Hotel abbreviations list: Guide to hospitality terms

The hospitality world is filled with acronyms and jargon that are often confusing at first glance. Whether you’re planning business travel, managing group bookings, or working directly in the hotel industry, understanding hotel terminology makes every part of the process easier. 

This hotel abbreviations list outlines the key terms professionals need to know to confidently navigate reservations, operations, and guest experiences.

Hotel abbreviations and acronyms list

ADR

The Average Daily Rate refers to revenue earned per occupied room per day.

AGOP

Adjusted Gross Operating Profit is calculated by subtracting hotel base management fees from the Gross Operating Profit (GOP), providing a clearer picture of the hotel's profitability from core operations.

AGR

The Average Guest Rate is the total revenue divided by the total number of guests.

ALOS

Average Length of Stay refers to the average number of nights guests stay at a property. It’s often used alongside occupancy to understand booking patterns and guest behavior.

ARI

An Average Rate Index compares a hotel’s Average Daily Rate (ADR) to its competitors.

ARR

An Average Room Rate is the average price paid for each room sold. It's similar to Average Daily Rate (ADR), but its calculation may vary depending on how the hotel reports things like discounts or free rooms.

BAR

The Best Available Rate is the lowest rate offered for a room at a given time, often adjusted in real time based on occupancy levels and demand.

BC

A Banquet Check is an invoice for food and beverage event charges.

BEO

A Banquet Event Order is a document that outlines the details of an event, including schedules, menus, and setup requirements. 

BKG

Booking (BKG) is shorthand for reservation, meaning a guest has arranged to stay at the hotel on specific dates. Hotels often manage many bookings simultaneously and may even engage in overbooking, accepting more reservations than available rooms, to account for expected cancellations or no-shows.

CMP

A Complete Meeting Package is a hotel package with a room, meals, and a meeting place included.

COTB

Close Out to Business means the hotel stops accepting new bookings for specific dates.

CRS

A Central Reservation System is software that centralizes hotel reservation processes, managing inventory and rates across multiple distribution channels to streamline bookings.

DDR

The Day Delegate Rate refers to the daily cost per meeting attendee, which encompasses meals and amenities provided during the event.

DOC

The Director of Catering is the person responsible for overseeing all catering services at the hotel.

EXP

Expedia is a major online travel agency, also known as an Online Travel Agency (OTA).

F&B

Food and Beverage is the hotel division responsible for dining and catering services.

FAM

A Familiarization Trip is a complimentary visit offered to travel agents so they can experience the property firsthand.

FIT

A Free Independent Traveler is a guest who books independently (outside of group tours or package deals), typically customizing their own itinerary.

FIT Full Form

A less common abbreviation than FIT, FIT Full Form stands for Free Independent Traveler Full Form, which may refer to the form or document the hotel uses to gather information from FIT guests. 

GBP

Guaranteed Best Price is the hotel’s commitment to match or offer a better rate than its competitors.

GDS

A Global Distribution System is a computerized network system that enables transactions between travel service providers, such as hotels, and travel agents, facilitating real-time inventory and rate distribution.

GOP

The Gross Operating Profit represents the hotel's profits after subtracting operating expenses, serving as a fundamental indicator of the property's financial performance.

GOPPAR

Gross Operating Profit Per Available Room measures a hotel’s profitability per available room.

GTD

Guaranteed means the reservation is confirmed with a deposit or guarantee.

HOD

Head of Department refers to a senior staff member in charge of a specific hotel department.

IPO

Individual Pays Own is used in group bookings when each guest is responsible for their own charges.

LNR

A Locally Negotiated Rate is a discounted rate offered to businesses located near the hotel.

LOS

The Length of Stay is the number of nights a guest books a room.

LRA

Last Room Availability is a contract term that allows access to the previously available room at the agreed rate.

MAR

Minimum Acceptable Rate is the lowest price a hotel is willing to accept for a room.

MICE

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions is a category used for business-related travel and events.

MLOS

Minimum Length of Stay is the required number of nights a guest must book to access a specific rate.

MoS

MoS is an alternate abbreviation for Minimum Length of Stay (MLOS).

MTD

Month to Date describes performance metrics measured from the start of the current month to today’s date.

MUR

Make Up Room is a housekeeping status used for a hotel room that needs cleaning.

NRB

Net Rate Basis is a non-commissionable base rate typically used for group or bulk sales.

OCC

Occupancy refers to the percentage of rooms sold compared to the total available.

OOO

Out of Order indicates that a room is unavailable for sale due to maintenance or other issues.

OTA

An Online Travel Agency platform allows travelers to book various travel-related services, including hotel accommodations. They often provide a broad reach for hotels to market their rooms. Some popular online travel agents include Engine, Expedia, and Booking.com.

OTB

On the Books represents the number of rooms already booked for future dates.

PMS

A Property Management System is software that manages all aspects of hotel operations to enhance efficiency and guest experience, including reservations, check-ins and checkouts, room assignments, and billing.

PPPN

Per Person Per Night is a pricing model where the cost is calculated at a per-night rate for each guest. This is common for all-inclusive packages, tours, or group bookings, including meals and activities.

PRPN

Per Room Per Night is a pricing model where the cost is based on the entire room per night, regardless of how many people stay in it (up to the room’s occupancy limit). This pricing model is more common for standard hotel bookings.

RevPAR

Revenue Per Available Room calculates the average revenue generated per available room, regardless of occupancy.

RFP

Request for Proposal is the formal process used to source contracts for group or event bookings. 

RN

In the context of occupancy, Room Night refers to one room being booked for one night.

S&C

Sales and Catering is the department responsible for event planning and group or event bookings. 

SRP

Standard Rate Plan is the base pricing structure for a hotel room.

TMC

A Travel Management Company is an agency that helps businesses coordinate their travel programs.

YTD

Year to Date reflects performance or metrics accumulated from the start of the year up to the current date.

Hotel terms for travel planners

Amadeus

Amadeus is a major global travel reservation system used by hotels and travel agencies.

Booking engine

A booking engine is an online tool that allows users to book hotel rooms directly. Engine’s Partner Hub seamlessly integrates with a travel dashboard that includes this feature.

Boutique hotel

A boutique hotel is a small, stylish property that offers a unique and often luxurious experience.

Full board

Full board means the room rate includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the stay.

General manager

The general manager oversees all aspects of a hotel’s daily operations, from guest services and staff management to budgeting, marketing, and overall performance.

Group rate

A group rate is a discounted room rate offered for large bookings, typically involving occupancy of nine or more rooms.

Guest room

A guest room is a hotel room available for rent to visitors.

Half board

Half board includes breakfast and one additional meal, usually dinner or lunch, as part of the stay.

Hotel chain

A hotel chain is a group of hotels operating under a shared brand and management system.

House count

House count refers to the total number of hotel rooms available, regardless of occupancy. It provides a snapshot of the property’s capacity.

No-show

A no-show occurs when a guest fails to arrive for their reservation without canceling in advance.

Room block

A hotel room block is a designated number of rooms set aside at a specific hotel for a group or event, often at a discounted rate, facilitating coordinated accommodations for attendees.

Room nights

Room nights refer to the total number of rooms booked multiplied by the number of reserved nights.

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