Room types are probably something you haven’t thought about or paid much attention to over the last decade. However, when it comes to determining your rates and rate types, it can be interesting to take a critical look at them. In this blog, we'll cover the most common room types and how best to use them to make the booking process more attractive. There are several ways to classify your room types:
The room type based on occupancy indicates how many people the room can accommodate. For example, a single room is made available for one person, a double room for two people, a triple room for three, a quad room for four, and so on.
Advantage: It is immediately clear to your guests how many people can stay in the room.
Disadvantage: It says nothing about what type of beds are in these rooms. For example, a triple room can consist of three single beds, or one single bed and a double bed.
Tip: Clearly state in the room description what bed types are in your rooms to avoid disappointing your guests (for example, a couple assigned two single beds).
A room by bed type describes what type of bed your guests will find in their room. The most common bed types for hotel rooms are:
Advantage: If you use descriptions based on bed type, your guests know what to expect when it comes to their sleeping comfort and prevents disappointments.
Disadvantage: It is unclear to your guests how many people can stay in the room. Usually, you only use the bed type when the room is occupied by a maximum of 2 people.
Tip: If you’re using bed types as the room type then make it clear how many people can stay in your room. For example, a King and a Single for 2 Adults and 1 Child. You can also work with a combination of occupancy and bed type, for example, Double Queen room.
The room type based on room classification says something about the size, quality and facilities of the room. The following room types based on room classification are the most common:
Advantage: Many guests have a good idea of the amount of space or luxury they want during their stay. By working with room types based on layout, guests often know immediately which choice is best for them.
Disadvantage: The term "Deluxe" can be a huge pitfall when the difference between the standard room is not significant enough. It can be a big disappointment for the guest when they choose the Deluxe room and feel they get little in return.
Tip: If you want to work with room types based on classification, make it very clear through pictures what the difference is between one type and another. A textual description is often not enough.
Another tip: Are some rooms in need of renovation? Then temporarily make these budget rooms until your renovations are finished and adjust your rates accordingly.
Some hoteliers, particularly smaller independent hotels, tend to create a multitude of room types with unique names. This is understandable, given that you consider each room to be unique. Rule of thumb: don't make it too confusing for your guests. Too many different room types can negatively affect your occupancy rate. Of course, it is important to showcase the unique features of your rooms but make this variation only from a commercial point of view. For example, does your hotel have beautiful views of the beach? Make this clear in your room type by putting 'sea view' in the name.
You know your guests best; what type of audience do you mainly attract? Do you have enough room types that meet their needs, and does the name of the room fit? Too many different or unclear room types are not good, but it doesn't hurt to deviate a little bit from the standards if by doing so you increase the attractiveness of the rooms for certain audiences. For example, if you have quad rooms that are suitable for young families, call them family rooms. If you attract a lot of business travellers and have laptop-friendly rooms with desks and Internet access, rename some deluxe rooms to executive or business rooms.
Now that you've made sure the room types match your target audience, it's also time to boost your sales with matching rate types. Think of special rates for your family rooms (family rate) or a business rate for your executive rooms. With the help of our handy infographic, you’ll always have the different rate types at hand.
Download the infographic about rate types here!
About SmartHOTEL
For more than 16 years, SmartHOTEL has been helping hoteliers navigate the exciting world of online distribution. From our office based in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, our team serves independent hotels, hostels and chains worldwide by providing channel management and tailored online distribution solutions. A lot has changed over the last years, but our goal remains the same: simply connect hotels to the world. For any questions regarding our services, please contact us at sales@smarthotel.nl or call +31 (0)182 75 11 18.