Chapter 3
Rooms Division
LearningObjectives
After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:
• Outline the duties and responsibilities of key executives and
department heads.
• Draw an organizational chart of the rooms division of a hotel and
identify the executive committee members.
• Describe the main functions of the rooms division departments.
• Describe property management systems and discuss yield
management.
• Calculate occupancy percentages, average daily rates, and actual
percentage of potential rooms revenue.
• Outline the importance of the reservations and guest services
functions.
• List the complexities and challenges of the concierge,
housekeeping, and security/loss prevention departments.
101
,102 PART I Introducing Hospitality and Lodging
The Grand Hall in the Willard InterContinental,
Washington, D.C. It was at this hotel that the term
lobbyist was coined when then-President Grant would
retire after dinner to an armchair in the lobby. People
would approach him and try to gain his support for
their causes.
This chapter examines the function of a hotel and the many departments that
constitute a hotel. It also helps to explain why and how the departments are
interdependent in successfully running a hotel.
Learning Objective 1 Outline
the duties and responsibilities The Functions and Departments of
a Hotel
of key executives and
department heads.
The primary function of a hotel is to provide lodging accommodation. A large hotel
is run by a general manager (GM) and an executive committee that consists of the
,key executives who Ritz-Carlton or the artistic splendor of a Hyatt. The atmosphere of a hotel is
head the major stimulating to a hospitality student. Let us step into an imaginary hotel to feel the
departments: rooms excitement and become a part of the rush that is similar to show business, for a hotel
division director, is live theater and the GM is the director of the cast of players.
food and beverage Hotels, whether they are chain affiliated or independent properties, exist to serve
(F&B) director, and enrich society and at the same
marketing and sales time make a profit for the owners. Frequently,
director, human hotels are just like pieces of property on a Mo-
resources director, nopoly board. They often make or lose more money
chief accountant or with equity appreciation or deprecia-tion than
controller, and chief through operations. Hotels have been described as
engineer or facility “people palaces.” Some are cer-tainly palatial, and
manager. These others are more functional. Hotels are meant to
executives generally provide all the comforts of home to those away
have a regional or from home.
corporate counterpart
with whom they have
a
relationship,
reporting
al- Management Structure
though the general
manager is their Management structure differs among larger,
immediate superior. midscale, and smaller properties. The mid-scale and
A hotel is made smaller properties are less com-plex in their
up of several management structures than are the larger ones.
businesses or However, someone must be
revenue centers and
cost cen-ters. A few
thousand products
and services are sold
every day. Each area
of specialty requires
dedication and a
quality commitment
for each department
to get little things
right all the time.
Furthermore, hotels
need the cooperation
of a large and diverse
group of people to
perform well. James
McManemon, the
GM of the elegant
Ritz-Carlton,
Sarasota hotel, calls
it “a business of
1
details.”
Hotels are places
of glamour that may
be awe-inspiring.
Even the experi-
enced hotel person is
impressed by the
refined dignity of a
beautiful hotel like a
, Chapter 3 Rooms Division 103
A General Manager discussing the “forecast” with a Rooms
Division Director.
responsible for each of the key result areas that make the operation suc-cessful. For
example, a small property may not have a director of human resources, but each
department head will have general day-to-day operating responsibilities for the
human resources function. The manager has the ulti-mate responsibility for all
human resources decisions. The same scenario is possible with each of the following
areas: engineering and maintenance, ac-counting and finance, marketing and sales,
food and beverage management, and so on.
Role of the Hotel General Manager
Rooms Division
LearningObjectives
After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:
• Outline the duties and responsibilities of key executives and
department heads.
• Draw an organizational chart of the rooms division of a hotel and
identify the executive committee members.
• Describe the main functions of the rooms division departments.
• Describe property management systems and discuss yield
management.
• Calculate occupancy percentages, average daily rates, and actual
percentage of potential rooms revenue.
• Outline the importance of the reservations and guest services
functions.
• List the complexities and challenges of the concierge,
housekeeping, and security/loss prevention departments.
101
,102 PART I Introducing Hospitality and Lodging
The Grand Hall in the Willard InterContinental,
Washington, D.C. It was at this hotel that the term
lobbyist was coined when then-President Grant would
retire after dinner to an armchair in the lobby. People
would approach him and try to gain his support for
their causes.
This chapter examines the function of a hotel and the many departments that
constitute a hotel. It also helps to explain why and how the departments are
interdependent in successfully running a hotel.
Learning Objective 1 Outline
the duties and responsibilities The Functions and Departments of
a Hotel
of key executives and
department heads.
The primary function of a hotel is to provide lodging accommodation. A large hotel
is run by a general manager (GM) and an executive committee that consists of the
,key executives who Ritz-Carlton or the artistic splendor of a Hyatt. The atmosphere of a hotel is
head the major stimulating to a hospitality student. Let us step into an imaginary hotel to feel the
departments: rooms excitement and become a part of the rush that is similar to show business, for a hotel
division director, is live theater and the GM is the director of the cast of players.
food and beverage Hotels, whether they are chain affiliated or independent properties, exist to serve
(F&B) director, and enrich society and at the same
marketing and sales time make a profit for the owners. Frequently,
director, human hotels are just like pieces of property on a Mo-
resources director, nopoly board. They often make or lose more money
chief accountant or with equity appreciation or deprecia-tion than
controller, and chief through operations. Hotels have been described as
engineer or facility “people palaces.” Some are cer-tainly palatial, and
manager. These others are more functional. Hotels are meant to
executives generally provide all the comforts of home to those away
have a regional or from home.
corporate counterpart
with whom they have
a
relationship,
reporting
al- Management Structure
though the general
manager is their Management structure differs among larger,
immediate superior. midscale, and smaller properties. The mid-scale and
A hotel is made smaller properties are less com-plex in their
up of several management structures than are the larger ones.
businesses or However, someone must be
revenue centers and
cost cen-ters. A few
thousand products
and services are sold
every day. Each area
of specialty requires
dedication and a
quality commitment
for each department
to get little things
right all the time.
Furthermore, hotels
need the cooperation
of a large and diverse
group of people to
perform well. James
McManemon, the
GM of the elegant
Ritz-Carlton,
Sarasota hotel, calls
it “a business of
1
details.”
Hotels are places
of glamour that may
be awe-inspiring.
Even the experi-
enced hotel person is
impressed by the
refined dignity of a
beautiful hotel like a
, Chapter 3 Rooms Division 103
A General Manager discussing the “forecast” with a Rooms
Division Director.
responsible for each of the key result areas that make the operation suc-cessful. For
example, a small property may not have a director of human resources, but each
department head will have general day-to-day operating responsibilities for the
human resources function. The manager has the ulti-mate responsibility for all
human resources decisions. The same scenario is possible with each of the following
areas: engineering and maintenance, ac-counting and finance, marketing and sales,
food and beverage management, and so on.
Role of the Hotel General Manager
