Types of Reservation in Hotels

Definition of Reservation

Reservation refers to advance booking of hotel rooms and other facilities/services (e.g., banquet, meeting room, restaurant table).

Tentative Reservation
- All reservations are initially tentative until confirmed.
- Confirmation from the guest is needed before a cutoff date (typically 12 to 48 hours in advance).
- The hotel holds the reservation during this period.
- If there's no confirmation by the cutoff date, the hotel may cancel the reservation.
- Acknowledgment of reservation may be sent by the hotel via email or phone.
Confirmed Reservation
- Once a guest confirms, the reservation is updated to confirmed.
- Types of Confirmed Reservations:
  - Guaranteed Confirmed Reservation:
    - Requires a guarantee or protection for the hotel's revenue (e.g., advance payment).
    - Bookings through travel agencies or companies are treated as guaranteed.
  - Non-Guaranteed Confirmed Reservation:
    - Guest confirms without providing a guarantee.
    - Hotel holds the reservation until 6 PM on the date of arrival.
    - Cancellations may occur if the guest doesn't show up by this time (also known as 6 PM release reservation).
Waitlisted Reservation
- Used when a specific room type is unavailable for requested dates.
- It can be confirmed if another guest cancels or amends their reservation.

Scenario: David books a room for 26th November on 25th May.
- With a cutoff date policy of 48 hours, David must confirm by 24th November.
- Until confirmed, the booking is a Tentative Reservation.
- If he confirms on 24th November:
  - If he provides a guarantee, it’s a Guaranteed Confirmed Reservation.
  - If not, it’s a Non-Guaranteed Confirmed Reservation, held until 6 PM on 26th November.
- If no rooms are available initially, the hotel will place his request under a Waitlisted Reservation.