Introduction to Room, Its Forms and Format

Room

Generally, we define the room as a safe closed by walls, windows, and doors to spend a day or night for sleep and to protect from natural catastrophe. In a hotel, a room means a lot to the guest such as comfort, safe, clean, hygiene. Guest demands the highest standards in everything that the room stands for. All the rooms are numbered systematically; the first digit in the room indicates on which floor it is situated. Suppose there are twenty-five (25) rooms in a floor; room no six hundred twenty-five (625) indicates the 25^throom on the 6^th floor.connected with Systematic numbering also indicates that all odd number rooms may be single room, even number could be double room and rooms ending with zero (0) may be suite room and so on. This system differs from hotel to hotel.

Types of room in a hotel mean such more than just a place to stay or spend a day or night. A hotel consists of different types of the room providing various facilities within the room of different categories at different tariffs, to suit the needs of a guest. Following are the common rooms in a hotel.

Single room:A room with a single size bed for a single occupancy or a person.

Double room:A room with double size bed for two people or occupancy.

Twin room:A room with two single sizes separate beds separately for two persons.

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Suite room:A set of rooms with parlor or sitting area with other ancillary facilities.

Duplex suite room:A type of suite room, which is spread over two floors having a parlor or sitting room and bedroom, connected by the internal staircase.

Studio room:A room with a studio bed or sofa cum bed, located at the corner side of the floor usually for a single person.

Interconnecting room:A room that is connected to another room with an internal door, without using the main door. Generally, this type of room is suitable for family guest.

Adjoining room:A room that is situated side by side or joined together with common walls.

Adjacent room:Rooms, which are opposite to each other on the same floor.

Cabana: A room which is located near to swimming pool away from the main building, usually for changing the purpose and may have studio bed.

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Hollywood twin bedded room: A room with single sized bed separately attached together with a single head board. May be attached together to form a double bed.

Penthouse:A room that is located on terrace or roof level of which the ceiling or top part of the room is opened to the sky for natural lightening and may be covered when required.

Lanai:A room with balcony or verandah having a natural beauty or garden view.

Presidential suite room:The type of suite room that provides various luxury facilities to the guests, with the wider area along with the kitchen facilities. This is the expensive room in any hotel with all modern amenities and valet.

Energy and Environmental Conservation

• Turning off the light when leaving the room.
• Limit water conservation.
• Don`t leave faucets or tap running.
• Limit the laundry of linens.

Types of room according to the service offered

There are different types of room which are maintained are further classified into three categories by different hotels on the basis of facilities, size and location of the rooms and they are;

• Standard room (minimum rated room)
• Superior room (moderate or medium category)
• Deluxe room (Maximum or highest rated room)

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Room Symbols

Room symbols refer to the abbreviation or short form code word used by hotel staff to indicate the various rooms used by the hotel and other possible rooms in order to make it simple and easy to understand. These symbols are generally used to the hotel staff or departments. It is very important for all housekeeping staff to know the meaning to correct abbreviation used, otherwise, the communication becomes complex. Following are some of the important code words.

1. Deluxe= Dlx-A
2. Superior=SPR-B
3. Standard=STD-C
4. Suite=SU
5. Double=DBL
6. Single=SL
7. Poolside=PS
8. Ground level=GL
9. Interconnecting=X
10. Mountain view=MV
11. Deluxe room with twin side bed=A1K
12. Standard room with two twin bed=C2K

Rooms content and supplies

The hotel rooms consist of different guest supplies required by the guest and are replaces whenever needed. Room contents and supplies in the room are as follows

• Bedside table, tea table
• Business or writing table
• Bed linen
• Side table
• Ashtray, matchbox, candle with stand
• Holy books like "Gita", "bible", etc
• Business kit, sewing kit
• Guest stationary includes letter heads or notepad, envelope, fax paper, hotel brochure, tariff card, etc
• Water jug with glasses
• Telephone, TV, Minibar(a small refrigerator with refreshments and chocolates and other snacks in it for midnight snacks which are charged to guest while they check out)
• Hangers, Laundry bags
• Shoe mitts
• Pencil, ball pens
• Scribbling pad (Notepad)
• Newspaper, magazines, and other articles
• Disposal bag, dust bin
• Creamer or milk powder, tea bag
• Coffee packets, sugar sachets
• Coffee percolator
• Table lamp
• DND card (Do not disturb card) or Laundry pick up card or make my room card)

Different forms and formats

As we know that the housekeeping job is very methodological and complex. It is always a difficult job for an executive housekeeper to keep control over everything all the time. A reporting system is developed to ensure the vertical flow of information. Here are some of the important forms and formats to be maintained by housekeeping personnel to ensure the better communication and proper documentation.

1. Housekeeping room report
2. Housekeeping room occupancy report
3. Linen room and control sheet
4. Discrepancy report
5. Lost and found report
6. Desk control register
7. Room maintenance order slip
8. Guest room linen exchange form
9. Room checklist
10. Key control sheet

Guest room exchange linen

This list is used by floor attendant and linen room attendant. In the first row, floor attendant writes down the number of linen brought down from the floors to laundry. Second ^{row is to record down the number of fresh linens taken from the linen stores to the floors. The last row that is the balance row, is used to mark down the due number of linen to be taken to the floors. After recording linen in this list, both attendant and linen attendant have to sign for reference.}

Master occupancy

Occupancy report is managed by desk attendant. He or she writes down the number of guest and the status of a room of each floor in presence of occupancy lists prepared by room attendants' and supervisor.

Occupancy report

Occupancy book is maintained by a floor a supervisor, who writes down the room status of their respected floors with the help of computer before going to the floors that is in the middle of the row. After checking the each room, they give their remarks in the right side row. Then at the end of their shift, their occupancy lists are handed over to the desk, where desk attendant use occupancy list at the end of their shift, checking the status of each room. He or she writes down the number of guest and the status rooms.

References:

Oli Gopal Singh et.al., Hotel Management Principles and Practices-XI, Buddha Prakashan, Kathmandu

Bhandari, Saroj Sing et.al., Principles of Hotel Management-XI, Asmita Books Publication, Kathmandu.