Quick answer: The main types of reservation in hotels are confirmed reservations, which are either guaranteed (the guest has promised payment, so the room is held all night) or non-guaranteed (the room is held only until a release time such as 6 pm), plus tentative reservations (not yet firm, held until an option date) and waitlisted reservations (the hotel is full, so the guest waits for a cancellation).
These revision notes cover BHA105 (Foundation Course in Rooms Division Operations, NCHMCT B.Sc. HHA, Semester 1), Unit 3, Pre-arrival: Reservations I. They follow the NCHMCT syllabus wording and are written for IHM and hotel management students. They are not official NCHMCT material, so use them alongside your institute's handouts and the programme details on nchm.gov.in.
Table of contents
- What is a hotel reservation?
- Types of reservation in hotels: the syllabus list
- Types of reservation comparison table
- Methods of guaranteeing a reservation
- Key reservation terms you must know
- Why the types of reservation matter to the hotel
- How a front office agent handles the types of reservation
- Worked example
- Exam tips for BHA105 types of reservation
- Front office jobs where reservation skills matter
- FAQ: types of reservation in hotels
What is a hotel reservation?
A reservation is an agreement between the hotel and a guest (or a booker) that a room of a certain type will be kept for given dates at an agreed rate. It is the first real step of the pre-arrival stage in the guest cycle in front office.
A reservation record normally holds:
- Guest name, contact number and email
- Arrival and departure dates and number of nights
- Number of guests, room type and number of rooms
- Room rate and rate code, plus the meal plan
- Method of guarantee or payment
- Special requests, booker name, source of booking and agent's initials
Once the record is saved, the hotel issues a confirmation number. How the booking is secured decides which of the types of reservation it falls under, and that decides how long the room is held.
Types of reservation in hotels: the syllabus list
The BHA105 syllabus groups the types of reservation as Confirmed (Guaranteed or Non-guaranteed), Tentative and Waitlisted. Think of the types of reservation as a ladder of certainty, from "the room is surely yours" down to "we will call you if a room frees up".
1. Confirmed reservation
A confirmed reservation is one the hotel has accepted and acknowledged, usually with a confirmation number by email, SMS, letter or through the booking channel. The guest's dates, room type and rate are fixed. A confirmed booking can then be either guaranteed or non-guaranteed.
2. Confirmed guaranteed reservation
In a guaranteed reservation the guest (or a company or travel agent) promises to pay for the room even if the guest does not arrive. In return, the hotel holds the room for the whole arrival night, usually until the check-out time of the next day or until the night audit closes the day. If the guest does not come and does not cancel in time, the hotel can charge a no-show fee, normally one night's room rate, as per its cancellation policy.
3. Confirmed non-guaranteed reservation
In a non-guaranteed reservation the hotel agrees to hold the room only until a fixed release time or cut-off time on the day of arrival, often 4 pm or 6 pm. If the guest has not arrived or called by then, the hotel may release the room and sell it to a walk-in. No payment is promised, so the hotel cannot charge a no-show fee. These bookings are useful in low season but risky for both sides when the hotel is busy.
4. Tentative reservation
A tentative reservation is provisional. The guest or group is interested but has not finally agreed, often because they are waiting for travel plans, company approval or a contract. The hotel blocks rooms until an option date, a deadline by which the booker must confirm, sign the contract or pay a deposit. If nothing comes in by then, the hotel releases the rooms. Tentative bookings are common for groups, conferences and weddings.
5. Waitlisted reservation
A waitlisted reservation is taken when the hotel is already full for the requested dates. The guest's details are recorded on a waitlist in order of request, and the hotel promises to call if a cancellation or no-show frees a room. The guest must be told clearly that the booking is not confirmed yet. When a room becomes free, the agent offers it to the first suitable guest on the list and converts the booking to confirmed.
Types of reservation comparison table
| Type | Certainty | Room held until | No-show charge? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmed guaranteed | Highest | Whole arrival night (till next day's check-out or night audit) | Yes, as per policy (often one night) | Late arrivals, peak season, corporate and OTA prepaid bookings |
| Confirmed non-guaranteed | Medium | Release time on arrival day (e.g. 6 pm) | No | Low season, regular guests, short-notice phone bookings |
| Tentative | Low | Option date set by the hotel | No (until confirmed) | Groups, conferences, weddings awaiting approval |
| Waitlisted | None yet | Not held; offered only if a room frees up | No | Fully booked dates, festivals, events |
Methods of guaranteeing a reservation
A guaranteed reservation needs some proof that the hotel will be paid. The common methods are:
- Credit card guarantee: the guest gives card details. The hotel may pre-authorise an amount and charges the no-show fee only as per the stated policy. Card data must be handled securely.
- Advance deposit or prepayment: the guest pays one night, a percentage or the full stay in advance by bank transfer, payment link or card. Leisure resorts and peak dates often ask for this.
- Corporate (company) guarantee: a company that has a contract with the hotel agrees in writing to pay for bookings made by its staff, including no-shows.
- Travel agent guarantee: a recognised travel agent or tour operator guarantees the booking, usually with a voucher or under an agreement, and settles the bill later.
- Prepaid online bookings: many OTA and hotel website rates are paid at booking, so they act as guaranteed reservations.
Key reservation terms you must know
- Confirmation number: the unique reference given to the guest when the booking is accepted.
- Cancellation number: the reference given when a booking is cancelled, which protects the guest from no-show charges.
- Release time / cut-off time: the hour after which a non-guaranteed room may be sold to someone else.
- Cut-off date: for groups, the date by which unused rooms in a block go back to general sale.
- Option date: the deadline for a tentative booking to be confirmed.
- No-show: a guest with a reservation who neither arrives nor cancels.
- Retention charge: the amount charged for a guaranteed room that was held but not used.
- Overbooking: accepting more bookings than rooms in expectation of no-shows. If a guaranteed guest cannot be given a room, the hotel arranges a comparable room elsewhere (walking the guest).
Rates attached to these bookings are covered in types of room rates in hotels, and the meals included in them in hotel meal plans EP, CP, MAP and AP.
Why the types of reservation matter to the hotel
Tracking the types of reservation on the books helps the front office in four ways:
- Forecasting: guaranteed bookings are reliable; non-guaranteed and tentative ones are not. Managers forecast occupancy and decide how many walk-ins to accept on that basis.
- Revenue protection: a guarantee lets the hotel recover the room rate on no-shows, which matters on peak nights.
- Room allocation: guaranteed late arrivals must not be released, so the evening shift checks the arrival list before selling rooms.
- Guest relations: clearly telling a guest the room is held only until 6 pm avoids arguments later.
How a front office agent handles the types of reservation
- Check availability for the dates and room type in the property management system (PMS) or reservation chart.
- If rooms are available, take the guest details and explain the rate, meal plan and policies.
- Ask whether the guest wants to guarantee the booking, and explain the release time if they do not.
- Record the guarantee method; for a deposit, send the payment link or bank details and follow up.
- Issue the confirmation number and send a written confirmation with the cancellation and no-show policy.
- For a tentative booking, record the option date and diary a follow-up call before it.
- If the hotel is full, offer alternative dates or a sister hotel, or place the guest on the waitlist with a clear explanation.
- On the arrival day, review non-guaranteed bookings at the release time and the waitlist after every cancellation.
Worked example
A 100-room city hotel has these bookings for Friday night: 70 guaranteed, 15 non-guaranteed, 5 tentative (group with option date on Wednesday) and 4 waitlisted.
- By Wednesday evening the group has not confirmed, so the 5 tentative rooms are released. The front office offers 4 of them to the waitlisted guests, who are now confirmed.
- On Friday, 3 non-guaranteed guests have not arrived or called by the 6 pm release time. The duty manager may sell those rooms to walk-ins.
- One guaranteed guest does not arrive at all. The room is held overnight and, as per policy, a one-night no-show charge is posted the next day.
The numbers are only an illustration of how the types of reservation behave; every hotel sets its own release time and policy.
Exam tips for BHA105 types of reservation
- Start with a one-line definition of a reservation, then draw a simple tree: Confirmed (Guaranteed / Non-guaranteed), Tentative, Waitlisted.
- For every type, write three things: meaning, how long the room is held, and whether a no-show can be charged.
- List at least four methods of guaranteeing a reservation.
- Define release time, option date and no-show; examiners often ask them as short notes.
- Do not mix up types of reservation with sources (direct, CRS, GDS) or modes (verbal, written). Those are separate syllabus points.
Likely questions
- Explain the different types of reservation in hotels with examples. (10 marks)
- Differentiate between guaranteed and non-guaranteed reservations. (5 marks)
- What are the methods of guaranteeing a reservation? (5 marks)
- Write short notes on tentative reservation and waitlisted reservation. (2 x 2.5 marks)
- Define no-show and release time. (2 marks)
Front office jobs where reservation skills matter
Reservation agents, front desk associates, sales coordinators and revenue trainees handle all the types of reservation every day. Freshers who can explain a guarantee policy politely make a strong impression in interviews. Practise with these front office interview questions and answers.
- Entry roles: reservation agent, front office associate, guest service associate, central reservations executive.
- Typical pay ranges (indicative only): entry-level front office roles in India often fall roughly between ₹12,000 and ₹25,000 a month; Gulf hotels may add accommodation and meals. Pay varies by hotel and city, so check each job post.
Browse the latest front office jobs and register free on Hospitality Vacancy so hotels in India, the Gulf and Europe can find your profile.
FAQ: types of reservation in hotels
What are the types of reservation in hotels?
The main types are confirmed reservations, which can be guaranteed or non-guaranteed, tentative reservations and waitlisted reservations.
What is the difference between a guaranteed and a non-guaranteed reservation?
A guaranteed reservation is backed by a promise of payment, so the room is held all night and a no-show can be charged. A non-guaranteed reservation is held only until the release time on the arrival day, and no charge applies if the guest does not come.
What is a release time in a hotel?
Release time, or cut-off time, is the hour on the arrival day, often 4 pm or 6 pm, after which the hotel may sell a non-guaranteed room to another guest.
What is a tentative reservation?
A tentative reservation is a provisional booking that the guest or group has not yet finalised. The hotel holds the rooms until an option date, after which they are released if not confirmed.
What happens when a guaranteed guest is a no-show?
The hotel keeps the room for the whole night and may charge the no-show fee stated in its policy, usually one night's room rate, to the card, deposit or company account.
Read next
- Guest Cycle in Front Office: Stages and Activities
- Types of Room Rates in Hotels: Rack to Special (BHA105)
- Basis of Charging Room Tariff: 24 Hour, Day Use (BHA105)
- Room Status Codes in Housekeeping: OC, VD, OOO, DND (BHA105)
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About the author: Sumit Manwal
Sumit Manwal is the founder of Hospitality Vacancy, the job site built for the hotel industry, which he has run since 2017. With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, he received the Excellence in Hospitality Sector of Uttarakhand award (January 2023) and the Dainik Jagran inext Uttarakhand Ratan award. He is passionate about helping hotel management students and hospitality professionals build successful careers, and connects talented people with hotel jobs across India, the Gulf and Europe. Through these notes he shares practical, easy-to-follow hospitality knowledge so every reader can learn, grow and get hired.