Room type refers to all units with the same occupancy, similar bed setup, features and amenities, same price. This means that a hotel with 100 rooms might have only 3 room types. Any number of units can be listed under each of the types, so the mentioned 100-room hotel can have 95 Double Rooms, 3 Single Rooms and 2 Junior Suites.

The price difference between room types can be a good revenue tool. It is also positioning your hotel in the right spot among competitors and in line with your guests´ buying behaviour, needs and preferences when choosing a place to stay. 

It is never a bad idea to check the revenues and sales from each room type, and see if you need to adjust. And don´t forget to have plenty of photos for each room type, guests want to do their research and compare why you really set that price difference. 

Defining the right room types also determines your target audience (and vice versa). If you are offering a simple budget accommodation, naming your biggest room "Junior Suite" might be a mistake. It could cause wrong expectations, thus resulting in an unhappy customer and bad review. Or if you have a Boutique hotel with anything but basic accommodation having "Economy Room" might attract the wrong guest or repel the right guest from your hotel.

Another thing that can be a product of too many room types, is lack of availability for long stays. A guest might be looking for a 4 night stay, and based on your room type availability, you might only have 2 nights available. There is probably no booking engine that will offer a guest a switch of rooms during their stay, and sell them a 4 night stay in 2 different rooms (or room types). That is why creating good room type split and good prioritisation on the Room setup is essential. Having more available rooms under 1 room type helps the PMS do the right distribution of guest bookings for you, and there is no need for guest relocations during their stay. 

We often hear a question why not create a room type for each room. First of all, on your Booking Engine, or an OTA, it would not be an easy pick for the guest. Imagine having a 50 room hotel, and all rooms are Double. The only difference is the colour of the furniture and maybe the size of the balcony, and you sell all of them for the same price. Would you go ahead and create 50 different room types, so the guest could choose if they want yellow or blue furniture? Didn´t think so :) Keep it simple for yourself and the guest. Our system is created to enable you to have automated rooming list, so you can prioritise the room numbers as it suits you. See HERE for examples. 

Avoid using names such as New York Apartment, Las Vegas Suite, Pink or Green Studio, Prince Charles Apartment etc. - the names that do not define what is offered. These names can be used in the Room Setup (if you prefer using internal names instead of room numbers, Room Setup is where you will name all of them individually).

Also keep in mind that in order to map your room types in BF with the room types you have in OTAs (Booking.com, Expedia etc), you need to have the same types set on all channels. You should also keep in mind that your potential guests are comparing various OTAs and using Metasearches, so the comparison can only be done well if room names are more or less the same. And don´t forget your direct business! You want your website to have the best possible look and the best choice for the guest!

Hotel Room. A bedroom in a hotel. Can be with a bathroom attached. It can go from Basic or Economy, to Standard, Superior, DeLuxe etc, based on the size, amenities, quality and size of the mattress etc. Depending on the standard you want to offer, you should consider using the key words in room names that would appeal to your targeted audience. Add occupancy to that. Standard Double Room, Triple, Quadruple, Single etc. You can also use Family, usually intended for a limited number of adults and limited number of children; or Business, if meant for a single use, with business amenities in the room, such as additional docs or anything your business guests frequently enjoy. 

Suite. A larger hotel room, usually with attached living room and a bathroom, sometimes includes a dining area. Accommodation that is offering more space and properly separated areas, an Apartment-like floor-plan. Junior Suite has less solid separation between a bedroom and living space. Often priced lower than full-on Suite.  Presidential Suite is the highest level of Suites, often comes with extra service, such as butler or similar. 

Apartment. Often fully residential and aimed at longer stays, can be similar to a Residential Suite. Can be with 1 or more bedrooms with separated living space, kitchen and bathroom.  You can make a distinction between your differently sized apartments, by naming them One Bedroom or Two/ Three Bedroom Apartment, etc. 

Studio. A single unit that has sleeping and living area in 1 space, the kitchen as well. Only the bathroom is solidly separated.  

Villa. Often larger, self-sufficient and more private than a house, with extra luxury and amenities. In some cases there are additional constructions or outhouses in its gardens. 

You will notice that some OTAs have pre-set room names/ types for you to choose from. This is based on their customer behaviour analysis and knowing what the guest is looking for, how the guest converts based on the search they made and past booking experiences.