Classification of Hotel

Classification of Hotel

      Owing to the existing diversity in the industry many hotels do not fit into any single well-defined category. However, in this chapter classification has been attempted on the basic of.

* Hotel size

* Location

* Ownership and affiliation 

* Level of service 

* Facilities it offers

* Target markets

Hotel size

     The number of guest rooms in a property also enables to categorize a hotel.Hotel range room 25-2000 rooms is Las Vegas comprise of more than 5000 rooms based on the number of rooms, a hotel can be classified as follows.

* 10 to- 25 rooms - Small hotels

* 26 to- 100 rooms - Medium hotels

* 101 to- 300 rooms - Large hotels

* 301 to- Above - Very large hotels or Mega hotels 

Location

     Based on the location, hotels are broadly classified into the following:

1. Downtown hotels: As per the name, such hotels can also be referred to as commercial hotels owing to is proximity to business centers, shopping arcades, theaters, in international organization etc. The room rate is high due to its city center location, facilities provided are maximum but the length of the guest stay is usually short mostly, business travelers chose to stay in such hotels.

2. Resort hotels: Guests often chose resort hotels as their planned destination. A resort may be ideally located away from the heat, smoke, dust and hustle and bustle of busy cities with in the lap of the mountains, on the top of the hills, in an island, by the river bank, on the beach or in some other exotic and secluded location. Its provides special activities for guests, such as dance, golf, tennis, water sports, nature walk, bird breathtaking scenery, leisure activities and wide range of facilities.

The accommodation rates are high on room plans and usually American plan. The length of the guest stay is comparatively, longer, mostly, vacations, holiday maker, pantheist, honeymoon couple etc prefer resort.

3. Motel: Th e word motel is a combination of motor and hotel. It is an establishment primarily established to cater to guest arriving by automobile. Motel is a recent phenomenon. it became really popular in between 1950 and 1966 in the united states with onset of the highway system. Motels are usually two storied or low-rise building located near national highway. It may lack many facilities the one finds in most downtown hotels. However, it does provides the facilities of refueling, ample parking space and garage.

Now-all-days, motels also provide the facility of swimming pool, playground or park for children etc. Motels are ideal for passengers travelling overland. it provides modest lodges food and beverage. The length of the guest stay is short, usually overnight, and most other guests also prefer to stay in motels.

4. Transit hotel /Airport hotel:

these hotels are located near by the airport, railway station, bus terminals or seaports. Thy are general established to center the transit passenger who have very limited time and are unable to make it to the downtown hotels. They enjoy significant cost saving, as rooms are available on hourly basis too.

Like motel, airport hotel is also a recent phenomenon. It came into existence only after 1950, when jet aircraft service were introduced for the general public. By 1970,s many airport hotels came into existence, especially around international airport. Airport hotels, unlike any other hotels,differ drastically in terms of its size and service.  mostly business clientele, airline passengers with cancelled flights(layover passenger) and airline crews tend to stay in airport hotels.

5. Inn: The french concept of an Inn is a private home, an estate or a castle that has been converted into Lodging establishment. Such Inns are usually found located anywhere within or outside the city. The facilities provided are usually limited at modest fare.

6. Sub-urban hotel: As per the name sub-urban hotels are located in the periphery of the urban/city area. Unlike downtown hotels, it is located in the spacious area with quieter surroundings, ant most importantly away from the noise and crowd of the downtown. Such hotels are very ideal for the holidaymakers, vacationers, and more specifically for the organization to conduct conference, seminars,meeting exhibitions, shows, educational programs, etc. due to its location advantages. The room rate is usually reasonable low and the length of the guest stay is comparatively.

7. Floatel: These hotels are located on the surface of water. it may be on seawater or river water or even a lake. These hotels provide all the facilities and service of a hotel and are very popular with the tourist. In many cases across the world old ships have been converted into these types of hotels and have become popular among the tourist.

Ownership and Affiliation

ownership and affiliation is another important yardstick to classify hotels. In the history of the hotel industry four types of ownership or affiliation have emerged They are.

1. Individual/owner-operated hotels:

These hotels are no ownership or management affiliation with others. These properties operate with its owner and his family. They are very similar to the old inns of the Victorian era-facilities and service offered in such hotels are very limited.

2. Joint venture/ lease: More than two proprietors in sharing basic of the capital investment own these hotels. There are formal, arrangements made by two proprietors in sharing basic of the capital investment own these hotels. There are formal arrangements made by two or more independent organization to set up a jointly owned new organization. In joint venture, two companies or two individuals or a company and an individual from a partnership and start a hotel with a profit sharing policy.

3. Franchise: A hotel chain is a group of hotels managed together under a business arrangement known as franchising under a franchise scheme hotels owner contracts with an established chain to operate the property under the chain name. The owner of the hotel or franchise pays initial development fee and a monthly annually license or franchises fee. its contract-based organization, which grants the right to use a brand name for specific activities such as production and marketing in return for a royalty.

4. Management contract: This type of organization is operated indifferent countries making a contract with the parent company using brand name and a total management system exactly like the parent company under management contract one company owns the property and another ( the chain) operates it.

Level of Service

Hotels may be classified into economy and luxury hotels on the basis of the level of service they offer.

1.Economy / Budget hotels: These hotels meet the basic need of the guest by providing comfortable and clean room for a comfortable stay.

2.Mid market hotels: It is suite hotel that offers small living room with appropriate furniture and small bed room with king sized bed.

3.Luxury hotels: These offers world class service providing restaurant and lounges concierge service, meeting, rooms, dining facilities, bath linen is provided to the guest and is replaced accordingly. These guest rooms contain furnishing artwork etc. Prime market for these hotels are celebrities, business executives and high ranking politics figures.

 Service level is also another important yardstick to classify hotels. The level of service is usually reflected in its room rate. hotel does not simply sell tangible products. such as comfortable beds and wholesome food, but they also sell intangible elements contribute most to the hospitality experience of any guest.

 Facilities 

One of the most important criteria for the classifying a hotel is based on the facilities that it offers. In the united states the 'American Automobile Association'(AAA), Awards either a five or four diamonds rating to the finest hotels, similarly 'Mobile Travel Guide' awards either five or four stars to the hotel offering highest facilities. In other parts of the word, similar rating service are provided by private organization and by government for example, the Nepal government does rating of hotels from one to five stars, plus an additional category of deluxe and super deluxe, Thus a hotel with five stars, five stars deluxe or five star super deluxe will provide the following facilities:

* Central heating and cooling.

* 24 hours, concierge service.

* Specialty/fine dining restaurants.

* Clothing and jewellery stores.

* Gift shops.

* Opulent meeting and private dining facilities.

* 24 Hours check in and check out for the VIP's and CIP'S.

* In-room safety deposit lockers.

* Wall to wall carpeting.

* Indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

* Health club and fitness center.

* Mini-bar in the room.

* Setellite T.V. Channels.

* City shuttle.

* Credit facilities.

* 24 hours coffee shop.

* Business center.

* International news stand.

* 24 hours doctor on call.

* Sports facilities.

* Conference hall.

* Laundry center.

* Casino center.

* Outdoor catering.

Target Markets

Target markets are are distinetly defined group of people, which the hotel attempts to ratain as guest hotels attempt to target many markets. Based on their attempt to attract and serve a particular market, hotels are classified. The most common types of properties based on target market include;

1. commercial/Business Hotel: These hotels are located in the important commercial/business town/cities. These types of hotel are luxurious and expensive. The provide different service like business center, secretarial conference/meeting.

2.Transit/Transient Hotel: The primary target of these hotels include business clienteles, airline passenger and airline crews.

3.Residential/Apartment Hotels: These are generally made for long staying guests with all the facilities. The rates are generally charged on weekly or monthly basis.

4.Casino hotels: Casino hotels refer to unique hotels that offer gambling facilities of e.g. Las Vegas and Macao.

5.Club hotels: They specially offers sports spa and other health care facilities.

6. Capsule hotels: These are the latest innovation in the budget hotel market especially box made of glass reinforced plastic/ poly fiber or cement, open either at one bed in which they provide. some functional of a traditional hotel such as a bed, a clock radio, color TV, a Box for valuable and a miniature table for writing.

7.Heritage hotels: These hotels specially provided heritage attractions to SIT clients. They are the bold properties of the royal and aristocratic families which are renovated and the old aura is recreated for the tourists to stay in heritage surrounding.