouse

A private home or small establishment offering overnight accommodation, typically more intimate and personal than a hotel.

Property Types

H

Housekeeping Standards

The established protocols and quality benchmarks for cleaning, maintaining, and presenting guest rooms and common areas in an accommodation property.

Operations

M

Metasearch

A platform that aggregates and compares hotel rates from multiple booking sources, allowing travellers to find the best price and book directly or via an OTA.

Marketing

N

Net Promoter Score

A guest satisfaction metric that measures how likely guests are to recommend a property to others, scored on a scale from -100 to +100.

Guest Experience

O

OTA

Online Travel Agency — a third-party platform such as Booking.com, Expedia, or Airbnb that sells accommodation on behalf of properties in exchange for a commission.

Marketing

Occupancy Rate

The percentage of available rooms that are occupied over a given period, calculated by dividing rooms sold by rooms available.

Revenue

Overbooking

The practice of accepting more reservations than available rooms, accounting for anticipated cancellations and no-shows.

Operations

P

Property Management System

Software used by accommodation providers to manage reservations, guest check-in/out, housekeeping, billing, and day-to-day operations.

Operations

R

RevPAR

Revenue Per Available Room — a key performance metric calculated by dividing total room revenue by the number of available rooms, or by multiplying ADR by occupancy rate.

Revenue

T

Turndown Service

An evening housekeeping ritual where staff prepare a guest's room for sleep, typically including turning down bedding, closing curtains, and leaving small amenities.

Guest Experience