Summit Hotels - Terms and Conditions

1) Definitionsa. Definition of Terms

i.) Add-on – all products and services offered, provided and sold, from time to time, as part of the reservation booking process such as but not limited to breakfast set and transport service.ii.) Other Charges – all charges due to changes made in booking of rooms such as but not limited to cancellation, rebooking and change of booking details.iii.) Bed – two (2) single beds or one (1) double / king bed.iv.) Successful Booking – a confirmed reservation with payment.v.) Cancellation Charge – First night will be forfeited in favor of the hotel regardless of number of nights stay. vi.) Change – change in booking details such as but not limited to change in name, date, type of room, number of rooms, number of nights, and add-ons.vii.) Change Booking Fee – First night will be forfeited in favor of the hotel regardless of number of night’s stay. viii.) Check-In Time – 2:00pm onwards.ix.) Check-Out Time – on or before 12:00 pmx.) Confirmation Number – number issued for every successful booking.xi.) Consecutive Nights – nights whose dates fall one after the other.xii.) Digital Receipt - the booking receipt that is issued to Guest by hotel reservations after every booking. (a) For on-line bookings that will be paid through bank deposit or any authorized or accredited payment center/s, the digital receipt serves as reference and should be presented by the Guest upon payment at the bank or any authorized or accredited payment center/s.xiii.) Email Confirmation Notice – the booking confirmation that is sent to the Guest’s email account together with these terms and conditions signifying a successful booking. This notice is printable and must be presented by the Guest upon check-in.xiv.) Guest, You, Your, Yourself - any person accepted in our premises with our consent; a staying customer at any Summit Hotelxv.) Guest Profile –the Guest’s account with Summit Hotel; information provided by the guest upon booking and/or registration with Summit Hotel. xvi.) House Rules – a set of rules and policies implemented by Summit Hotels which all Guests are expected to comply with. In the event of conflict between the provision of the House Rules and Terms and Conditions, the latter shall prevail.xvii.) Multiple Nights – more than one (1) night.xviii.) Payment Slip – a document that serves as proof of payment for booking paid through Bank or to any authorized or accredited payment center of Summit Hotels.xix.) Real Time – a steady flow of new information, without interruption, provided immediately as means can permit.xx.) Room Rate – price charged for the room.xxi.) Room Rate Difference – difference in the room rate of original booking and new booking.

xxii.) Security – includes guards, CCTV, key lock system, in-room safexxiii.) Service Charge – Ten Percent (10%) service charge for hotel services (only applicable to Summit Circle Cebu).xxiv.) Value Added Tax – Twelve Percent (12%) value added tax (VAT) mandated by the Philippine Government.xxv.) We, Our, Ourselves, and Us – refers to Summit Hotels (including, where appropriate, employees and authorized agents of Summit Hotel).xxvi.) Website – the internet site www.summithotels.ph provided by us for the use and purpose of guests/customers making online reservations/purchases and to access information about us.

b. Captions. The title or caption of each Article of these Terms and Conditions is for convenience

only and is not to be used for interpretation of the text.

2) Applicabilitya. Usage of this website is conditioned on your acceptance without variation of the terms and conditions set out herein which summithotels.ph may vary from time to time at its sole discretion with or without notice. The usage of this website and our hotels constitutes your express consent to all the terms and conditions as stated. b. The language used in these Terms and Conditions is English and it shall be the sole language used in the interpretation and application of these Terms and Conditions.c. These Terms and Conditions shall form part of the legally binding agreement between you and Summit Hotels.

3) Bookings

a. Reservation SystemAll room bookings, changes, cancellations, or inquiries can only be made either on-line at www.summithotels.ph, or through phone, or through the Front Office of Summit Hotels, subject to existing conditions which are hereinafter provided. For same-day stay, booking can be made upon walk-in at the Front Office of the hotel.b. Full payment for your accommodation must be made at the time of booking. i) For on-line bookings, payment can only be made either through credit card, bank deposit or payment to any authorized or accredited payment center/s. Payment through bank deposit is ONLY APPLICABLE FOR BOOKINGS DONE AT LEAST EIGHT (8) CALENDAR DAYS BEFORE CHECK-IN DATE. You are required to BRING WITH YOU YOUR DIGITAL RECEIPT WHEN YOU PAY THROUGH BANK DEPOSIT.

Please note that your booking shall be considered and confirmed when you receive a valid 12-digit Confirmation Number (if paid thru credit card) or 14- up to 16-digit Confirmation Number (if paid thru bank deposit) sent to your email address as registered with summithotels.ph. If you do not receive a Confirmation Number within 24 hours, please contact us immediately at

+63925-8SUMMIT (+63925-878-6648) or email us at reservations@summithotels.ph.You can confirm your booking status through the following steps:· Log on to www.summithotels.ph· Click “Manage Booking”

· Key in your email and password · Booking details will appearCharges must be paid in full before we issue a booking confirmation number. In the event that the charges have not been paid in full when a booking is confirmed for any reason whatsoever, we reserve the right to cancel the booking prior to check-in and/ or to disallow you to use our facilities.

Further, we reserve the right to refuse your booking if, in the exercise of our reasonable discretion, we determine that the payment of your reservation has been done fraudulently or unlawfully.

To avoid inconvenience, kindly bring with you the credit card used for making your reservation or the deposit or payment slip showing payment of the booking through bank or any authorized or accredited payment center/s as well as the email Confirmation Notice with Confirmation Number for presentation at our check-in counter together with a valid identification card with picture and signature. For bookings whose payments were made through credit cards not owned by the person checking-in, please have the person checking-in bring a photocopy of the front and dorsal face of the credit card used plus a valid identification card with picture and signature of the registered owner of the card. Summit Hotels reserve the right to refuse check-in of any guest without the submission of the said documents without incurring any liability whatsoever.

ii) For telephone bookings, payment can only be made either through cash or credit card. Payments are to be made at the Front Office of Summit Hotels where the guest is booked and SHOULD BE MADE NO LATER THAN 12 MIDNIGHT OF THE DAY THE BOOKING WAS MADE.

iii) For bookings made at the Front Office, including walk-in bookings, payment can only be made either through cash or credit card and are to be made immediately upon booking.

c) All bookings are subject to availability of rooms.

d) On your first booking with us, you will be required to provide personal information which will form part of our file and shall be stored in your “Guest Profile” for our use.

e) When you book with us, a Confirmation Number will be issued only after every successful booking. This will be reflected in the email Confirmation Notice which you should print. You need to present this email Confirmation Notice, together with proof of your identity (passport for foreign guests and government issued ID for local guests) upon check-in. The person whose name appears in the email Confirmation Notice must be the same person checking in. If others will check-in for the person appearing in the email Confirmation Notice, the latter shall be required to submit a Letter of Authority and photocopy of a government issued ID of the person registered in the email Confirmation Notice, and a photocopy of a government issued ID of the person checking-in. The person checking-in on your behalf will be required to fill-up the Guest Registration Card upon check-in indicating therein your personal details as required. Summit Hotels reserve

its absolute right to cancel the booking and/reservation or it shall request the person named in the booking to be present during the check-in in cases where booking was made through or by a different person.

f) Your room will be held for you from expected check-in date until 12:59AM of the following day of your scheduled check-in date – after which your entire booking will be deemed cancelled and all payments are FORFEITED in favor of Summit Hotels. However, should guests have a delay in their arrival, it is highly necessary to contact Summit Hotels immediately (through email, landline or cellphone) in order to avoid forfeiture of the booking.

g) Booking Confirmation Subject to paragraph 3b hereof, a booking is confirmed only when Summit Hotel where the guest is booked actually receives full payment. Payment refers to the guest payment for the transaction in full and actual receipt of Summit Hotels of the payment directly or through our duly authorized representatives and agents.

h) Changes in BookingChanges in booking details such as but not limited to change in name, date, type of room, number of rooms, number of nights, and add-ons are allowed provided that applicable charges are paid, and subject to the following regulations:i) All changes must be made 72 hours before 2:00PM of your scheduled check-in date. ii) First night will be forfeited in favor of the hotel regardless of number of night’s stay. iii) Summit Hotel Customer Service must be informed of all changes you wish to make through (+632) 925-8SUMMIT (878-6648). You may also log-in to www.summithotels.ph to make any changes in your booking. iv) The change shall only be confirmed only when all charges are fully paid. All charges for change in booking details can be paid through cash or credit card. Cash payments are only allowed through the Front Office Cashier and are only applicable for changes in booking details other than booking date/s.

Change Booking is applicable to all room rates subject to applicable fees: i) If amount paid by the guest is insufficient, additional payment will be made upon check-in.ii) If amount paid by the guest exceeds new booking, the balance will be refunded (through check or charged back) net of applicable charges such as but not limited to credit card commission.

i) Cancellation of BookingCancellation policy is applicable to all room rates subject to applicable fees.i) All changes must be made 72 hours before 2:00PM of your scheduled check-in date.ii) First night will be forfeited in favor of the hotel regardless of number of nights stay and the balance will be refunded through check or charged back net of applicable charges such as but not limited to credit card commission. j) Extension of StayAll requests for extensions of stay must be advised at least 24 hours prior to guest expected departure time and date at the Front Desk subject to room availability and payment of

applicable charges. Real time and current room rates for the day shall be applicable to all extensions of stay.

l) Early Check-inGuest maybe allowed to check-in earlier than the prescribed check-in time, subject to room availability.

m) RefundsGuests may refund their bookings subject to payment of refund penalties. Refund will be allowed provided that the application for refund is made within thirty (30) days from the date of the issuance of the booking confirmation. Rules on cancellation apply. n) No Show Policy. If you fail to cancel your booking or check in by 6:00PM of your scheduled check-in date, Summit Hotels reserve the right to give the reservation to other guest(s) without further notice to you or incurring any liability to you. Applicable charges will also be imposed against you. Rules on cancellation apply. 4) Room AssignmentsWe practice allocated room assignments.

Allowed Number of Guestsa. Maximum of two (2) adults and two (2) children are allowed in standard rooms. b. Visitors who stay in the guest rooms after 10:00pm shall be charged accordingly as “Extra Person” directly to the registered room guest.

5) Room Ratesa. Room rates indicated on our website reservation system are per room per night on real time basis and are inclusive of taxes and payable in Philippine Peso. Kindly check carefully the number of rooms and the room rates booked before moving on to the next steps.b. The room rate is dependent on the time and duration of booking and the number of rooms available during said time and period.

6) Summit Hotel Roomsa. Each Summit Hotel room is fully air-conditioned and equipped with cable TV, in-room or room-to-room phones, free Wi-Fi access, in-room safe, personal refrigerator, hair dryer, hot and cold rain shower, toiletry kit, two (2) bottled water, two (2) pairs of slippers, closet with hangers.b. Room rate is inclusive of breakfast for two (2). Children 7 years old and below eat free (up to 2 kids).c. We provide extra beds (depending on location), towels, sheets, or additional pillows with corresponding fees.d. During the booking, if the type of room you require is not available, an available alternative will be displayed. During your booking process, please ensure that your booking accurately reflects your requirements, particularly booking dates, room types, room rates, number of guest(s), and the like. We shall not be responsible and/or liable for any error in your bookings. e. Daily cleaning of the room takes place between 10:00AM to 6:00PM. If for any reason our housekeeping staff is unable to enter your room during the said time, then cleaning of the room will be done the following day.f. Guest(s) are not allowed to bring in the room the following:

· any illegal, prohibited and/or regulated drugs, flammable liquid, bio hazard, heavy machinery;· any electronic/electrical appliances · any item/equipment measuring more than 2.5 feet (H) x 2.5 feet (W);· pets, livestock;· bed sheet, duvet;· any kitchen utensils for cooking purposes;· firearm and ammunition;· explosives, flammable or non-inflammable gas (such as aerosol paints, butane gas, lighter refills) refrigerated gas (such as filled aqualung cylinders, liquid nitrogen), flammable liquids(such as paints, thinners, solvents), flammable solids, organic peroxides (such as resins), poisons, infective substances (such as viruses, bacteria), radioactive material (such as radium), corrosive materials (such as acid, alkali, mercury, magnetic substances, oxidizing materials (such as bleaches);· any other item/s which, according to Summit Hotels, may disrupt directly or indirectly our hotel operation or interrupt other guests’ stay and/or are likely to endanger the persons or property in our facility.

7) Check In and Out Timesa. Check-in time: 2:00PM onwardsb. Check-out time: 12:00NNc. If after 12:00NN of the scheduled check-out date, the guest failed to check-out for whatever reason,Summit Hotels reserves the right to:(1) Automatically extend the stay of the guest for an additional one (1) night if the room is available with a corresponding charges based on real time and current room rate for the day without further notice to the guest/s; or (2) Remove all belongings found inside the room and store the same in the luggage room with corresponding charges without further notice to the guest/s. The guest hereby waives any and all of his rights and claims as against Summit Hotels or any of its officers, staffs and employees as a result of such removal and for any loss and/or damage to any and all belongings by reason of such removal 8) Right to Refuse Accommodationa. We reserve the right to refuse accommodation/check-in or to terminate your booking or stop any event immediately without any notice to you and without incurring any liability to you and without having to refund or compensate you for any charges paid under the following circumstances where:

i.) You fail to have proper identification or fail to identify yourself to the reasonable satisfaction of our staff or you fail to present upon our request the proper documents, passports and permits necessary for your stay as indicated herein;ii.) You exhibited violent behavior or caused disturbance at our facility or have abused our staff or other guests whether physically or verbally;iii.) The Government or other authorities prohibits you from checking in at our facilities for any reason;iv.) In our judgment, you are not fit to stay in our facility due to drunkenness or you are under the influence of prohibited drugs or your medication has impaired your judgment, mobility or consciousness or your acts could compromise the safety and/or comfort of

our staff and other guests;v.) You are apparently afflicted with an infectious disease.vi.) The booking of our Hotel Room(s) has been fraudulently or unlawfully done or has been purchased from a party not authorized by us;vii.) You have committed or suspected to have committed unlawful acts.

b. Unaccompanied MinorChildren below 18 years old will not be accepted unless they are accompanied by his or her parents or legitimate guardians as defined under Philippine laws. c. Special AssistanceAcceptance for carriage of incapacitated guests, guests with illness or other guests requiring special assistance is subject to arrangement with us at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled booking. Guests with disabilities who have advised us of any special requirements they may have at the time of booking shall be accepted for accommodation only upon our reasonable determination that we have the necessary facilities and the ability to meet their special requirements. d. Pets

Summit Hotels has a strict No Pets policy, with exceptions on a case-to-case basis for guests with special needs who require service dogs such as seeing eye dogs, alert dogs for the deaf, and companion dogs for the disabled.

9) SecurityYou shall voluntarily submit to any security or health checks by us. You likewise authorize our hotel staff to enter your room to avert the commission of any crime or offense. Issuance of keycard is strictly to registered guests only. Unlisted guests/visitors and companions will not be issued keycards. Guests who misplaced or lost their keys shall be required to present valid IDs for verification and security reasons.

10) Damages and Losses

Summit Hotel reserves its right/s to commence legal action/s or proceedings against the guest/s in relation to any damage/s to the rooms or property. Summit Hotel also reserves its right/s to charge to the credit card of the guest the said damages to the rooms or to the property without any notification. Should such costs of damages cannot be fully recovered from the credit card, Summit Hotel shall have the right to institute legal action/s against the guest/s without prior notice.

11) Conduct in our Facilities

If in our reasonable opinion, you conduct yourself in a manner that endangers any person or property, or obstructs or hinders the staff in the performance of their duties, or you fail to comply with any instruction of our staff including but not limited to prohibitions with respect to smoking, consumption of alcohol, solicitations of any kind, or you use any threatening, abusive or insulting words towards our staff or you behave in a manner that causes discomfort, inconvenience, damage or injury to other guest/s, we have the right to take and perform such measures as we deem reasonably necessary to prevent the perpetration of such conduct. You may be refused entry to our premises and/ or requested to leave and may be prosecuted for offenses committed in our facilities.

Guests are advised not to leave their children 10 years of age and below unattended in the hotel room or other areas within the hotel premises. The hotel shall not be held responsible for any untoward accidents that may occur due to negligence of parents or their guardians.

12) Limitation on Liability and Law a. We do not guarantee your safety against accidents, death, acts of God, flood, riot, theft, or even acts of negligence and all activities that have inherent risks to health and safety.b. We reserve the right to retain your credit card details and you consent to us debiting such amounts which you are responsible for as a result of your or your guest(s) stay in the hotel and in the event of damages you or your guest(s) caused to the Summit Hotel room. these amounts may be debited from your card without prior notification and you expressly agree to use debit and charges.c. We shall not be held responsible or liable for any loss or damage to your property during your stay in our hotel. We have no responsibility for any property left behind and/or damaged as a result of your stay in our hotel.d. Summit Hotel shall ensure that the material contained on the Summit Hotel website is accurate and published in good faith, Summit Hotel does not warrant or represent its full accuracy and disclaims any and all warranties expressed or implied by law relating to the information contained in the website. Summit Hotel will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential losses or damages arising out of the use of its website or any errors, inaccuracies or omissions in materials provided therein.e. The various linked sites on our Summit Hotel website allows for further link-up and interaction between you and the said linked sites for promotions and other interactive mediums. The website links on our Summit Hotel website does not imply our endorsement or association with Summit Hotel. Summit Hotel shall not be responsible for the said sites or to you whenever you access the said linked websites. Summit Hotel is further not responsible for the content of the said linked sites, and does not make any representations regarding the content or accuracy of materials or interaction on the said linked sites.f. You are advised to obtain insurance to cover curtailment, and loss of luggage, personal effects, damages, personal injuries and money/valuable belongings while in the Philippines.g. The laws of the Philippines shall apply to the Summit Hotel website and the terms & conditions therein and court proceedings relating thereto may only be commenced in the Philippines.h. Statutory requirements: the hotel is subject to statutory controls, including those relating to fire, health, hygiene and safety. these requirements must be strictly observed by you, your guests and/or representatives at all times throughout your stay at the hotel

13) Data Protection and Disclosure

We will retain all personal information which you provide during booking. We may need to pass

this information to other parties such as our licensees and/ or affiliated companies; to security and/or credit checking companies, credit and debit card companies, government andenforcement agencies and public authorities if so required, or as required by law. We shall not be held liable for such acts of disclosure; and that any disclosure by us of the information you have given to us will not render us liable for any and all claims, loss/es, damage/s or liability whatsoever.

14) Trademarks, etc.a. The material/s on the Summit Hotel website is the property of Robinsons Land Corporation. Our material/s shall not be reproduced, published, distributed, amended, downloaded or otherwise used unless you have properly obtained Summit Hotel's prior permission in writing.b. All trade marks, marks, and other intellectual property materials used on the Summit Hotel website directly linked and associated with the Summit Hotel are owned by Robinsons Land Corporation.

15) WebsiteSummit Hotel reserves the right to cancel, amend or vary at any time the arrangements on bookings, reservations, room rates and such other information featured on the Summit Hotel website including these terms and conditions without prior notice

Reservation A reservation is an important front office function because a majority of hotel guests make reservations in advance of their stay. The reservations process often involves the important first contact between the guest and the hotel. A reservations assistant must be able to respond quickly and accurately to requests for future accommodations. Thus, the volume of paperwork, filing, and other clerical procedures associated with the reservations process should be held to a minimum. Efficient procedures will allow the reservations agent more time for attention to detail and greater opportunity to market various hotel services when appropriate. An effective reservations process depends on set procedures for handling requests, updating information, and generating confirmations. Processing reservations involves matching room requests with room availability; recording, confirming, and maintaining reservations; and producing management reports. Regardless of the type of equipment used to support the process, reservation information is especially useful in subsequent front office functions. For example, room and rate assignments, guest accounts, and guest history files can be created from the information obtained during the reservations process. Perhaps the most important outcome of a reservation, however, is having the room avail- able when the guest arrives. The success of the process depends on effective reservations management. The following sections describe typical activities associated with the reservations process. These activities include:

         Reservation inquiry          Determination of availability          Creation of the reservation record          Confirmation of the reservation          Maintenance of the reservation record          Production of reservation reports

Types of Reservations A brief discussion of the major types of reservations will clarify some important distinctions. Guaranteed ReservationsThe hotel assures a guest with a guaranteed reservation that a room will be held for him or her until check-out time of the day following the day of arrival. In return, the guest guarantees payment for the room, even if it is not used, unless the reservation is canceled in accordance with the hotel's cancellation procedures. The term no-show refers to a guest who made a room reservation but did not use it or cancel it. Guaranteed reservations protect the hotel's revenues even in the case of a no- show. Variations of guaranteed reservations include: PrepaymentA prepayment guaranteed reservation requires a payment in full made before the day of arrival. From the perspective of the front office, this form of reservation guarantee is generally the most desirable.

Credit Card

Major credit card companies have developed systems to guarantee participating properties payment for reserved rooms that re- main unoccupied. Unless a credit card guaranteed reservation is properly canceled before a stated cancellation hour, the lodging property will post the charge to the guest's credit card account and the card company will subsequently bill the card holder. This is the most common method of reservation guarantee. Advance Deposit An advance deposit guaranteed reservation (or partial prepayment) requires the guest to furnish a specified amount of money I in advance of arrival. The deposit is typically large enough to cover one night’s lodging plus taxes, but may be larger if the reservation is for a longer stay. Should a guest holding an advance deposit reservation fail to show or cancel, the hotel may choose to retain the deposit and cancel the reservation for the entire stay. Travel Agent Although travel agent guaranteed reservations were quite popular before the 1980s, they are becoming less common since both travel agents and hotels tend to prefer credit card or deposit guarantees when possible. Under this guarantee method, the hotel generally bills the travel agency after a guaranteed reservation has been classified a no- show. Corporate A corporation may sign a contractual agreement with the hotel in which it agrees to accept financial responsibility for any no-show business travelers it sponsors. The use of corporate contracts is often popular in hotels with large transient markets.

Non- Guaranteed ReservationsIn the case of a non-guaranteed reservation, the hotel agrees to hold a room for the guest until a stated reservation cancellation hour, usually 6:00 p.m., on the day of arrival. The property is not guaranteed payment under this type of reservation. If the guest does not arrive by the cancellation hour, the hotel is free to release the room for other use; it is effectively added to the list of rooms available for sale. If the guest arrives after the cancellation hour and rooms remain available, the hotel will accommodate the guest. Hotels approaching full occupancy may choose to begin accepting only guaranteed reservations once a specified number of expected arrivals has been achieved. In full occupancy situations, the efficiency of the reservations process is especially critical.Tentative / Provisional ReservationProvisional reservation is done when a request from prospective guest is received for some future day arrival and the hotel blocks the room for this guest, provisionally in the hotel records such as charts and diaries and racks or computer and sends a letter of offer to the prospective guest. The offer has a cut off date by which the guest should send his confirmation which may be in the form of a letter, guarantee by company, credit card or deposit whichever the hotel may request. Once the confirmation from the guest is received by the hotel within the cut off date, the hotel

makes the tentative booking into confirmed booking. Otherwise the tentative booking is cancelled and the records updated.

Reservation Inquiry A reservation request can be received in person, over the telephone, in the mail, through a central reservation system, or through an intersell agency connection. Regardless of its origin, the request is formulated as a reservation inquiry by the reservations agent. This inquiry typically collects the following information about the guest's proposed stay:

         Date of arrival          Date of departure (length of stay)          Type and number of rooms requested          Room rate code (standard, special, package, etc.)          Number of persons in party

The agent enters these data onto a reservation form or computer terminal according to clearly defined procedures. Reservations can be made for individuals, groups, tours, or conventions. A guest coming to the hotel as an individual and not part of a group is called a free independent traveler, or FIT. Persons coming to the hotel as part of a group may be handled according to different procedures than FIT guests. For example, reservations for group members may be filed under the group's name rather than the guests' individual names.Sources of ReservationsThere are various reservation market sources within the hospitality industry. The three most common sources of reservation transactions are central reservation systems, intersell agencies, and property direct reservations. Hotels may experience large volumes of reservation transactions as a result of supporting a variety of reservation alternatives. The inter relationships are especially important to high reservation volume properties. Central Reservation Systems More than two-thirds of lodging properties belong to one or more central reservation systems. Industry-wide, over one-quarter of all reservation transactions use central reservation systems, There are two basic types of central reservation systems:

         Affiliate networks          Non-affiliate networks

An affiliate reservation network is a hotel chain's reservation system in which all participating properties are contractually related. Chain hotels link their operations to streamline the processing of reservations and reduce overall system costs. Affiliate reservation networks may also allow non-chain properties to join the system as overflow facilities. Over- flow facilities receive reservation requests only after all room availabilities in chain properties within a geographic area have been exhausted. A non-affiliate reservation network is a subscription system de- signed to connect independent (non-chain) properties. Non-affiliate reservation networks enable independent hotel operators to

enjoy many of the same benefits as chain-affiliated operators. Like an affiliate reservation network, a non-affiliate network usually assumes responsibility for advertising its service. A central reservation office typically deals directly with the public by means of a toll-free (1800) telephone number. Most large lodging chains actually support two or more reservation centers, with calls being directed to the center nearest the caller. Reservation centers often operate around the clock and at peak times may have as many as several hundred agents on duty at one time. Central reservation offices typically need to exchange room availability information and process reservation transactions with member properties at regularly scheduled intervals. Many central reservation systems use computers to connect the central system office with member properties. Some reservation systems also place telephone calls directly to destination properties to further ensure successful communication. Central reservation systems normally provide participating properties with necessary communications equipment and bill the properties for reservation transactions the systems handle. In turn, each property must provide accurate and current room availability data to the central reservation office. Without such data, the central reservation office cannot effectively handle the reservations process. Affiliate and non-affiliate networks often perform a variety of services in addition to managing reservations processing and communications. A central reservation system may also serve as an inter-property communications network, an accounting transfer system, or a destination information center. For instance, a central reservation system is used as an accounting transfer system when a chain hotel communicates operating data to company headquarters for processing. A central reservation system may operate as a destination information center by serving as a communications channel for local weather, special events, and seasonal room rate reports. Main modules those are present in a CRS:

         Reservations          Profiles          Groups          Rate and Inventory Control          Administration          Reporting          Global Distribution Interface          PMS Interface

Information commonly stored in a CRS:         Room Rates          Room Allotments          Room Types          Room availability          Generic hotel information (address, phone number, fax number)          Reservation information          Geocode information          Nearby IATA cities and airports

         On-site or nearby restaurants, bars, attractions, and recreational activities          Room and hotel features          Hotel cancellation record

Intersell AgenciesAn intersell agency is a central reservation system that contracts to handle more than one product line. Intersell agencies typically handle reservation services for airline companies, car rental companies, and hotel properties-a "one call does it all" approach. Although intersell agencies typically channel their room reservation re- quests to a central reservation system, they may also be able to communicate directly with individual destination properties. The fact that a hotel participates in an intersell arrangement does not preclude its also being a part of a central reservation system.

Property Direct

Hotels handle over 40% of their reservation transactions directly in addition to those reservations received through central reservation systems and intersell agencies. Depending on the volume of direct customer contact at a property, the hotel may staff its own reservation department. This department is responsible for handling all direct requests for accommodations, monitoring the communications links with central reservation systems and intersell agencies (if any), and maintaining updated room availability status reports.

There are several possible communication methods for handling property-direct reservation requests:

         Telephone: Customers may telephone the hotel directly.          Mail: Written requests for reservations are common for group, tour, and convention business.

Mail requests are generally sent directly to the reservation department. of the destination property.

         Property-to-property: Chain hotel properties typically encourage customers to plan their stays ahead of time by offering direct, communications between affiliated properties. This approach can significantly increase the overall number of reservations.

         Telex, cable, and other: Telex is often used to communicate inter- national reservation requests. Cable and other methods of communication tend to account for a small proportion of total reservation transactions

Group Reservation

Group reservations can involve a variety of contacts: meeting planners, housing or convention bureaus, tour operators, and travel agents. Group reservations typically involve intermediary agents and require special care. Usually when a group selects a hotel,its representative deals with the hotel's sales division. If space is available, an agreed-upon number of rooms, called a block, is set aside for the group's members. As reservations are received from group members, they are applied against the rooms held in the group's block, thereby reducing the number of rooms available within the block. Rooms reserved for specific guests are referred to as booked; hence, as group members reserve rooms, their status changes from blocked to booked. Reservation Availability Once inquiry data are received, they are compared to previously processed reservations to determine the availability of remaining accommodations Processing a reservation request results in one of several responses. These responses include:

         Acceptance of the reservation as requested          Suggestions of alternative room types and/or rates          Suggestions of alternative hotel properties,

In any reservation system, it is necessary to keep a close check on reservations to avoid overbooking-that is, accepting reservations that outnumber available rooms .A hotel may certainly try to book for a full house, but avoiding overbooking makes good business sense in several, ways: Most important, it helps maintain good customer relations and encourages repeat business. In addition, hotels may be subject to law- suit when they fail to furnish agreed-upon accommodations. To avoid overbooking, hotels must monitor room availability through reservations coordination. A reservations control book, wall chart, computerized sys- tem, or some other control device must be established and maintained. Control Book A reservations control book is usually a standard three-ring, loose- leaf binder with a tally page for each day of the year. Control books are used in non-computerized hotels. The reservations control book must be updated as the hotel receives notification of cancellations or changes in reservations. A property may choose to make initial control book entries in pencil so they can be changed as needed; if initial entries are made in pen, a different color pen should be used to record cancellations or changes. The use of a second, color helps the hotel maintain a history of changes in control book transactions.

Wall Chart

Another control technique uses a procedure developed and copyrighted by Dallett Jones. A specially designed reservations wall chart displays hotel rooms vertically and days of the month horizontally. Non-computerized hotels build customized wall charts by entering appropriate room numbers, rates, and codes. Different colors of ink are often used to differentiate room types. When accommodations are requested, the chart is checked for availability based on the

guest date of arrival, length of stay, and type of room. If space is available, the reservations agent can assign the guest a specific room by taping over the line that represents that room. The tape extends from the day of arrival to the day of departure. Hotels may also record the guest's name on the tape.

Once all reservations are charted, vacant spaces represent the exact dates when specific rooms are available. The wall chart technique allows available space to be determined at a glance, and eliminates the need for erasures and rewriting associated with control book monitoring. When a reservation change is necessary, the reservations agent simply moves the tape to another space. In the case of a cancellation, the tape is removed entirely. Reservations wall charts are also called reservations density charts.

Control book is used in non-computerized hotels.

It is a standard three-ring, loose leaf binder. On each page the hotel’s rooms and suites of rooms are divided into categories and each room is assigned a number.

Booking Diary SystemDisadvantages of booking diary:

  Bulky and not movable, so all records are confined to one place and cannot be moved to various places in case of references.

  Since it is constantly handled with person or another there is every possibility of getting dirty or pages getting torn.

  Cancellation and amendments makes other pages in the diary dirty and creates lots of confusion and problems.

  Not suitable & practical for hotels with lot of transit guests or where the stay of the guest is short.

  Cants be maintained in alphabetical order.

  Its time consuming and difficult to know the status of the guest and room at a glance.

Advantages of Booking Diary:

  This system is useful for small hotels and resorts.

  It provides the record of reservation for each day in a consolidated form or page and does not involve transfer of information to another slip or page.

  It provides information for a specific length of time at a page and the reservation list does not require reference to various records in case they want information for various places.

  It is to store and maintain.

  It is useful for hotels where the duration of stay of the guest is for a longer period.

Advance Letting Chart

It tells us about the bookings, available position of all the rooms in the hotel, about their room numbers and their location. The chart covers one calendar month and dates of this chart is clearly marked on the top with the room numbers and description on the side.

The chart gives a clear vision as to how the business is shaping for the future. But advance letting chart does not have any space for doing overbooking and this limits the chart from being used in big hotels. This is why, these charts is not very effective.

Density Chart

  It is used for determining the availability of all the guestrooms of the hotel and is used for reservation applications in medium and large hotel using non- automated system of reservation.

  Also maintained on a monthly basis.

  Have spaces of overbooking.

  Grouping of rooms are done on the basis of their types.

  Better options than ALC.

Whitney System Computerized System.

It is comparatively a new method of reservation in Indian hotel, as more efficient than ALC, Density chart, Reservation Charts.

Computerized Systems

An in-house computerized reservation system can keep close track of Systems reservations. In addition to tightly controlling room availability data, computer systems are capable of

automatically generating many reservation-related reports. This report also projects estimated revenue based on reported reservation information. Reports summarizing reservations by room type, guest profile, and many other characteristics are also available.

Once all rooms in a specific category are sold, the computer can be programmed to refuse to accept any further reservations in that category. The computer screen may display an informative message such as: The, category of rooms requested is not available. Some systems are designed to i suggest alternative room types or rates, or even other nearby hotel properties. Computers can be programmed to itemize room availability for future periods, or display open, closed, and special event dates for an extended period of time. The computer can store reservations made for the distant future until the reservations agent requests them, and is also capable of automatically creating waiting lists for high-demand periods and effectively processing group reservations

The Reservation Record

The reservation agent creates a reservation record as a result of guest interaction, an act that initiates the hotel guest cycle. Reservation record identify guest and their anticipated occupancy needs before arrival at the property. In addition, they enable the hotel to personalize guest service and appropriately schedule needed staff. Data contained in a reservation record can also be instrumental in generating several important management reports.

Only after a reservation request has been matched with room availability data does the reservation agent create a reservation record. The agent collects and enters such necessary data as:

         Guest name (and group name)          Home address          Telephone number, including area code         Name, address, and telephone number of the guest's employer, if appropriate          Name of and pertinent information about the person making the reservation, if not the guest          Number of people in the party, perhaps with ages of any children . Expected time of arrival          Reservation type (guaranteed, non-guaranteed)          Special requirements (infant, handicapper, or no-smoking accommodations)          Additional information as needed(method of transportation, flight number, room preference, etc.

If the guest plans to arrive after the hotel's normal reservation cancellation hour, the reservations agent can recite the property's policy on non- guaranteed reservations. Once the agent has recorded the necessary in- formation, some hotels immediately assign the guest a reservation confirmation number, which provides a unique reference to the reservation record.

Reservations agents will need to obtain additional information for guaranteed reservations. Depending on the method of guarantee, an agent may be required to obtain one of the following:

         Credit card information: The credit card type, number, and expiration date, and the cardholder's name. A cancellation bulletin-listing numbers of invalid and expired cards-or a computer verification service should be consulted to make certain the credit card is valid. Some computerized reservation systems perform credit card verification automatically.

         Prepayment or deposit information: An agreement from the client that a required deposit will be received at the hotel before a specified date. A proposed advance deposit or prepayment guarantee should be closely monitored to make certain the correct amount is paid by the designated date; if it is not, the reservation may need to be canceled or reclassified as non-guaranteed.

         Corporate or travel agency account information: The name and address of the booking company, the name of the person making the reservation, and the client's corporate or travel agency ac- count number as assigned by the hotel. To facilitate a more efficient process, the hotel may provide reservations agents with a list of approved corporate and travel agency account numbers for verification during the reservation transaction.

Reservations agents should review with the guest the important aspects of guaranteeing a reservation. Guests must be aware that their accommodations will be held until check-out time the day following their scheduled arrival, and that failure to cancel before a. specified time could lead to forfeiture of the deposit or a charge against the guarantee. Individual properties and chains may differ in their policies on quoting and confirming room rates during the creation of a reservation record. Although published rates may be subject to change without notice, a rate quoted and confirmed during the reservations process should be honored. Reservations agents should be aware of several considerations when quoting rates during the reservation record process, including:

         Supplementary charges for extra services or amenities          Minimum stay requirements in effect for the dates requested, if any          Special promotions in effect for the dates requested, if any          Applicable foreign currency exchange rates, if quoting rates to a foreign traveler         Applicable room tax percentages

Reservation Confirmation

A reservation confirmation allows the hotel to verify a guest's room request and personal information by telephoning or mailing a letter of confirmation. A written confirmation, which the

guest is expected to produce at registration, states the intent of both parties and confirms important points of agreement: dates, rate, type of accommodation, and number of guests. Confirmed reservations may be guaranteed or non- guaranteed. Reservation departments normally generate letters of confirmation on the day the reservation request is received. Information can be retrieved from the reservation record and manually or electronically entered onto a specially designed form, such as the one shown in Exhibit 4.9. While there are probably as many confirmation letter formats as there are hotels, confirmation generally includes:

         Date and time of arrival          Room type and rate          Length of stay          Number of persons in party          Reservation classification: guaranteed or non-guaranteed          Confirmation number

Depending on the nature of the reservation, a confirmation notice may also include a request for deposit or prepayment, or an update of the original reservation detailing reconfirmation, modification, or cancellation.

Confirmation/ Cancellation Numbers

As part of confirmation, central reservation systems and individual properties may assign a reservation confirmation number. A confirmation number assures the guest that a reservation record exists and can be especially useful to the hotel in referencing the appropriate reservation record for modification or cancellation, if needed. Similarly, hotels may issue a cancellation number to guests properly canceling a reservation. The issuance of such a number protects both the guest and the hotel. In the event of any future misunderstanding, a cancellation number can provide proof that a cancellation was received. In the case of cancellation of a guaranteed reservation, having a cancellation number may well re- lieve the guest of responsibility for charges posted against the guarantee. For instance, without a cancellation number a guest may have trouble refuting a no-show billing made to his or her credit card account. Cancellation numbers are not normally assigned to guests who cancel their reservation after the hotel's stated cancellation hour. Reservation systems typically devise unique methods of generating cancellation and confirmation numbers. These numbers can include the guest's arrival date, the reservations agent's initials, a property code, and other relevant information.

Cross-referencing all cancellation numbers by scheduled date of arrival can also help facilitate subsequent front office functions. Procedures for issuing cancellation numbers may be part of an established agreement between the hotel and a credit card company relative to no-show billing.

Reservation Maintenance

Even when care is taken during the reservations process, sometimes changes or cancellations in a reservation record are necessary. Efficient methods of file organization and file retrieval are critical. If a caller requests a reservation modification, for example, the reservations agent must be able to quickly access the correct record, verify its contents, and process the modification. Subsequent re-filing of the reservation record and updating of pertinent reservation reports should also be promptly handled.

Modifying Non-Guaranteed Reservation

Guests often make non-guaranteed rather than guaranteed reservation because they expect to arrive at the property before the reservation cancellation hour. Guest often change their reservations to guaranteed status when it becomes apparent that the arrival will be delayed Reservations agents processing this status must take care to adhere to hotel policies.

Typical steps include the following: 1.      Obtaining the guest's name and accessing the correct non-guar- anteed reservation record 2.      Obtaining the guest's credit card type, number, and expiration date and the cardholder's name,

and verifying the validity of the credit card 3.      Assigning the guest anew reservation confirmation number 4.      Completing the change from non-guaranteed to guaranteed reservation status according to

additional property procedures, if any

Reservation cancellationReservation Cancellation informs the hotel that a previously reserved room has become available to others, and helps the front office update its planning. Hotels should make cancellation easy and efficient. Cancellation, like any guest service, requires front office staff to be as polite, courteous, and effective as possible.

Non-GuaranteedTo cancel a non-guaranteed reservation, the .reservations agent should obtain the guest's name and address, number of reserved rooms, and proposed arrival and departure dates. This information will ensure that the correct reservation is accessed and canceled. After the cancellation is recorded, the caller may be asked whether he or she would like to make an alternate reservation.

Credit Card Guaranteed

Most credit card companies will support no- show billings only if the hotel issues cancellation numbers for properly canceled reservations. Reservations agents may follow a credit card guarantee cancellation procedure involving the following steps:

Obtain pertinent information-guest's name and address, number of rooms, proposed arrival and departure dates-and assign the guest a reservation cancellation number. Explain that the cancellation number should be retained as proof of cancellation in case an erroneous credit card billing occurs. Access the proper reservation record, mark it canceled, properly initial and date it, and add the cancellation number to the reservation record. If the cancellation is made by someone other than the guest, add the caller's name to the canceled reservation record. Log the reservation cancellation number. File canceled reservation documentation for future reference.

Advance Deposit

Policies related to the cancellation of advance deposit reservation may vary greatly among hotels. The reservations agent should treat advance deposit cancellations with as much care as any other cancellation. The deposit will need to be returned to the guest who cancels a reservation properly.

Reservation Reports

An effective reservation system helps maximize room sales by accurately monitoring room availabilities and forecasting rooms’ revenue. Regardless of the degree of automation, the number and type of management reports available through a reservation system are functions of the hotel's needs and the system's capability and contents. Common management reports include:

Reservation transactions report: This report summarizes daily reservations activity in terms of record creation, modification, and cancellation. Specialized summaries such as cancellation re- ports, blocked room reports, and no-show reports are also possible.

Commission agent report: Agents with contractual agreements may be owed commissions for business they have booked at the property. This report tracks the amounts owed each.

Turnaway report (or refusal report): This report tracks the number of guests refused because rooms were not available as requested. It is especially helpful to hotels operating near full occupancy or hotels considering expansion.

Revenue forecast report: This report projects future revenue by multiplying predicted occupancies by current room rates. This information can be especially important for long-range planning and cash management strategies.Expected Arrival and Departure listsExpected arrival and departure lists are prepared daily to indicate Arrival and the number and names of guests expected to arrive and depart as well as the number of stay over guests. In a non-automated or semi-automated system, the reservation department manually develops expected arrival data from a control book, wall chart or reservation rack. Every evening, the data for the next days expected check-in guests are reviewed. Once verified, reservations are assembled alphabetically and either held in the reservation department overnight or brought to the front desk for the night in a computerized system, a list of expected arrivals may be displayed 0 printed at the front desk upon demand the presence of this information at the front desk facilitates the registration process.Computers can also produce preprinted registration cards for guests arriving with reservations. Some hotels pre-register special guests, such as VIPs or those staying in special room categories. Based on information collected during the reservations process, a registration form may be produced requiring only the guest's signature. This procedure further facilitates a rapid check-in process.

Reservations HistoriesBy analyzing reservation information, front office management can develop an understanding of the hotel's reservation patterns'. The hotel's sales and marketing division can use these data to identify new trends, review product mixes, and assess the impact of its marketing strategies. Reservations histories include statistics on all aspects of the reservations process; including the number of guests, occupied rooms, reservations (by source), no-shows, walk-ins, overstays (people staying after their stated departure date), and under-stays (people who checked out before their stated departure date). Recording is done for reservations and occupancy information on a daily basis. Trends can be revealed by grouping occupancy statistics on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. Knowing overstay and under-stay percentages at various times of the year can help a hotel devise a plan for handling walk- ins or last-minute reservation requests. Legal ImplicationsThe reservation agreement between the hotel and the guest begins at the time of guest contact. The agreement may be oral or written. Confirming a reservation to a prospective guest in language which states definitely that the guest will be accommodated on a particular date may constitute a contract binding the hotel to provide accommodations on that date. If the confirmation is made in response to a request from the prospective guest for this reservation, it may also be binding on the prospective guest.

Waiting Lists Occasionally, a reservation request must be denied because the hotel is fully booked. However, if there is enough lead time before the pro- posed date of arrival, interested guests may be put on a

waiting list. This technique is often used by hotels located in high-volume areas. A waiting list might be developed and used according to guidelines similar to the following:

         Advise the guest that no rooms are currently available for the requested dates.          Offer to take the guest's name and telephone number.          Accommodate the guest immediately if a room becomes available due to a cancellation.          Help the guest find alternative dates or accommodations should nothing become available.

Group ReservationsConducting a reservation request for a group shall be treated differently than accommodating a reservation of individual guests (i.e. Frequent Independent Traveler). The main reason is that individual reservation requests are treated by the reservation department, while group reservations are initiated by the Sales & Marketing Division, and finalized through a careful coordination of the reservation from one hand and the marketing on the other. Below is a detailed procedure of how group reservation, in a typical hotel, is conducted:

1.      A group representative, a member of the travel agency or the tour operator, not individuals, shall communicate group reservations' request to the hotel's marketing department

2.      Upon availability, the hotel's reservation department shall block the requested number of rooms for this very group

3.      The Hotel shall give a deadline for the group, in order to receive their final list. That deadline is called Cut-off Date.

4.      After receiving the final list, the reservation department shall change the desired number of rooms' status from blocked to booked (or reserved) rooms, and release the remaining rooms (if any left) as vacant for sale.

5.      If the hotel did not receive the final list by the cut-off date, then the reservation department has all the right to cancel the group reservation and release all the initially booked rooms into vacant rooms. However, management shall use this right with precautions especially when it comes to groups reserving from travel agencies and tour operators of which the hotel is frequently servicing.Although group reservation procedures are usually relatively simple, a number of problems may develop. Conventions and Conferences A close working relationship between the hotel's sales staff and the group's meeting planner is one of the critical elements of hosting a successful convention or conference. If good communication and a spirit of cooperation are established early on, many problems can be avoided. Convention Large conventions sometimes require the use of rooms at more than one hotel to accommodate all the convention attendees. Often, room requirements at several hotels may be coordinated by a separate housing or convention bureau. Each hotel must determine the number and type of available rooms it is willing to commit for convention use. The objective of the bureau is to accommodate all attendees by coordinating hotel availabilities with reservation requests. On a

daily basis, the housing/convention bureau will communicate reservation requests to the hotels involved. In return, each hotel informs the bureau of any requests or cancellations communicated directly to the property. Through such exchange of information, the bureau should be able to help each hotel manage its convention block. Tour Groups Tour groups typically are groups of people who have had their accommodations, transportation, and related travel activities ar- ranged for them. Hotels should be especially careful to research the reliability and past performance of tour operators and travel agents. Once acquainted with a tour operator's history, reservations agents can feel more secure when blocking and booking reservations for a tour group. Potential Reservation ProblemsSome steps of the reservations process are more inclined to error than others. If reservations agents are aware of these trouble spots and know how to avoid them, mistakes will be less likely. Some common problems are listed here. Errors in the Reservation Record

         A reservations agent records the wrong arrival or departure date, misspells the guest's name, or mistakenly reverses first and last names (e.g., Mohit Ray might be recorded as Ray Mohit).

         A caller making a reservation for another person is mistaken for the guest and the caller's name is entered on the reservation record, or the caller inadvertently gives his or her own name.

To avoid such problems, after recording information obtained during a telephone call, the reservations agent should read it back to the caller for confirmation. Taking this basic care can be especially important to hotels catering to international travelers. Not being able to access a reservation record can prove disastrous to a hotel-guest relationship. Misunderstandings Due to Industry Jargon

         A family with a confirmed reservation arrives two hours after the cancellation hour only to find that the hotel has no rooms available; the family thought a confirmed reservation was the same as

         a guaranteed reservation.          Two business travelers book a double room, expecting two beds; they find their room has only

one double bed.          A family wishing to have the children stay in a connecting room mistakenly requests an adjacent

room instead. Upon arrival, the family finds that the children's room is across the hall. To avoid such problems, reservations agents should make every I effort to understand what the guest needs and to explain what various terms mean at their particular property. After accepting a reservation, agents should repeat and confirm the exact nature of reserved accommodations, in addition to stating the hotel's general reservation policies and procedures. Miscommunications with External Reservation Systems

         A central reservation system serving several hotels in the same city books the guest into the wrong hotel; for instance, an airport rather than a mid-city property.

         A system that handles hotels in similarly-named cities books the guest into a hotel in the wrong city.To avoid such problems, the reservations agent should furnish the guest with the name and address of the property at which a reservation has been made. When a reservation center books rooms in more than one 'I hotel in the same city, a thorough description of the hotel's location can be helpful. Central Reservation System Failures

         The hotel fails to update the system on room availability and rate changes in a timely fashion.          The reservation system is slow in informing the property of reservations accepted.          Communications equipment, at either the reservation system or the hotel, suffers mechanical

problems.          The hotel closes communications with the system too early or too late.

To avoid such problems, reservations agents must be aware of the need for accurate and timely communication between the hotel and the central reservation system. When notifying the central system to close reservations for a certain date, the hotel must try to identify any reservations accepted by the central system but not yet delivered. Faulty equipment at either end of the communication channel may cripple the entire reservations process. Attention must be given to ensuring a sound working relationship with the central reservation system.

Overbooking (occupancy management)

The practice of overbooking accepting reservations for more rooms than are available by forecasting the number of no-show reservations, stay-overs, under-stays, and walk-ins, with the goal of attaining 100 percent occupancy is viewed by the general public with doubt.As a future hotelier, you should prepare for the difficult task of developing a policy on overbooking. The front office manager is responsible for administering this policy.In many instances, overbooking to overcome the problem of no-shows and late cancellations may produce advantages by way of operating efficiencies that far outweigh the occasional inconveniences to guests and travelers they have held hotel overbooking to be customary and justifiable practice for offsetting the losses from no-shows. The financial loss due to no-shows may be substantial. Lost revenues of this volume force the hotelier to develop an aggressive occupancy management policy. This policy is based on management of the occupancy categories into which guests are placed: those with confirmed reservations, those with guaranteed reservations, stayovers, understays, and walk-ins. However, most hoteliers require a guest guarantee his or her stay with a credit card number to ensure their intent of arrival and thus guarantee payment for product and services on the part of the guest and hotel.Confirmed reservations, prospective guests who have a reservation for accommodations that is honored until a specified time, represent the critical element in no-shows.

After that time (usually 4:00 P.M. or 6:00 P.M.), the hotel is under no obligation to hold the reservation. The front office manager must keep accurate records of no-shows in this group. Various types of travelers with confirmed reservations corporate, group, leisure have different no-show rates. Walk-in numbers are often higher if the front office manager maintains good relations with the front office managers of nearby hotels, who may refer guests to the property when their own are fully booked. Sending guests who cannot be accommodated to nearby hotels is a win-win situation for guests and hotels.When these occupancy categories are tracked, the front office manager can more accurately predict occupancy. The front office manager can obtain the data for this formula by reviewing the property management system (PMS) reservation module, which lists the groups, corporate clients, and individual guests who have made reservations for a specific period. Also, the front office manager should check tourist activity in the area, business events planned in other hotels, and other local special events.