Table of Contents
Classification of hotels based on clientele and location
A hotel may target many markets and can be classified according to the market or Clientele and Location they attempt to attract and serve. The most common types of properties based on these criteria include:-
- Commercial
- Airport
- Residential
- Resort
- Timeshare
- Bed and breakfast
- Casino
- Conference center
- Convention hotels
- Floating hotels
Commercial Hotels
Commercial hotels are situated in the heart of the city. Mostly the businessmen or commercial executives patronize these hotels. Guest facilities at these hotels are – complimentary newspaper, color TV with cable, E-mail, fax connection, car rental, airport pick up, coffee shop, bar, specialty restaurant, swimming pool, health club, room service, concierge, business center, conference room, etc. length of stay in these hotels are from one day to few days.
Hyatt Regency, Delhi
Airport Hotels
These hotels are situated near the airport and are frequented by businessmen, airline passengers, layover passengers, crew members, etc. The facilities provided are similar to that of commercial hotels but the only difference is that airport pick up is provided from the hotel to the airport and vice versa. The length of stay in these hotels is from few hours to few days.
Pullman Hotel, Aerocity, New Delhi
Residential Hotels
These hotels provide long term or permanent accommodation. Advance rent is collected while other charges are billed weekly. There may be a restaurant serving all types of cuisine and there will be laundry service. These hotels normally work on the European plan. Recently these types of hotels are converted into cooperative hotels or condominiums. The length of stay is from a week to one or more months.
Residence Inn by Marriott Vancouver Downtown
Resort
A resort may be located in the mountains, on an island, or in some other location away from the crowded areas. Most of the resort hotels provide extensive food and beverage, valet, and room service for the vacationers. These hotels also provide special activities such as golf, tennis, horseback riding, nature hikes, sailing, skiing, swimming, and dancing, etc. resorts also try to be a destination within a destination by providing a wide range of services, facilities, and activities giving guests with many choices. A more leisurely, relaxed atmosphere distinguishes most resort hotels from their commercial counterparts. The length of stay is for one week or more.
Patong Resort Hotel, Patong, Phuket, Thailand
Casino Hotels
Hotels with gambling facilities are casino hotels. Although the guest rooms and F&B operations may be quite luxurious, their function is secondary and supportive of casino operations. Similar to resort hotels these hotels also cater to leisure and vacation travelers. These hotels attract guests by promoting gambling. A recent trend in casino hotels now days is to provide a broad range of entertainment opportunities, spas, golf, tennis court. These hotels also have specialty restaurants. The length of stay is one week or more.
California Hotel & Casino, 12 East Ogden Avenue 89101 Las Vegas USA
Conference Centers & Convention Centers
Most of the hotels provide meeting space & they also offer overnight accommodations and because meetings are their focal point these centers place great emphasis on providing all services and equipment necessary to ensure the success of a meeting – technical production assistance, high-quality audiovisual equipment, business center, flipchart, display chart and so forth. These centers also provide extensive leisure facilities like a golf course, swimming pool, tennis court, fitness center, jogging track etc.guest amenities may not be plentiful at conference centers since these centers concentrate more on fulfilling the needs of meeting planners and organizers then on meeting the needs of program attendees.
Convention hotels are another segment of the lodging industry that has grown significantly in recent years. These hotels have 50,000 sq; feet or more of exhibit hall space plus ballroom and assortment of meeting rooms. These hotels also have sufficient no. Of guestrooms to accommodate all the attendees of most conventions. These hotels are primarily directed towards business travelers and offer business services such as secretarial assistance, language translator, fax machines, computer room, teleconference, etc. convention hotels usually attract the convention market from the state, national and international associations and other corporate houses.
Leela Ambience, Gurugram
TimeShare And Condominium Hotels
Timeshare hotels are referred to as vacation ownership hotels. The concept is that for a set period which may be one week or more in a year the person gets the right to enjoy the stay and other facilities and services in an apartment are any other type of lodging in a tourist complex. It is like an advanced purchase of time in holiday accommodation. Here the purchaser has to pay a one-time capital sum and then an annual contribution towards the maintenance of the property. The fee usually covers services such as cleaning and maintenance of apartment and public areas, electricity, gas, water, etc. Avalon resorts. Sterling resort, Mahindra holding, etc. are the few time-share hotels in India.
Condominiums involve joint ownership of a complex. Each owner has the full benefit of a unit and shares the cost that is common to the entire complex such as taxes, maintenance, upkeep of the building, etc. each owner can occupy or sell his unit independently but is obliged under the terms of a contract to contribute towards the pool of common facilities and services. The owner can enjoy recreational exclusive to the complex and the management looks after the unit in the absence of the owner and if permitted by the owner let it out to provide income to him.
Bed and Breakfast Hotels
These hotels are houses with a few rooms converted to the guest rooms. The owner lives on the premises and is responsible for looking after the guest, in these hotels only breakfast is served and meeting rooms, laundry, lunch and diner, and recreational facilities are offered in these hotels, however, some hotels do offer limited food service.
B&B Hôtel Paris Malakoff, France
Supplementary Accommodation
It consists of all types of accommodations other than the convention type, it may be described as premises that provide accommodation but not the other services which is provided by the hotels. The main distinctive features of supplementary accommodations are:
- Standard of comfort is modest as compared to that of a hotel,
- They can sell accommodation at a very low price,
- There is an informal atmosphere and freedom regarding dress code.
Supplementary accommodation plays a very important role in the total available tourist accommodation in a country; it caters to both the international and domestic tourist traffic.
Types of supplementary accommodations are:
- Dharamshalas or sarai,
- Dak bungalows,
- Youth hostel,
- Dormitories,
- Sanatoria,
- Paying guest accommodation,
- Tourist bungalow etc.
Floating Hotels
As the name implies these hotels are established on luxury liners or ships. These are generally located on river, sea or oceans. On cruise ships, rooms are generally small and all furniture is fixed down. It generally caters to the long-stay guests. It is a complete hotel in itself consisting of all facilities as provided by any hotel on land. It not only provides accommodation but other necessary facilities and services like food and beverage, recreational facilities, swimming pools, etc. Example AB Celestial Mumbai first Floating Hotel.
Boatels
A houseboat hotel is referred to as boatels. The Houseboats of Kashmir and Kettuvallam of Kerala are houseboats in India which offer luxurious accommodation to travellers. Besides this, all other necessary facilities are taken care of such as food and beverage, etc.
A Houseboat in India
Rotels
These novel variants are hotels on the wheel. Our very own “Palace on Wheels” and “Deccan Odyssey” are the trains providing a luxurious hotel atmosphere. Their interior is done like a hotel room. They are normally used by a small group of travelers. They are costly and hence cater to elite guests providing an elaborate menu and other services to the occupants.
Palace on Wheels, India
Motel
The term motel has been derived from the word ‘motor’. They are located primarily on highways, they provide lodging to highway travelers and also provide ample parking space. The length of stay is usually overnight. These hotels are generally small in terms of the number of rooms.
