Dictionary
This Glossary is provided to help guests understand more about the rental of inns, resorts and vacation rentals. It is not comprehensive but serves as a primer for terms guests may encounter in renting specialty lodging. Not all terms apply to all properties or managers.
Property
A hotel, motel, inn, lodge, vacation rental or other accomodation facility.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Property Manager
A person or company who manages real estate including commercial, residential and other properties. Also an alternate term for a person who owns a local vacation rental company in a geographic location
See also: Network Member, Networker, Manager, Network Operator Origin: Vortex
Property Survey
A periodic inspection of a property, usually twice a year but can be more or less often. The purpose is to determine what housekeeping, repairs or maintenance a property should have completed. These include high priority items for safety purposes, to preferred maintenance for guest comfort to recommended improvements that might increase rates or occupancy.
See also: Maintenance, Repairs, Housekeeping Origin: Vortex
Province
See State
See also: Country, Destination, Location Origin: Redstone Systems
Quote (Booking)
Prior to receiving a guest's approval for purchase, a booking can be completed as a Quote to display all related detailed. This is NOT a commitment to sell the dates. Our software used this word as a Booking Status
See also: Abandoned, Aborted, Blocked, Cancelled, Confirmed, Order, Hold, Incomplete, In Error, Out of Service, Unblocked Origin: Istay
Rack Rate
The rate accomodations quote to the public. Group rates, convention, trade show, meeting and incentive travel rates are negotiated by the hotel and program organizers.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Re-Sellable
When a booking for lodging property is non-cancelable it may instead, be re-sellable. In that case, an owner or manager agrees to attempt to resell a guest's booked dates and, if successful refunds the guests payment usually less a fee for the resell process.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Referral
A booking that results from the referral of a friend, neighbor, or past renter.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Refund
A payment to the guest for amounts paid toward lodging property bookings and after charges for rent, services, fees or other charges. A common type of refund is for the return to guest of a security and damage deposit they have paid.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Registration
The process during which a guest checks into a lodging unit and registers as being in occupancy. Also the form used during the registration process.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Rent By Owner
A property that is rented directly from the owner, rather than through a property management firm. Also refers to websites which offers homes directly from owners.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Repair
The work necessary to return property, equipment or amenities to their original condition to do damage caused by owner, guest or other situations. Usually charged to the person responsible for the damage.
See also: Maintenance Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Rescheduling
When a guest or the lodging provider reschedules already booked dates for lodging or other travel services. The travel provider may not always be capable of changing dates and to do so may be limited or prohibited by the prior booking contract. If allowed, often there is a fee for rescheduling.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Reservation Systems
Computerized systems leased to travel agencies offering airline, hotel. Car rental and selected tour availability and bookings. Systems are affiliated with major carriers, including American (Sabre), United (Apollo), Eastern (System One), TWA (PARS), and Delta (DATAS II) and feature flight schedules of the sponsoring and other carriers, plus additional travel products.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Room
Commonly referred to a sleeping space usually with a single room unless otherwise specifically indicated.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Room Blocks
Several rooms held for a group.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Scheduled Departure Date
The date on which a guest is originally scheduled to leave on a trip.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Scheduled Return Date
The date on which aguest is originally scheduled to return to the point where the Covered Trip started or to a different final destination.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Security Deposit
A payment guests make to property owners or managers to pay for any damage or overage fees they may incur. Not common in hotels or motels but more common for vacation rental cabins, condos and homes. If a guest incurs such charges they are subtracted from the deposit prior to its return. Sometimes called a Damage Deposit.
See also: Damage Deposit, Deposit Waiver Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Self Catering
A term sometimes used for vacation rentals in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Also applies to furnished apartments without an onsite cook.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association