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.
Occupancy
A percentage indicating the number of nights sold (compared to number available) in a hotel, resort, motel, or vacation rental facility or destination.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Occupant
A person of any age who enters a lodging unit at any time; or enters the property or resort on which it sits. Includes overnight guests but also drop-in visitors.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Ocean Front Accommodations
Buildings or rooms and living units in a building which is along side the ocean shore. Can be major oceans or estuaries. Generally means there are no other buildings between the building and the water. Not necessarily Beach Front.
See also: Beach Front Origin: Vacation Rental Association
OTA - Online Travel Agent
Websites where guests can book lodging, airfare, rental cars and other services online. OTA's utilize Global Distribution Services (GDS) to display services and then to confirm them with the travel provider. Examples of OTA's are Expedia.com, Orbitz.com and Hotels.com but there are many others offering the same services.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Out Cleaning
Vacation rental homes are usually cleaned after the guest departs, this is referred to as an Out Clean. Usually there is a one time fee for this service.
See also: Out Cleaning Fee, Interim Clean, Housekeeping Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Overages
Charges to the Guests for additional rent, activities, services, housekeeping or repairs that are greater than appeared on the guest's original estimated charges.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Package
A fixed price travel product that makes it easy for a traveler to buy and enjoy a destination or several destinations. Packages offer a mix of elements like transportation, accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, cultural activities, sightseeing and car rental.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Patient & Family Lodging
Traditional hotel or other facility that provides lodging to patients receiving care in the area or to their families.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
PayPal
A fast and convenient online payment service.
Origin: Plumbob Publishing
Peak Season
The primary travel season when occupancy and rates are the highest
See also: Travel Seasons, Low Season, Shoulder Season Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Per Person Pricing (PPP)
Often used for Vacation Rental homes, a pricing model where a minimum nightly rate is set for a property allowing a base or normal number of occupants. Guests pay an additional fee for each guest over the normal, up to a maximum number of guests allowed in the property. The additional fee is often much higher for unapproved guests.
See also: Dynamic Rates Origin: Istay
Pet Deposit
Should a lodging facility allow for pets they may require the guest to pay a significant deposit to cover any damage or excessive cleaning necessitated by the pets occupancy. Pet Deposits are usually refundable if no damage or effect occurs
See also: Pet Fee, Pet Friendly, No Pets, Pet Penalty Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pet Fee
If a lodging property allows guests to bring pets, they may charge a fee, usually daily, for that privilege. Generally guests are also responsible for any damage they may cause.
See also: Pet Friendly, No Pets, Pet Deposit, Pet Penalty Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pet Friendly
A lodging unit which allows pets in the facility and on the grounds. There is often a deposit and/or a daily fee for allowing pets.
See also: No Pets Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pet Penalty
When a guest brings a pet to a facility designated as No Pets, a penalty fee is charged. To discourage unapproved pets, pet penalties are usually significant and utilized to retreat a room to counteract the presence of the pet and provide additional cleaning.
See also: Pet penalty, Pet Friendly, No Pets Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pool Fee
A certain amount above and beyond the rental rate charged to renters wishing to use the heater on your pool or hot tub.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Property
A hotel, motel, inn, lodge, vacation rental or other accommodation facility.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Property Manager
A person or company who manages real estate including commercial, residential and other properties. Should not be used for people who manage vacation rentals, as those should be called "Vacation Rental Managers" or "Lodging Managers"
See also: Vacation Rental Manager, Lodging Manager, Absentee Vacation Rental Manager, Corporate Vacation Rental Manager Origin: Vacation Rental Association
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
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