Types of plans

Most of the hotels generally run on plan system. There are various types of plan, which are internationally recognized. Hoteliers according to their convenience or the policy of the management can adopt these. The list in which the prices of the hotel services are incorporated is known as hotel tariff. On the basis of tariff pattern hotel are divided as follows:

European Plan
In this case only the lodging i.e. bed is offered. thus the charges are made for lodging only.The client is free to take teas,breakfast,and meals in the hotel. He has a choice of eating at any good restaurant. The guest is booked to pay for lodging and is charged separately for all other things or services he enjoys or consumes. This system is generally followed by youth hostels or hotels which are situated in metropolitan cities. European plan hotels fix the prices of rooms separately so that guests may either have their meals in the hotel dining at its regular prices or go to the other restaurant. In India most of the hotels are being run on European Plan. Almost all the public sector hotels are run on this basis.

Continental Plan
In the case of continental plan bed and breakfast are included in the charges. Thus bed is offered along with breakfast and the client is, however, free to take his meal and tea as he likes. Thus the guest tariff includes lodging and breakfast and for other he is separately billed.

American Plan
Hotel where American Plan is prevalent, board lodging is provided in the charge. The tariff fixed includes board and lodging. It is an all inclusive full board tariff. Accommodation and three meals daily are included in the price of room. It includes bed, breakfast and two principal meals and evening tea. It does not include 'EMT nor coffee after lunch, or dinner. The needs are usually 'table d hote'. It is also known as 'full pension'.
this means that guests day ends about 24 hours after his arrival that is, the guest arriving between lunch and dinner is entitled to retain his rooms until the next afternoon and to have dinner the first night and breakfast and lunch the following day for the fixed rate.
The American Plan was started in the 1930's and 40's when "Americans were churning around the west, the upstart cities were springing up".The American Plan specially suited the resorts where families might stay for the season and many resorts even to day operate on the American Plan.

Modified American Plan
The tourists mostly prefer this plan, as it is comparatively flexible. It is offered in most of the good hotels and is normally by arrangements. It includes hotel accommodation, breakfast and either lunch or dinner in the price of the room. Thus, in this type of accommodation bed and breakfast and along with it one principal meal, lunch or dinner, at the client is also included. It generally includes continental breakfast and either 'table d' hote' lunch or dinner in the room rates. It is also known as 'demi pension'.

Bermuda Plan
This plan includes room rate and American breakfast. This plan is popular in the commercial hotels.

Go Plan
This facility is offered by hotel chain where guests can make reservation for another hotel belonging to the same chain and after the period of various chain at various properties. The guest can finally settle his bill at the last hotel.

Front office operation

Introduction:
Front office is also known as the face of the hotel. It is the first guest contact area and also the nerve center of the hotel. All the activities of the front office are geared towards supporting guest transactions and services.

Front office operations
The major functions that is performed as a part of the room division department are:
1.Reservation, registration, room and rate assignment.
2.Fulfills guests services and updates room status.
3.Maintains and settles guest accounts.
4.Creates guest history records.
5. Develops and maintains a comprehensive database of guest information.
6.Coordinates Guest services.

The sole priority of the Room Division Department is ensuring Guest Satisfaction, which happens when, guest expectations match the hotel provides.

In order to achieve Guest Satisfaction, front office department should prepare:
1.Careful designed front office organization chart.
2.Comprehensive goals, strategies and tactics.
3.Planned work shifts.
4.Well designed job description.
5.Well designed job specifications.


Layout of Front Office Department

GUEST CYCLE
Guest cycle describes the activities that each guest passes by from the movement s/he calls to communicate a reservation inquiry till s/he departs from the hotel. For eg. pre arrival, arrival, occupancy and departure. Each stays of guest cycle is associated guest service and guest accounting activities.

1.Guest cycle
Registration, reservation, occupancy, departure and history.

2.Guest account
Establishment of credit, posting charges, night auditing and settlement of account.

A. Per - arrival
At per arrival stage the hotel most create for every potential guest a reservation record. Doing this initiates the hotel guest cycle. Moreover reservation record help personalize guest services and appropriate schedule needed staff and facilities.
The reservation department should complete all the per-registration activities and prepare guest folios. Doing so will eventually maximize room sells by accurately monetizing room availability and forecasting room revenue.

B.Arrival
At arrival stage registration and rooming functions take place and the hotel establish a business relationship with guest. The check i clerk should determine the guest reservation. Later s/he shall prepare a registration record or make the guest sign the already printed per-registration record.

Registration record can be used for various purposes
Satisfy guest needs
Forecast room occupancy
Settle guest account
Establish guest history record at checkout
Assign a room type and a room rate for the guest

C. Occupancy
At the occupancy stage the front office department shall coordinate guest services in a timely and accurate manner. Moreover guest service in a timely and accurate manner. Moreover, front office staff encourage repeat guest by paying a guest attention to guest complains. This is ensured by placing complaints and a suggestion cards in every public place and revenue centers in the hotels. Moreover the hotel shall, at least on a daily basis, collect comment cards, proceeds with their analysis and provide positive feedback to guest as soon as possible.

D. Departure
At the departure stage the guest is walk out of the hotel. Moreover front office staff creates guest history record. Finally cashiers settles guest account outstanding balances. In general a proper check out occurs when the guest vacates the room. Receive an accurate settlement of the guest account. Returns room keys leave the hotel.
At departure check out personnel guest to consider returning to the hotel on any future date thats why cashier acts like a true salesperson and might eventually accept guest future reservation. Thats why the stage of a guest cycle become really a guest cycle. if at departure the guest account isn't fully settled then late charges accumulates. In such an undesired case, the responsibility of collection lies within the accounting department, however the front office department shall provide all necessary type of information to make their collection easier and quicker.



SOME MORE PICTURES OF FRONT OFFICE

Classification of Hotels

According to the type of plan(tariff pattern)
American Plan(AP)
European Plan(EP)
Continental Plan(CP)
Modified American Plan(MAP)
Go plan
Bermuda Plan

According to the size
Small hotels: 25 rooms or less
Average hotels:25 rooms to 90 rooms
Above average hotels:80 rooms to 250 rooms
Large hotels: 250 rooms and above

According type of patronage
Hotels catering to women only
Hotels catering to families only
Hotel catering to commercial men only
Hotel catering to high society
Hotel catering to retired people only
Hotel catering to students only

According to visitors stop over
Transit hotels
Semi transient hotels
Residential hotels

According to the length of operating period
Seasonal hotels
Two-seasonal hotels
Entire year hotels

According to their location
Resort hotels
Suburbs hotels
Airport hotels
Sea side hotels
Transient hotels
Country hotels
Floating hotels
City hotels
Highway hotels
Town center hotels
Space hotels
Hill or mountain hotels
Boa tels
Inland hotels

According to the purpose
International hotels
Commercial hotels
Hostels
Business hotels
Holiday hotels
Resort hotels
Motels
Inns
Clubs
Convention hotels

According to the degree of comfort
Low class hotels/budget hotels
Middle class hotels
Luxury hotels
or
One star hotels
Two star hotels
Three star hotels
Four star hotels
Five star deluxe hotels
or
A class hotels
B class hotels
C class hotels
D class hotels
or
Modern hotels
Comfort hotels
Deluxe hotels
or
Tourist class hotels
Standard hotels
Super class hotels

According to its relationship with transport
Motels
Motor hotels
Railway hotels
Airport hotels
Floating hotels

According to facilities and amenities
Luxury
Quality
Standard
Basic

According to ownership and management
Independent hotels
Chain/group hotels
Private hotels

Star Ranking

In addition to the approval of the hotel project at the planning stage from the point of view of its suitability for foreign tourists, the hotel on completion is inspected as a functioning establishment or approval and placement in the appropriate "star" category. There are five such categories ranging from 5 star for hotels which offer luxury features, to one star for hotels which offers adequate standard of comfort and cleanliness. for the guidance of entrepreneurs in planning a hotel to qualify for a particular category, the government dearly lays down the facilities expected of establishments in each category.

A detailed study and analyses of the whole system of classification prevalent in various countries shows that there are no uniform criteria at the international level for grading and classification of hotels. When inquired the reaction of the tourists, it was pointed out that it is more important to list facilities alone with the rates fixed, thereby giving them the choice to select. Quality is more important to them than the physical aspects of the hotel.

Many hoteliers pointed out that the star system creates an impression of luxury and waste an artificial label with unwanted connotations. material criteria are unsatisfactory. These criteria's 30 not contain any build in guarantees. Facility wise, a hotel will not merit any consideration of, for instance, it does not employ sufficient personnel. Quality of services is very important consideration. After all, hotels constitute a service industry.

Hotel

Common Law states that a "hotel is a place where all who conduct themselves properly,and who being able to pay for their entertainment, are receives, if there be accomodation for then, and who without any stipulated engagement as to the duration of their stay or as to the rate of compensation are whilw there, supplied at a reasonable cost with their meals, lodging and other srvices and attention as are necessarily incident to the use as a temporarily home."

A hotel may be called as an establishment where primary business is to provide to the general public lodging facilities and which may also furnish one or more of the various services such as food and beverage, laundry, uniformed services etc. Hence, hotel can also be called as home mutiplied by commercial activities.

The term hotel was used in England in about 1760. British law as a" place where a bonafide traveller can receive a food and shelter, provided he is in a fit position to pay for and in fit condition to be received" defines hotel or inn.