Hotel language mixes English abbreviations, technical department terms and booking shorthand: DBL means a double room, ADR is the average daily rate, FF&E is the furniture and fittings that make up a contract supply. This glossary collects the terms actually used in Italian hotels, grouped by area, with short definitions meant for a quick look-up.
Contents
How the glossary is organised
Entries are grouped into six areas: rooms and codes, front office and bookings, housekeeping, revenue management, meal plans and food and beverage, contract and furniture. The same words can carry slightly different shades of meaning depending on the property, especially in the codes used by PMS systems: the ones listed here are the forms most widely used in the Italian market, aligned with international booking standards.
Rooms and codes
Room codes originate from booking systems and appear on vouchers, agency contracts and PMS screens. The key distinction is between number of beds and number of physical bed units: two rooms with the same capacity can be set up in completely different ways, and this affects furniture, floor area and rate. Hotel room types and their codes deserve a closer read of their own when you’re building a rate sheet.
| Code or term | Meaning | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| SGL | Single, a single room with one single bed | Minimum floor area is often 8-9 sqm depending on the region |
| DBL | Double, a room with a double bed | The bed starts at 160cm wide |
| TWIN | A double room with two separate beds | Needs two bedside tables or a shared surface |
| DUS | Double for single use | Occupied by one person, an intermediate rate |
| TPL | Triple, three beds | Often a double plus a single or an extra bed |
| QDPL | Quadruple, four beds | Common in the family and seaside segments |
| JS | Junior suite, a single larger space with a living area | No physical division between the two zones |
| STE | Suite, at least two separate rooms | Distinct bedroom and living room, often with two bathrooms |
| Connecting | Rooms linked by an internal communicating door | Sellable individually or as a family unit |
| Adjoining | Neighbouring rooms without an internal door | Not worth the same commercial value as connecting rooms |
| Extra bed | An added bed, movable or foldaway | Affects declared capacity and escape routes |
| Baby cot | A cot for infants | Provided on request, not counted towards bed capacity |
| Windowless room | A room with no window onto external space | Not permitted as a habitable unit under accommodation regulations |
| Accessible room | A room compliant with disability access requirements | Mandatory in proportion to the total number of rooms |
| King | A double bed of 180cm or more | A commercial name, not a regulatory one |
| Queen | A double bed around 160cm | Used mainly in Anglo-Saxon markets |
Front office and bookings
This is the area with the most English terms, because PMS systems and distribution channels originate in an international environment. Many of these words also appear in guest communications, so it’s worth using them precisely: hotel rules and service standards start from exactly this kind of shared vocabulary between departments.
| Term | Meaning | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in | Registering the guest on arrival | Involves sending data to the public security authorities |
| Check-out | Releasing the room and settling the account | Usual times and exceptions are covered under the rules for check-in and check-out |
| No show | A booking that neither arrives nor is cancelled | Normally charged according to the cancellation policy |
| Overbooking | Selling more rooms than are actually available | A risk-management technique against no-shows, requires a relocation plan |
| Walk-in | A guest who arrives without a booking | Rate applied is usually higher |
| Upgrade | Assigning a room of a higher category | Free as a courtesy or sold at a supplement |
| Upselling | Selling a higher category on arrival | One of front office’s most profitable margins |
| Allotment | Number of rooms contractually reserved for an intermediary | With a pre-agreed release deadline |
| Rack rate | The official maximum published rate | Starting point for contracted discounts |
| PMS | Property management system | The operational core of bookings, accounts and reports |
| Channel manager | Software that distributes availability and rates across portals | Prevents mismatches and double sales |
| OTA | Online travel agency | Typical commissions between 15 and 22 per cent |
| GDS | Global distribution system | Used mainly by agencies and business travellers |
| Night audit | Nightly accounting close of the hotel day | Generates the day’s occupancy and revenue data |
| Folio | The account open on a room during the stay | Collects all charges before settlement |
| City ledger | Credit extended to companies and agencies with deferred payment | Needs monitoring so it doesn’t turn into a bad debt |
| FIT | Free individual traveller, a non-group individual guest | A segment with a more flexible rate |
| Day use | Using the room for daytime hours only | A dedicated rate, no overnight stay |
Housekeeping and floor operations
The housekeeping department has its own vocabulary, partly Italian and partly derived from the room statuses used in PMS systems. Knowing it also matters to anyone working on furniture, because every status corresponds to a working time and a consumption of materials. The organisation of the housekeeping department is built precisely on the sequence of these statuses.
| Term | Meaning | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Housekeeper | Head of the floor department | Coordinates teams, stock and quality checks |
| Room attendant | The person who cleans rooms | In Italian, cameriera or cameriere ai piani |
| Servicing | Cleaning an occupied room during the stay | Indicative average time 15-20 minutes |
| Deep clean | Full clean after the guest’s departure | Indicative average time 25-40 minutes |
| Stay-over | A room occupied by a guest continuing their stay | Corresponds to servicing |
| Departure | A vacated room, to be prepared for the next arrival | The day’s operational priority |
| Turndown | Evening service preparing the room for the night | Typical of higher categories |
| DND | Do not disturb | Must be logged and checked at the end of the shift |
| OOO | Out of order | Excluded from sellable rooms in occupancy calculations |
| OOS | Out of service, a room temporarily unassignable | A minor fault, usually resolved within the day |
| Lost and found | Managing items guests leave behind | Requires a log, safekeeping and a retention period |
| Housekeeping trolley | Mobile station with linen, amenities and cleaning products | Should be sized to the length of corridor and service rooms |
| Amenities | Courtesy products for bathroom and room | Refillable dispensers increasingly used instead of single-use bottles |
| Floor pantry | Service room for linen and materials | Its location directly affects cleaning times |
Revenue management and KPIs
These are the abbreviations that appear in management reports and business plans. They need to be read together, because each one alone tells only half the story: a high ADR with low occupancy produces the same RevPAR as a low ADR with high occupancy, but with very different operating costs. The real margins of a four-star hotel are almost always explained by the combination of these indicators.
| Code | Meaning | How it’s calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Occupancy | Occupancy rate | Rooms sold divided by rooms available |
| ADR | Average daily rate | Room revenue divided by rooms sold |
| RevPAR | Revenue per available room | Room revenue divided by rooms available, or ADR times occupancy |
| TRevPAR | Total revenue per available room | Total revenue, rooms and other departments, divided by rooms available |
| GOP | Gross operating profit | Total revenue minus direct and indirect operating costs |
| GOPPAR | GOP per available room | GOP divided by rooms available in the period |
| ALOS | Average length of stay | Nights sold divided by number of bookings |
| Booking window | Average booking lead time | Days between booking date and arrival date |
| Yield | Dynamic management of rates and availability | Aims to maximise revenue per available room |
| Parity | Rate consistency across different sales channels | A mismatch penalises direct sales |
| Break even | Break-even point | Minimum occupancy that covers fixed and variable costs |
Meal plans and food and beverage
| Code | Meal plan | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| RO or OB | Room only | No meals included |
| BB | Bed and breakfast | Overnight stay and breakfast |
| HB | Half board | Breakfast and one main meal |
| FB | Full board | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| AI | All inclusive | Meals and drinks according to the property’s programme |
| Cover | A seat in the dining room | Unit for sizing the breakfast room |
| Buffet | Self-service with products on display | Needs a route designed to avoid queues |
| Room service | In-room dining service | Affects hours, staffing and room fittings |
Contract and furniture
This is the area hoteliers know least well, yet it’s the one where a misunderstanding costs the most: supply codes define what’s included in a quote and what remains the owner’s responsibility.
| Term | Meaning | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Contract | Furniture designed for continuous professional use | Strict fire-resistance and durability requirements for continuous professional use |
| FF&E | Furniture, fixtures and equipment | A budget item separate from building works |
| OS&E | Operating supplies and equipment | Linen, tableware, departmental equipment |
| Capitolato | Technical document describing materials, finishes and performance | The structure of a furniture specification is what makes two quotes comparable |
| Mock-up room | A sample room built before the full supply | The mock-up room is used to test measurements, finishes and timings |
| Layout | Floor plan arrangement of the furniture | The basis for calculating routes and usable areas |
| Moodboard | A reference board for materials, colours and atmosphere | Precedes the executive design |
| Rendering | A realistic three-dimensional representation of the project | Useful for deciding finishes and lighting |
| Lead time | The time between order and delivery | Generally 8-14 weeks for a full supply |
| Sign-off | Final conformity check of the supply | Should be recorded in writing, with any reservations noted |
| Class 1 IM | Fire-reaction class for upholstered furniture | Required in fire-risk areas of accommodation properties |
| Martindale | Unit measuring fabric abrasion resistance | For contract use, generally starting from 40,000 cycles |
| HPL | High pressure laminate | A surface highly resistant to knocks and detergents |
| Melamine-faced board | Chipboard or MDF panel faced with melamine paper | An economical solution, sensitive to moisture at the edges |
| Kick plate | Protective trim at the base of furniture and walls | Reduces damage from trolleys and vacuum cleaners |
| Bed base | The upholstered supporting structure of the bed | Makes cleaning easier and hides the base frame |
The difference between FF&E and OS&E is what generates the most disputes at delivery, because it tends to shift from one quote to another. Checking it is one of the criteria for choosing a contract furniture supplier, alongside certified lead times, verifiable references and after-sales support. We design furniture in-house and produce it through a supply chain of selected Italian workshops, with a single point of contact from survey to sign-off, and for over fifty years the first thing we clarify with a hotelier has been exactly this: the precise scope of the supply.
Frequently asked questions
What does no show mean?
No show refers to a confirmed booking whose guest doesn’t arrive and hasn’t cancelled within the set terms. The room stays unsold for that night, and the property applies the charge set out in its cancellation policy, which can be the first night or the whole stay. The no-show rate is one of the figures used to calibrate overbooking.
What does overbooking mean?
Overbooking means accepting more bookings than the rooms actually available, to offset last-minute cancellations and no-shows. It’s a legitimate revenue management technique, but it requires a relocation plan: if every guest turns up, the property has to place them in a hotel of equal or higher category, covering the rate difference and the transfer.
What are ADR, RevPAR and occupancy?
Occupancy is the percentage of rooms sold out of the total available, ADR is the average daily rate calculated by dividing room revenue by rooms sold, and RevPAR is revenue per available room, obtained by multiplying ADR by occupancy. RevPAR is the most widely used indicator for comparing periods and properties, because it accounts for both price and how full the hotel is.
What does FF&E mean?
FF&E stands for furniture, fixtures and equipment, and refers to the furniture, fixed fittings and equipment of an accommodation property, distinct from building and systems works. In investment plans it’s a separate budget line, with its own depreciation cycle, and it needs to be kept apart from OS&E, which covers linen, tableware and operating supplies instead.
What’s the difference between a suite and a junior suite?
A suite is made up of at least two physically separate rooms, typically a bedroom and a living room, often with two bathrooms. A junior suite is a single larger space than a standard room, with a recognisable living area that isn’t divided off by walls. The distinction affects rate, classification and the furniture required.
