It may have happened to you to come across one or two unfamiliar terms while trying to book your hotel accommodation and it’s quite natural to sometimes get confused by all the jargon and different abbreviations used in hospitality and hotel services. Use this guide as an accompaniment for an even easier booking experience on Eligasht Booking Platform.
One of the first things you should know about the hotels is the number of stars they come with. Hotels are categorized based on the quantity and quality of the amenities they provide from one to five stars.
Hotel Ratings
Hotels are rated based on their level and quality of services. The ratings of hotels range from one to five stars, which is based on the international standards of hotel management.
One-Star Hotels
They are usually the smallest hotels available. Sometimes they don’t have a restaurant or a coffee shop, and they may not even be able to offer an elevator. Of course, they are cheaper than other hotels coming with more stars, and if you are trying to reduce your travel expenses, it will be a good idea to try the services of a one-star hotel.
Two-Star Hotels
These hotels are also a good option for those who like to travel on the cheap, as when it comes to travel expenses, accommodation is undoubtedly a major part. A typical two-star hotel can be anything from two to four floors; all parts of the hotel are clean and decorated but nothing luxurious and eye-catching. Two-star hotels usually do not come with a sports complex or gym, or top-notch restaurants.
Most of these hotels are located where they offer good access to restaurants in the city though. Another disadvantage is that sometimes they may not come with a parking lot or space available.
Three-Star Hotels
These hotels offer a larger and more stylish space and are usually four to five floors. Their restaurants are still not luxurious but they always have good food. Breakfast in these hotels is usually a buffet. Remember that most of the time, breakfast is free for a night’s stay, so you don’t have to pay for breakfast. But for lunch and dinner or coffee, you will have to pay extra.
Three-star hotels are traditionally built near tourist attractions which is considered an important advantage for many travelers. Some Three-star hotels offer a sports complex or gym as well. When booking, you need to pay special attention to the terms and conditions of hotel services.
Four-Star Hotels
The most common hotel terms you keep hearing are probably related to four-star hotels. These accommodations usually come in 5 floors. The hotel lobby is very clean and stylish. Sometimes the hotel building itself is a valuable historical building that has been converted into a hotel. They offer services such as parking, a restaurant, a coffee shop, dry cleaning, a spa, a sauna, a swimming pool, and a jacuzzi. In these hotels, a porter will rush to carry your luggage and brings it to your room. The amenities in the rooms are top-notch. Remember that four-star hotels are big and the rooms are normally spacious.
There are sanitary hotel services and amenities such as large towels, hair dryers, toothpaste, shampoo, and soap, and will be added to the bill for each day of your stay. The rooms are well-furnished and there are usually desks and dressing tables in the rooms too.
Five-Star Hotels
Five-star hotels are the most high-quality hotels available their buildings are usually of architectural value. Five-star hotels can also come with progressive architectural designs, and modern contemporary structures are quite common. They are very big and always offer a good view. These hotels usually have 4 to 6 elevators so that passengers can easily move between floors during the high season. The number of restaurants in five-star hotels usually reaches three and sometimes there is more than one coffee shop as well. These hotels also come with a sports complex, including a gym, sauna, swimming pool, and jacuzzi.
All rooms are equipped with a mini-bar and excellent sanitary amenities. The rooms are spacious. Free Wi-Fi is available in all five-star hotels and they are equipped with TV, and DVD players as well. The hotel looks immaculately beautiful and there is excellent room service. The VIP rooms in these accommodations are normally on the list of famous people and celebrities for booking.
Types of Hotels
There are different types of hotels available. You may have heard of Boutique Hotels, Apartment Hotels, or Motels all offering different services to travelers. In the following, we will go over some more common types.
Motels
Motels are much smaller than hotels. In many cases, they are built outside the city and do not have a lobby. These accommodations do offer parking spaces. Motels are not really hotels, so they do not follow the hotel’s star rating system.
Hostels
These guesthouses are located within the city and come with a large guesthouse. There is a dining hall for the guests, which opens at certain hours.
Apartment Hotels
Hotel apartments are accommodation suites that are usually three to four stars. An apartment hotel has a kitchen, so if you plan to do the cooking during your stay, they are ideal. You can usually bring your pet into hotel apartments as well. Hotel apartments are furnished, offer cooking facilities, and should be neat and clean. Staying in an apartment hotel is similar to renting an apartment, with the difference that a contract is not drawn up between the parties, and the traveler can settle with the hotel whenever they want.
Resorts
Another hotel term that is thrown around a lot is resort. Resorts are very luxurious and offer special accommodations built next to springs, rivers, spas, pristine natural attractions, and sometimes on unique islands. They are usually huge, expensive five-star hotels.
Hotel Terminology
If you have ever booked a hotel, you are familiar with the strange and sometimes ambiguous terms they sometimes tend to use. Some of these terms are so confusing that we don’t really know what they mean and can’t help but worry we might have booked the wrong room, or ordered the wrong hotel services. In this section, we are going to go over some hotel terminology or jargon so that booking a hotel room and hotel services become the breeze they should be to you.
Terms Related to the Type of Room in the Hotel
If you have heard of single, twin, double, or king rooms, but don’t necessarily know the difference, this section is for you.
Single Room
The room is single means that it comes with one bed, and if you are traveling alone, this is what you are going to need to book. The abbreviation used for a single room is SGL.
Double & Twin Room
A double room is an accommodation that offers a double bed while in twin rooms, there are two separate beds in the room. The abbreviation used for a double room is DBL.
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Triple Room
These are rooms that have three single beds or one double bed plus one single bed and go by the abbreviation TPl.
Studio Room
This a room that looks like a living room upon entering, but if the sofas or couches are converted into a bed, it can become a bedroom, therefore, it is a living room during the day and a bedroom at night. Of course, the couches are made in such a way that pillows, blankets, and sheets can be placed inside. The studio room also has a bathroom and may come with a small kitchen as well.
Connected Rooms
Connected rooms are rooms that are connected by a corridor and usually accommodate four or five people.
Fiesta Suite
These types of suites are usually located in hotels that have a wedding hall and are available to the bride and groom to rest and sleep after the wedding ceremony. The expenses of this suite are normally already included in the expenses of the wedding ceremony.
Cabana
It is a room on the ground floor, whose window opens to an area connected to the swimming pool. The resident of such a room can use their own room to change clothes.
These rooms are designed for big luxury hotels. As mentioned, the cabana room overlooks the pool from one side. In these rooms, a smaller section for changing clothes, toilet, and bathroom is also considered.
Suite
The difference between a suite and other rooms is the presence of additional space for sitting or watching TV. The number of beds will vary between one to three beds, depending on the number of people and hotel amenities available.
Hotel Terms Related to the Beds
The rooms may come with a sofa bed, single bed, twin bed, king bed, queen bed, etc. Types of beds may include:
- Bed-parlor: Living room bed/couch that can be converted into a bed
- Bed-Studio: Convertible sofa
- Twin Double: One double bed and two twin beds.
- Convertible Couch
- Sleeping Couch
- Folding-up bed
- Rollaway bed
- Single bed
- Twin bed
- Double bed
- Queen Size bed
- King Size bed
- Double-Double Bed
- Water Bed
- Bunk Beds
Hotel Terms Related to Hotel Services
It may have happened to you that while you had a hotel with breakfast and lunch in mind, you ended up with one offering breakfast only. In order to make the right kind of reservation when it comes to hotel services, being familiar with the following terms may come in handy.
- A room without any meals is described using the term ‘Only room’ and its abbreviation is O.R.
- A room with a breakfast reservation is called ‘Bed & breakfast’ and its abbreviation is BB.
- If you want a room with breakfast and lunch or dinner, you should choose the ‘Half Board’ option and its abbreviation is HB.
- If you want a room with three meals, remember to book ‘Full Board’. Its abbreviation is FB.
- If you want a room with all breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, you should choose the ‘All Inclusive’ option. Its abbreviation is Al.
ALL vs UALL Hotel Services?
The exact difference between these two services largely depends on the hotel. In many hotels though, the number of service hours in the ALL service is limited, while the UALL service is offered 24 hours. In some other hotels only locally produced drinks are offered for free in the ALL service, while in the UALL service, all domestic and imported brands will be available to the passengers for free. Also, some services such as massage, Turkish bath, water sports, and other things may not be offered in ALL service, while they will be available in UALL service.
Age-Related Hotel Terms
If you have a child with you up to two years of age, a bed will not be considered for them and you need to fill in the infant admission form or choose such an option.
Children 2 to 6 years of age usually will not have a bed and you should choose the CHD2-6 option. Beds are provided for children aged 6 to 12, and you must select the CHD6-12 option in your reservation. These beds are smaller than adult beds.