Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE : HUB OF THE HOTEL
away from the front desk where room assignments can be made. Keys can be
distributed (e.g., to the responsible adult), and a rooming list can be developed for
use by the adults and hotel staff in case of an emergency.
FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Pre-key (guestroom):
Making an electronic key for a guestroom before the actual arrival of the guest
who will be assigned to that room.
In some hotels, rooming lists for pre-keyed groups are entered into the PMS sys-
tem by marketing and sales staff; in other properties, this task is the responsibility of
front office personnel.
Front office and marketing and sales personnel may also interact to determine if
it is possible for members of large groups to check in early or to check out late. These
decisions are influenced by a hotel’s occupancy level the night before (for early check-in)
and the night of check-out (for late check-out). Managers of these two departments
also meet regularly to set transient room rates. For example, the rack rate for the same
room might differ on the same night because of discounts for corporate travelers,
members of the American Automobile Association and the American Association of
Retired Persons, members of the hotel brand’s frequent-traveler program, and gov-
ernment and military guests. Consortia rates may be granted to guests booked by
selected travel agencies recognized by the hotel.