Accommodation refers to the lodging facilities provided to guests in hotels and similar establishments. This includes rooms, suites, apartments, and other types of guest lodging.

Agentic AI in hotels refers to artificial intelligence that takes autonomous, multi-step actions on behalf of staff or guests, such as rebooking a room, processing a late check-out, or coordinating a refund, rather than only generating responses.

An AI Concierge is a digital assistant that uses artificial intelligence to help guests. It can answer questions, provide information, and automate hotel services through text, voice, or app-based interactions. It can recommend amenities, book services, or answer common questions instantly. This reduces the workload for front desk staff and improves response times.

AI Customer Experience (CX) refers to the use of artificial intelligence to enhance the way customers interact with a brand or service. In the hotel and catering industry, this involves applying AI to personalise guest experiences, automate services, anticipate customer needs, and facilitate communication through multiple channels such as chat, voice, and email. AI-driven Customer Experience (CX) seeks to make every guest interaction more efficient, seamless, and tailored to individual preferences.

An AI Operator is a category of artificial intelligence agent that orchestrates hotel guest communication across channels, reads operational data from the property management system, executes routine tasks autonomously, and escalates exceptions to human staff.

An allotment is a set number of hotel rooms reserved for a third party, like a tour operator, travel agency, or corporate partner, for a specific period and price. The third party can sell these rooms to its customers until a release date, after which unsold rooms return to the hotel's inventory.

ALOS (Average Length of Stay) is the mean number of nights guests stay in a defined period, calculated by dividing total room nights sold by the number of bookings.

Amenities are additional features and services provided by hotels to enhance guest comfort and satisfaction. These include in-room features such as Wi-Fi, toiletries, and coffee makers, as well as property-wide facilities like pools, gyms, spas, parking, and concierge services.

Hotels can generate income from more than just room bookings. This additional income is known as ancillary revenue. It includes revenue from food and beverage sales, spa and wellness services, parking, meeting room rentals, room upgrades, and additional experiences such as tours or late check-out fees.

An aparthotel is a hybrid lodging concept that combines self-catering apartment-style rooms with hotel-grade services such as front desk, housekeeping and concierge support, suiting both short and extended stays.

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a software interface that allows different hotel systems to communicate and share data automatically.In the hotel business, APIs can connect tools like the PMS, CRM, Channel Manager, Booking Engine, and guest communication platforms, eliminating the need for manual data entry and duplicate updates.

Automated guest replies are pre-programmed messages sent by hotel systems to respond to guest inquiries without staff intervention. They use predefined templates and AI-based logic to address frequent questions, confirm bookings, or provide information instantly.

Automated upselling is the use of software to automatically suggest and sell room upgrades, add-ons, or services to guests without having to involve staff. It uses guest data, timing, and personalisation algorithms to automatically present relevant offers during or after booking, via email, chat, or PMS-integrated tools.

Average Daily Rate (ADR) is a key hotel performance metric that measures the average revenue earned per occupied room in a given period.It is calculated by dividing total room revenue by the number of rooms sold, excluding complimentary or out-of-order rooms.

Best Available Rate (BAR) is the lowest non-qualified, publicly bookable rate a hotel offers for a given date, and it serves as the reference price across direct and indirect channels.

A booking engine is software that allows guests to book hotel rooms directly via the hotel’s website, social media, or chatbot. It processes real-time availability, rates, and room types, completing bookings without third-party involvement. It is often integrated with the Property Management System (PMS) to keep room inventory accurate and automatically updated.

Booking pace is the rate at which reservations accumulate for a future date; pickup is the change in on-the-books rooms or revenue between two snapshots, used to forecast demand.

A WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) is a Meta-authorised partner that gives hotels access to the WhatsApp Business Platform, providing the API connection, message routing, and template management that powers guest communication at scale.

A cancellation policy is a set of rules that define how and when guests may cancel or modify a reservation, and what fees apply. It helps hotels protect revenue by reducing last-minute cancellations and ensures that guests are aware of costs before booking.

A channel manager is a software system that keeps hotel room availability, pricing, and inventory synchronized across all sales channels, such as OTAs (Online Travel Agencies), the hotel’s website, and GDS (Global Distribution Systems). It ensures that any change in one platform is reflected everywhere in real time, avoiding overbookings and rate mismatches.

The check-in process is the procedure a hotel follows to register guests upon arrival. It confirms the guest's reservation, collects their identification and payment details, assigns a room, and issues a room key or digital access code.

The check-out process is how a guest finalises their stay at a hotel. This includes confirming that the guest has left, paying any remaining bills, collecting the room keys or turning off digital access, and updating the room's status in the Property Management System (PMS).

Cloud-based hotel software is a Property Management System (PMS) or a set of hotel tools hosted on remote servers and accessed via the internet.It means that hotels no longer need to install or maintain local software, which provides greater flexibility. This allows hotels to manage reservations, check-ins, billing, and reporting from any device with an internet connection.

A compset, or competitive set, is the curated group of rival hotels a property benchmarks itself against on metrics such as rate, occupancy and RevPAR to inform commercial decisions.

Conversational AI is a branch of artificial intelligence designed to communicate with people naturally through speech or text. These systems rely on technologies such as natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and speech recognition to interpret, process, and respond to user input. Within the hotel industry, conversational AI powers chatbots, virtual concierges, and voice assistants that facilitate seamless communication between guests and hotel services.

A CRM for hotels is a system that collects, organizes, and manages guest data to improve communication, loyalty, and revenue. It consolidates information such as contact details, booking history, preferences, and feedback into one database. This allows hotels to personalize guest experiences and automate marketing actions.

Cross-selling in hotels is when a hotel sells other products or services to their guests that go well with the primary service they have booked. The aim is to increase guest satisfaction and revenue by promoting relevant add-ons, such as spa treatments, dining options, or room upgrades during or after the booking process.

A Central Reservation System (CRS) is the hotel software layer that stores rates, availability, and reservations and distributes them to direct and indirect booking channels in real time.

CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) is a transactional metric capturing how satisfied a guest was with a specific interaction or stay, typically expressed as the average rating on a 1-5 scale or as the percentage of positive responses.

Data security in the hotel industry means protecting guest and operational data from unauthorised access, breaches, or misuse. It includes all the policies, technologies, and operational practices designed to keep personal data safe within hotel systems.This data can include guest names, payment details, contact information, and booking histories.

A Digital Concierge is an automated system that helps guests with their requests and provides information. It is often powered by AI or chatbots. It replaces or works alongside the traditional concierge by offering digital support 24/7 through the internet, mobile devices, or in-room devices.

A direct booking is when a guest books directly with the hotel. This can be done through the hotel's website, by phone, by email, or at the hotel front desk. It does not involve third-party platforms such as OTAs (Online Travel Agencies).

A Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is the contract required by GDPR Article 28 between a data controller and a processor, setting out the subject matter, duration, nature, and purpose of processing as well as the obligations and rights of both parties.

EBITDAR (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization, and Rent) is a hotel profitability metric that adds rent and lease expenses back to EBITDA, enabling cleaner comparisons across owned and leased properties.

Express checkout is a hotel workflow that lets guests depart without visiting the front desk by automatically finalizing the folio and charging their pre-authorized card.

A folio is the running statement of a guest's charges and payments during their stay, consolidating room rates, taxes, ancillary purchases and settlement details into a single account record.

The front desk is where guests and staff meet. It handles check-ins and check-outs, reservations, payments, and guest queries. It is often called the reception and serves as the point where all the different parts of the hotel work together.

GDPR compliance in hotels refers to adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the European Union law that regulates how hotels collect, store, and process guests’ personal data. It ensures that guest information, such as contact details, identification documents, and booking data, is handled lawfully, transparently, and securely.

A Global Distribution System (GDS) is a centralised network used by travel agents and corporate booking tools to access real-time hotel inventory, rates, and availability across thousands of properties worldwide.

Generative AI in hospitality is basically like having a creative assistant that never sleeps, it uses data patterns to come up with fresh text, images, ideas, or replies for guests. Unlike traditional AI, which just analyses or classifies information, generative AI can actually create new stuff like personalised messages, dynamic pricing tips, or marketing content made just for your guests.

GOPPAR (Gross Operating Profit per Available Room) measures a hotel's gross operating profit divided by the total available rooms in a period. It captures both revenue performance and operating efficiency in a single figure.

Guest Complaint Handling refers to the processes hotels use to manage and resolve guest complaints. It aims to restore guest satisfaction, protect the hotel’s reputation, and identify areas for operational improvement.

Guest feedback is information provided by hotel guests about their experience before, during, or after a stay. It includes opinions on things like how good the service is, how comfortable the rooms are, what amenities are available, how clean the hotel is, and how satisfied guests are.

Guest Feedback Automation is a system that automatically collects, analyses, and responds to guest feedback about their stay. It replaces manual surveys and follow-ups with automated systems that send messages or surveys by email, chat, or text at important points in the guest journey.

Guest Journey Automation is the process of using technology to manage and personalise every stage of a guest's stay. This includes the entire guest lifecycle, from booking to checkout. The technology does all of this automatically, without the need for manual intervention. It combines systems like PMS, CRM, and communication tools to deliver quick, automated interactions and actions based on how guests behave or what they like.

Guest Journey Mapping is the process of outlining all the steps a guest takes before, during, and after their stay. It identifies all touchpoints — from booking and check-in to feedback after guests have stayed — to understand how guests interact with the hotel and how their experience can be improved.

Guest Lifetime Value (GLV) is the total revenue a hotel can expect from one guest over the entire relationship. It includes room reservations, ancillary services, and referrals. GLV helps hotels measure how profitable individual guests are, not just how profitable a single stay is.

Guest Messaging Automation is a system that automatically sends and manages messages between hotels and guests. It can send messages through different channels, such as text, WhatsApp, email, or web chat. These messages can be about booking confirmations, check-in instructions, ways to encourage customers to spend more, or requests for feedback. These messages can be sent out in response to certain events or actions taken by guests.

Guest Reviews Management is the process of monitoring, analysing, and responding to guest feedback on online travel agencies (OTAs), review platforms, and social media. It involves keeping track of ratings, spotting recurring problems, and communicating with guests to maintain a positive online reputation.

Guest satisfaction refers to how well a hotel meets or exceeds guest expectations during their stay. It shows how guests think about the quality of the services, how comfortable they were, and what they thought of the experience.

Guest satisfaction metrics are indicators that show how happy guests are with their hotel experience. They capture how customers feel about the service, cleanliness standards, staff service quality, the quality and availability of amenities, and overall value for money.Common ways to measure this include Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), and online review ratings.

The Guest Satisfaction Score (GSS) is a metric used to measure how satisfied guests are with their overall hotel experience. It is typically expressed as a percentage or rating based on guest survey responses. GSS reflects how guests perceive the quality of service, cleanliness, facilities, and staff performance.

Guest segmentation refers to dividing guests into groups based on shared characteristics. Examples include age, booking channel, purpose of stay, and spending patterns. This process helps hotels better understand different guest types and adapt their services, marketing, and pricing strategies accordingly.

A hostel is a budget accommodation defined by shared dorm-style rooms and communal facilities, designed for affordability and social interaction among travelers.

A hotel automation system is a combination of technologies that work together to optimize and streamline hotel operations. It integrates systems such as lighting, heating, air conditioning, door locks, property management software, and guest services into a single centralized platform. The goal is to increase efficiency, reduce manual workload, and enhance the guest experience through smart, data-driven management.

A hotel chatbot is basically your guest’s new best friend — ready to answer questions or handle requests any time of the day.It is an AI tool that talks to guests through text or voice. It can answer questions, handle requests and automate routine interactions. It can be used on websites, messaging apps, or in-room devices, and it's there to help 24/7. Hotel chatbots can be rule-based (they give scripted responses) or AI-powered (they understand and respond to free-text input using natural language processing).

Hotel data integration refers to the process of connecting different hotel systems so they can automatically share information. This includes platforms such as the PMS, CRS, CRM, POS, and channel manager. It eliminates data silos and ensures that information such as reservations, rates, and guest profiles remains synchronized across all systems.

Hotel marketing automation refers to the use of software to manage and execute marketing activities automatically. It delivers personalized messages, tracks guest behavior, and manages campaigns without the need for manual input. Examples include automated email communications, pre-arrival offers, or loyalty messages triggered by guest actions or booking details.

A Hotel Tech Stack is a set of digital tools and software systems that a hotel uses to manage its operations, guest services, marketing, and revenue. It includes important tools like the Property Management System (PMS), Channel Manager, Booking Engine, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and various integrations for automation and analytics.

Housekeeping is the department and the set of processes responsible for cleaning, maintaining, and preparing guest rooms and public areas in a hotel. The main objective of housekeeping is to ensure that every guest enjoys a clean, comfortable, and well-maintained stay.

In-room technology refers to the digital systems, devices, and software implemented in hotel guest rooms to enhance comfort, convenience, and personalization. It includes entertainment systems, smart controls, connectivity solutions, and integrated communication platforms.

In-stay promotions are targeted offers or messages sent to guests during their stay to encourage additional spending or participation. These may include room upgrades, spa discounts, dining deals, or late check-out options. Offers can be delivered via email, mobile app, text message, or in-room devices.

A Manager on Duty (MOD) is the hotel manager who is in charge during a specific shift when the General Manager or other senior managers are not there. The MOD ensures smooth hotel operations, deals with any guest issues, checks the quality of the service, and makes sure that different departments are working well together.

Maximum guest stay is the longest continuous period a hotel allows a guest to occupy a room before policy, tax, or tenancy thresholds (typically 28-90 days) change the commercial or legal arrangement.

Metasearch is a price-comparison channel that aggregates hotel rates from OTAs and direct websites in one search result, letting travellers compare options before clicking through to book.

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) is the segment of hospitality covering business gatherings booked by corporates, associations and agencies, typically combining accommodation, meeting space and structured catering.

A motel is a budget roadside accommodation with rooms accessed directly from outdoor parking, designed for short-stay road travelers and operated with minimal amenities and lean staffing.

Multichannel communication is the use of multiple media channels to interact with guests. In hotels, this includes phone, email, text, chat apps (like WhatsApp), social media, and in-room messaging.The aim is to provide smooth, consistent communication across all channels so guests can choose their preferred method of contact.

The night audit is a daily financial and operational review conducted at the end of a hotel's business day. It ensures that all guest charges, payments, and revenue are accurate before closing the business day and starting the next.

A no-show is a guest who fails to arrive on the scheduled check-in date without cancelling, leaving the room unsold and triggering policy-based charges or release of the inventory.

NPS (Net Promoter Score) measures guest loyalty by asking how likely guests are to recommend the hotel on a 0-10 scale. The score equals the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors.

The occupancy rate is the percentage of available rooms in a hotel that are sold over a specific period. It is calculated using the formula:Occupancy Rate = (Occupied Rooms / Total Available Rooms) × 100

Omnichannel guest communication refers to the integration of all communication channels through which guests can contact your business, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, web chat, and in-app messaging, into a single unified system. It allows hotels to manage every guest interaction from one place and maintain a continuous conversation across all channels.

Operational efficiency is the ability of a hotel to deliver high-quality service using the least amount of time, effort, and resources. It measures how well a property turns inputs (staff, utilities, inventory) into customer satisfaction and profit.

Online Reputation Management (ORM) is the discipline of monitoring, shaping and protecting a hotel brand's perception across review sites, social media, search results and news, going beyond individual review responses to govern overall reputation.

An OTA booking is a hotel reservation made through an Online Travel Agency (OTA) such as Booking.com, Expedia, or Agoda. OTAs allow users to compare prices, availability, and reviews across multiple hotels, and complete reservations via their website or app.

Overbooking management is the practice of selling more rooms than are physically available, anticipating cancellations or no-shows. Hotels use this strategy to maximise occupancy and revenue while aiming to avoid having unsold rooms.

In the hotel industry, “PAX” is short for “per person” or “number of guests.” It is used to show how many people are included in a booking, rate, or service. For example, if it says “Rate: €150 PAX,” it indicates a rate of €150 per person. In hotel systems, PAX is used to work out how many rooms are booked, what the prices are, and how to arrange resources between departments.

PCI DSS is the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard that every hotel handling cardholder data must follow; the level of obligation depends on the merchant's transaction volume and the way card data flows through hotel systems.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any data that can identify a natural person directly or indirectly; under GDPR Article 4(1) it is referred to as personal data and is subject to strict processing obligations.

A POS system in hotels is software that records and manages all financial transactions within the hotel. This includes things like room service orders, minibar charges, late check-out fees, and meeting room rentals. It processes payments, tracks revenue, and communicates directly with the Property Management System (PMS) for accurate billing.

Post-stay follow-up refers to the process of contacting guests after their departure to gather feedback, express appreciation, and encourage repeat bookings. It is usually done by email, text message, or automated messages linked to the PMS or CRM.

Pre-arrival communication is all the messages between a hotel and its guests that happen after a booking is made but before check-in. This includes emails, messages, and calls. These confirm details, share useful information, and set expectations for the stay.

Predictive analytics in hotels refers to the use of data analysis, machine learning, and statistical models to forecast future trends, behaviours, and outcomes. It enables hotel managers to make data-driven decisions regarding pricing, staffing, marketing, and the overall guest experience. By analysing historical data such as booking patterns, seasonality, and guest preferences, predictive analytics allows hotels to anticipate demand fluctuations and optimise operations.

A Property Management System (PMS) is software that centralizes and automates a hotel’s key operations — including reservations, guest check-ins and check-outs, room assignments, housekeeping status, billing, and reporting. It’s the central hub of the hotel, ensuring every department works with the same up-to-date information.

Rate parity is the practice of keeping room rates consistent across all public distribution channels (direct, OTAs, metasearch) to maintain pricing trust and protect direct-booking conversion.

A reservation is an arrangement made by a guest to secure accommodation at a hotel for specific dates in advance. It includes details such as the guest's name, the dates of their stay, the type of room they have booked, the price they have paid, and how they chose to pay.Reservations are managed and stored in the hotel's Property Management System (PMS) or Central Reservation System (CRS).

RevPAR is a key metric used to measure how efficiently a hotel is performing financially. It calculates the average revenue generated per available room — whether it is occupied or not.It is calculated using one of the following formulas:RevPAR = Total Room Revenue ÷ Total Available RoomsorRevPAR = ADR × Occupancy Rate

An RMS is software that helps hotels maximise revenue by managing prices and room inventory. It uses data such as demand, booking pace, competitor rates, and market conditions to recommend or automatically adjust prices.

A room block is a set of rooms held under contract for a group such as a wedding, conference or corporate booking, typically with negotiated rates and a release deadline for unsold inventory.

A service apartment is a fully furnished, self-catering residence rented for medium to long stays, typically with weekly housekeeping and limited on-site staff, often used by corporate travellers and relocating employees.

A smart hotel is a property that uses digital systems, automation, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices to enhance operational efficiency and improve the guest experience. It employs technology such as smart room controls, mobile check-in, voice assistants, energy management systems, and data-driven personalization.

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a set of instructions that explains how to perform a specific task in a hotel. It ensures that departments such as the front desk, housekeeping, food and beverage, and maintenance carry out their duties consistently.

A Staff Communication Platform is a digital tool that enables hotel employees to exchange information, coordinate tasks, and manage daily operations in real time. It consolidates messages, shift updates, maintenance requests, and guest notes to streamline internal communication.

A STAR Report is STR's hotel benchmarking report comparing a property's Occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR against its competitive set, expressed via the MPI, ARI, and RGI indices.

Sustainable hospitality technology refers to digital systems and devices that help hotels reduce their environmental impact. These technologies enable more efficient use of energy, water, and other resources while enhancing guest comfort. Examples include smart thermostats, energy management systems, water-saving devices, waste tracking software, and digital check-in solutions that minimize paper consumption.

Targeted offers are personalized promotions or discounts sent to specific guests based on their profile, behavior, or booking history. Hotels use them to increase conversion, loyalty, and revenue by presenting relevant deals instead of general promotions.

Upselling in hotels is when staff encourage guests to buy more expensive products or services than they originally booked. This can include room upgrades, late check-outs, spa treatments, or dining packages. The aim is to increase the money made per guest and enhance the guest experience.

A walk-in is a guest who arrives at a hotel without a prior reservation and requests accommodation, typically priced at the rate available at that moment.

The WhatsApp 24-hour service window is the rolling period after a guest sends a message to the hotel during which free-form replies are allowed; once the window closes, only Meta-pre-approved templates may be used.