ACCOMODATION OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY CDCEC - TARLAC

CHAPTER 1 THE LODGING INDRUSTRY

Introduction

Lodging industries are places oftentimes visited by travelers who love to rest and relax with the
blend of convenience of the modern facilities and experience the comfort of values and
traditions offered by the industry

Lodging is defined as a residential accommodation either a hotel, hostel, or a private home. It is

a temporary place to stay for sleeping accommodation of a person or traveler usually for period
of time.

Hotel de Oriente in Binindo, Manila, was the first hotel being established. It was a two-story
building with 83 rooms fronting the Plaza De Carlos III, which was considered as the first-class
hotel located beside the Insular Cigarette and Cigar factory, but during the Japanese regime
both were burned down and the site was now occupied by the Metrobank. At present, Manila
Hotel, which is built in 1917, is considered the oldest surviving hotel in the country.

The hospitality industry has greatly evolved over time and every epoch has affected the
industry in a peculiar way from pre-industrial revolution days to modern times.

The period from the Industrial Revolution to 1899 was characterized by a proliferation in the
construction of hotels everywhere in Europe and America. These hotels were needed to cater
to the needs of the rising establishment of managerial and middle classes taking care of new
companies, as well as a growing demand for both leisure and business travel. This led to the
appearance of a new style of hotel that provided luxurious amenities. While this period saw the
birth of the Grand Tour, it also the slow decline of the highway inns.

LESSON 1 TOPIC

 Lodging Overview
 Types and Categories of Lodging
 Categories of Hotels and Resorts in the Philippines
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
L.O. 1 Understand the Lodging

L.O. 2 Appreciate the different lodging around the world

L.O. 3 Awareness of the categories of hotels and resorts in our country

ACCOMODATION OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY CDCEC - TARLAC

THE LODGING INDRUSTRY

Overview of the Lodging industry the lodging industry has existed since ancient times, and is
founded on such inventions as writing, money, and the wheel, which allowed people to move
from place to place for pleasure and enabled them to pay for services received. This is in
contrast to nomadic peoples who travelled as a way of life, who could only experience
convenience if they found it.

The hospitality industry has greatly evolved over time and every epoch has affected the
industry in a peculiar way from pre-industrial revolution days to modern times.

The period from the Industrial Revolution to 1899 was characterized by a proliferation in the
construction of hotels everywhere in Europe and America. These hotels were needed to cater
to the needs of the rising establishment of managerial and middle classes taking care of new
companies, as well as a growing demand for both leisure and business travel. This led to the
appearance of a new style of hotel that provided luxurious amenities. While this period saw the
birth of the Grand Tour, it also the slow decline of the highway inns.

The 20th century, characterized as that of the transport revolution, can be identified as the
starting point for present day global hotel businesses, the introduction of franchising and
management contracts, the growth of mass tourism, the introduction of social and welfare
systems, a growth in salary levels, and an increase in average life spans – all of which have
greatly affected the hospitality industry.

The 21st century is characterized as that of the technological revolution, which is having and
will continue to have a great impact on what the hospitality industry is, and how it will evolve in
decades to come. Over time, the hospitality industry has continuously grown in line with the
overall growth in world economies, but more specifically with the rapid expansion of global
tourism. This expansion in travel is expected to continue in the future and may be influenced by
certain tendencies Accommodation is a something supplies a need such as lodging, food, and
services or traveling space and related services
Types of Lodging

Hotels- A type of tourist accommodation which provides meals and lodging to travelers. It
portrays an image of efficiency, service, amenities, and convenient locations. Condominium-An
apartment or dwelling unit, owned by an individual but the service andfacilities are managed by
an independent company. Motels or motor hotels- A type of accommodation which catersto
the needs of motorists. It is primarily located along the highway.

Inns- A type of accommodation catering to tourists which does not meet the minimum
requirements of an economy hotel.

Apartment- Building or edifices containing several independent and furnished or semi

furnished apartments, regularly leased to tourists and travelers for dwelling, on a more or less
long-term basis and offering basic services to its tenants similar to hotels.

Paradores- A Spanish word referring to old convents, monasteries, abbeys, castles, fortresses
and other historic buildings that have been restored for use as lodging accommodations and
operated by national tourism office.

Pensions House- a family-operated tourist guest house which regularly caters to tourist and or
travelers. It offers an informal family atmosphere. Bed-and-breakfast- a type of accommodation
which provides a room, bath and breakfast. It is popular in Britain, Ireland, and United States

Hostels- Provide minimal amenities such as a bunk bed and a commonly shared toilet and
bathroom. The traveler provides his or her own bedding. They appeal mostly to young
travelers.

Campgrounds- Appeal mostly to families who travel in recreational vehicles. Health spas- hotels
and resort which cater to individuals who go to spas or mineral springs for weight reduction or
medical treatment

Private homes- Provide lodging to tourists when accommodation is not available during peak
periods.

Accommodation Categories According to Location

▪ Downtown Hotels – are located at the center of the city in busy commercial and shopping
district. They are expensive with high room rates. Guest is usually the business and corporate
community. The challenged by parking space, most have basement parking
▪ Suburban Hotels – located on the outskirts of the city, where land is cheaper than downtown
location. They attract clients are cost-conscious, better room rates and facilities for groups, with
ample parking spaces.

▪ Resorts Hotels – located at natural and manmade vacation sites e.g. hill station, seaside
resorts, ski resorts, canyons, waterfalls, safari, etc. Disney Land, Lego Land, Universal Studios in
Hollywood are examples of manmade.

▪ Airport Hotels – cater mostly to transient airline passenger who may be catching flights to
complete their journey. Also for passenger with cancelled flights or delayed flights that the
airlines provide for these circumstances. Provide accommodation to airlines crews. They 24
hours coffee shop. Provide a shuttle coach service to the airport

▪ Motels – located on principle highways and road junctions. They are small lodging facility for
automobile travelers, they are low building that provide ample parking space

▪ Camps – located at trekking routs. Food is cooked around a campfire. Other variations are
forest lodge, which are fully equipped for self-cooking, bed linens and water supply. Payment is
done at the nearest village office Accommodation Categories According to Length of Stay

▪ Transient hotel – guest stay for short duration to a maximum of a week. Downtown hotels,
Motels, and Airport hotels are example.

▪ Residential hotel – equipped for longer stay. Hotel apartments are example found in many
community’s hotel complexes. These are ideal in university campus.

▪ Time-Share Properties – new concept of ownership of holiday rooms or suites. Each room is
owned by several people who will schedule their visit well in advance with the management
office to ensure that the room or suite is available Other Lodging Innovations

▪ Caravans – mobile homes that families take across the country, fitted with sleeping, dining,
lounge and bathroom facility. They have tanks with fresh water and septic tanks for refuse.
Some caravans have kitchenettes with basic heating facilities

▪ Rotels – double decker buses for long cross country tours, passengers sit on the lower floor,
they sleep on the second floor, buses stop at vantage points route for meals and hotel
accommodation for hot bath; passengers are provided withlockers on board

▪ Sanatoria – found at spas and other health resorts; equipped for therapy. Meals are
personalized diet
▪ Palace on wheels – unique railway journey

▪ Floating hotels – passenger ships, some are permanently docked at the port Hotel
Accreditation in the Philippines from high to low class according to facilities, and amenities,
services and standard

Latest as of Quarantine Period

According to Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat of the Department ofTourism (DOT), tourism

stakeholders such as hotel and resort entrepreneurs, are required to secure a certification
before they resume their operations under the modified general community quarantine
(MGCQ). All accommodation establishments are reminded to apply for a DOT Certificate
ofAuthority to Operate prior to going back to business.

LESSON 2: The Hotel Organization

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOTEL ESTABLISHMENT

A typical structure for a small hotel offering both accommodation and catering might be as
shown in Figure bellow. Staff members are likely to carry out a variety of tasks within their
general area: (e.g.. the restaurant staff will also deliver room service and serve tea and coffee in
the lounge; the receptionist will handle reservations, check-in and check-out, billing, mail and
switchboard; etc. manager and assistant manager will handle a variety of administrative and
decision-making tasks: purchasing, book-keeping, marketing and etc.).

A simple small hotel structure

In a larger hotel, it is possible to organize staff into more clearly defined departments, each
with a supervisor or department head (in a medium-sized hotel) or a manager (in a large hotel).
There will also be more specialized staff because the hotel can afford to employ more people -
and there will be more work for each person to do.

The main revenue-earning functions of the hotel are generally split into a Rooms Division
(responsible for accommodation) and a Food and Beverages Division (responsible for catering).
In a medium-sized hotel, there might be a manager and one or more assistant managers, who
supervise operations (probably on a shift basis, so that there is some managerial supervision
seven days per week).
The things to notice about an organization chart the ‘branches’ of the chart show how roles and
responsibilities are divided up into sections or departments. e.g., the management of the hotel
shown above is divided into two basic divisions: the Rooms Division and Food & Beverage. The

Rooms Division is, in turn, divided into four basic functions:

 Front Office
 Housekeeping
 Maintenance
 security

The vertical connecting lines of the chart are also lines of authority and reporting. So, for
example, reservations staff report to the Front Office Manager, who reports to the Rooms
Division Manager – or, to look at it another way, policies and instructions flow down from the
Rooms Division Manager to front office staff.

The connecting lines of the chart are also lines of communication and liaison. So, for example, it
is clear from our chart that staff in the reservations, reception and cashier sections need to
communicate with each other: each contributes something to the overall work of the Front
Office. At the same time, there is a line connecting reception and maintenance, say: if a guest
comes to reception and says that her TV isn’t working, or her window doesn't open, reception
will have to liaise with maintenance to make sure it gets fixed. We will look at how Front Office
liaises with the other departments of the hotel in more

Departments in the hotel

There are a number of departments in a large hotel. Some of them will be concerned with
raising revenue, or earning money for the hotel: the rooms division and food and beverage
divisions are the main ones - but the hotel may also earn revenue through recreational
facilities, guest laundry/dry cleaning, a business center and etc.

Other departments may fulfill the management and support functions of the hotel such as:
sales and marketing, accounting/finance, security, engineering/maintenance, premises
management, information technology (IT)and HR/personnel.

As the organization charts, the grouping of tasks onto divisions and departments sets up a
series of 'vertical' chains or structures, reflecting the separation of specialized activities.

But look at from the point of view of a guest coming into a hotel, the 'flow' of activity doesn't
look like this at all. A guest experiences the hotel less as a vertical structure than as a horizontal
process. (S)he makes a booking, has it confirmed, arrives at the hotel on the due day, checks-in,
requests various services as the stay unfolds, then turns up to check-out, receives the bill, pays
it -and departs. For the guest, the experience is chronological: unfolding as a series of events,
activities and services received over time.

The things to notice about an organization chart:

The ‘branches’ of the chart show how roles and responsibilities are divided up into sections or
departments. e.g. the management of the hotel shown above is

divided into two basic divisions:

 The Rooms Division and Food & Beverage.

 The Rooms Division is, in turn, divided into four basic functions:
Front Office, Housekeeping, Maintenance and security

The Front Office Department is part of a large division called Accommodation or Rooms
Division, has many other services that support a guest stay. Aside from the front office
department other departments may fulfill the management and support functions of the hotel
such as sales and marketing, accounting/finance, security, engineering/maintenance, premises
management, information technology (IT) and HR/personnel.

LESSON 3 THE FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT

TOPIC

 Front Office Department

 Duties of front office personnel Front Office Personnel
 Guest cycle stage

LEARNING OUTCOMES

L.O. 1 Appreciate the Front Office Department L.O. 2 Understand the duties

and responsibilities of front office personnel and their function in the hotel L.O. 3

Analyzed the guest cycle from reservation to departure involved in front office and

other department
THE FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT

Front office is considered as a facilitator between the guest and other department of the hotel.
It is the first and last place wherein a guest interacts with the establishment that mainly focuses
on helping and giving support services to the needs of the guest.

Front Office department is the most important department in the hotel. It is the nerve for hotel
operation that interface between a hotel and its guest. Guest makes first contact with FO
department First place that can makes guest develop an impression

Operates in 24 hours a day. Three main shifts in FO department Morning – day shift 7.00 a.m. –
3.00 p.m. Day – evening shift 3.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m. Night shift 11.00 p.m. – 7.00 a.m.

Front of house activities are important for several reasons such as:

▪ Front office may be the first contact a guest or prospective guest has with the hotel in written,
by telephone or in person o Help people decide towhether to choose the hotel (or not!) -
winning or losing a prospective customer; o Influence everything else they think about the
hotel. Due to what psychologists call the 'halo effect', a good first impression may predispose
gueststo think well of their rooms, the service they are given during their stay and so on. A bad
first impression may put them on the alertfor other bad 'signals', and incline them to find fault
with everything else.

▪ Front office is the 'service hub' of the hotel: the area where most guest contacts and
transactions take place throughout their stay. Guests' experience of 'hotel service' is, therefore,
mainly shaped by front office personnel and procedures. This is important because the quality
and style of service is a major factor in; o Providing an enjoyable, relaxing, satisfying experience
for guests - which is, after all, the hotel's raison d'être;

o Helping the hotel 'stand out' from its competitors, which may have similar rooms
and facilities;
o Ensuring that guests will want to return again - and meanwhile, will give a
positive report of the hotel (recommend), to other people.

▪ Front office has a special responsibility for dealing with guests' problems and complaints; the
'critical incidents' which can make all the difference between satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

▪ Front office is the communications hub of the hotel (information is exchanged by and with all
other departments
▪ Front office is the administrative hub of the hotel, where reservations are logged, room
allocations are planned, room status is monitored, guest bills are prepared, payments are
processed, records are kept, information displays are maintained; etc. If all these tasks aren't
carried out efficiently, the hotel would simply cease to function.

Reservation is the process of booking room prior to arrival of the guest so that the room is
available at the time checks in. Reservation department is the nerve center for room revenues.
The room revenue day is mostly 12 noon to 12 noon of the next day. It is important to be
familiar with the different types of reservation

The Most Common Types of Reservation are:

REGULAR RESERVATIONS

 Refers to an agreement that a hotel makes to hold a room until cut-off and time. If the
guest did not arrive by that time the room maybe sold to other guests.

CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS

 Applies when the terms of reservation have been verified. Both the hotel and the
reserving party agree on the dates, rates and billing arrangement, room type and other
agreements. This type of reservation is confirmed to the guest verbally or in writing
through mail, e mail or fax.

GUARANTEED RESERVTIONS

Agreement that the hotel makes to hold a room for a guest until the guest arrival and check out
time. In return, the guest assures payment for the room by credit card, company account or
pre- payment. Unless the reservation is properly cancelled, the guest is billed for the room and
taxed according to hotel policies and procedures.

Nonguaranteed reservation – reservation wherein the room requested is only on hold until the
guest’s arrival date

Duties of Front Office Personnel

FRONT OFFICE MANAGER

• Direct and coordinate the activities of the front office department

• Perform the function of a link between the management and front office

employees
• Responsible for hiring, training, supervising and disciplinary all front desk,

reservation, and guest services staff members in order to maintain the desired

standard of service

• Prepared the budget for the front office department

• Evaluate the job performance of each front office employee

BELL BOY

• Handling guest luggage at the time of arrival and departure

• Escorting guests to their rooms on arrival

• Familiarizing guests about safety features and in-room facilities

• Locating a guest in a specified area of the hotel

• Posting guests mails

CASHIER

• Receiving payment

• Balancing guest account

• Opening and maintaining the guest folios

• Recording all credit charges in guest folios

• Preparing bills at the time of check-out

• Handling credits/debit/charge cards for the settlement of a guest account

• Administer the safe deposit system

• Handling foreign currency

DOOR ATTENDANT or DOOR MAN

• Open the doors of guests’ vehicles on their arrival in the hotel entrance

• Help bell boys in lifting luggage

• Open the hotels’ entrance door for guests

• Coordinate with valet parking attendants for parking guests’ vehicles in the

hotels’ parking area.

NIGHT AUDIT

• Preparing the night audit report

• Check-in and check-out guest who arrive or depart after 11.00p.m

• Processing the reservations

• Performing the duties of security guard

• Monitoring fire safety system

• Act as cashier for banquet function

• Performing the duties of manager on duty

RECEPTIONIST

• greeting guest

• handling special request

• handling check-in and check- out

• providing information to guest

• assigning rooms and giving out guest room keys

CONCIERGE

• Making reservations for dining in famous restaurant

• Arranging tours, limousine, and entertainment ticket

• Maintaining good relationship with hospitality industry

• Personal helper to VIP

• Obtaining tickets for theatres, musicals etc

• Provide latest information of events

RESERVATION AGENT

• Handling guaranteed and non-guaranteed reservation

• Up sell accommodation

• Prepared the expected arrival list and the expected departure list every day

• Prepared a guest folder and to keep the mails and messages of guest with

reservation doc

TELEPHONE OPERATOR

• processing all incoming and outgoing calls

• log all wake-up call on the system

• answer questions about the hotel’s services and product

• taking message

• operating hotel paying system

• direct incoming calls to the desired extension

• provide paging services for guest

The Guest Cycle

A guest experiencesthe hotel less as a verticalstructure than as a horizontal process. (S)he

makes a booking, has it confirmed, arrives at the hotel on the due day, checks-in, requests
various services as the stay unfolds, then turns up to check-out, receives the bill, pays it -and
departs. For the guest, the experience is chronological: unfolding as a series of events, activities
and services received over time.

The guest doesn't need to know -and ideally, shouldn't feel -that (s)he is having to cross over
from one separate department to another at each stage: (s)he should be able to progress more
or less seamlessly o from booking – reservations o to check-in – reception
o to occupancy – housekeeping, food and beverage and various other departments as required

o to check-out – billing, cashier In order to create this seamless service, it is useful to think of
the role of front office, not in terms of departmental roles and responsibilities, but in terms of
the guest cycle

GUEST CYCLE STAGE PRE-ARRIVAL

Reservations ARRIVAL * Registration * Room assignment * Issuance of room key * Baggage

handling

GUEST CYCLE STAGE IN-HOUSE * Mail and message handling * Maintenance of guest account *
Paging and travel assistance * Safe deposit, currency exchange DEPARTURE * Preparing the
guest bill * Settlement of guest account * Transportation * Future reservation

LESSON 4 HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

TOPIC

 Housekeeping
 The basic function and important of the housekeeping
 Organizational Chart of Housekeeping
 Duties and Responsibilities of Housekeeping Personnel

The Housekeeping is a large revenue for hotel industry, it is generated mainly from the sale of
rooms.

The housekeeping is the department of a hotel charged with cleaning and maintaining rooms
and public spaces. From the time a guest checks-in in a hotel till he checks out, it is the
housekeeping department which takes care of the guest by making his / her stay pleasant and
comfortable.

Housekeeping crew

• Responsible for the daily cleaning of public area/rooms (lobbies, corridors, meeting rooms),
private bedrooms and public washrooms.

• Handles the laundering of linens and in some instances, guest laundry.

• Performs a minorsecurity function by providing a “first alert” to potential guest

problems while staff undertake daily guest bedroom cleaning

Importance of Housekeeping

1. Comfort: It is the duty of the housekeeping department to ensure comfort and a welcoming
atmosphere to the guests as well as strive to extend courteous, reliable, and satisfactory service
from staffs of all departments.

2. Cleanliness and Hygiene: A high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas.
Clean and well-maintained areas and equipment create a favorable impression on the guest. -
Hygiene is maintained especially in the washrooms, toilets, pool changing room, health club,
etc.

3. Privacy: Housekeeping staffs ensure the privacy of the guests, and they should be trained
with proper procedures to enter the room.

4. Safety and Security: The housekeeping department staffs should ensure the safety and
security of the guests with the help of security services.

5. Décor: This work is an art, and the housekeeping staff is mainly responsible for creating a
pleasant atmosphere

The basic function of the housekeeping

1. Cleaning Rooms and Public Areas:

 responsible for cleaning floor, terraces, elevators, elevator lobbies, corridors of guest
floors, floor linen closets, mop and janitor’s closets, service lobbies and service
stairways, function rooms, shopping arcade, cabanas, bars, dining rooms, offices,
uniform rooms, tailor rooms, upholstery, shops, storerooms and swimming pools.

2. Bed Making:

 Bed making is a skill that requires to be developed by the housekeeper, as it not only
provides comfort to the guest, but also adds to the pleasant ambience of a guest’s
room.

3. Linen Management:

 This involves all functions from purchase of linen to laundering, storage, supplies and to
condemnation.
  In a hotel different type of clothes and linen are used such as the bed sheets, pillow
covers, napkins, towels, hand towels, table covers, curtains, cushion covers etc

4. Laundry Services:

 The relationship between the housekeeping and laundry is significant for the smooth
functioning of housekeeping services.

5. Pest Control:

 One of the primary responsibility of the housekeeping department.

 It speaks badly of a hotel where one sees rats, cockroaches, and lizards running around.

6. Key Control:

 The room keys have to be handled efficiently and safely before and after letting the
room.

7. Safety and Security:

 If the guests and staff always fear for their safety and the safety of their belongings, the
atmosphere will be very tense.
 Hence the housekeeping department staff should be aware of ways to protect himself
and others, especially the guests around him and the property of the hotel from
accidents and theft.

8. Interior Decoration:

 These arts and crafts have to be well maintained by the housekeeping department.
Decorating flowers is a creative and stimulating art which often carries a message or
theme. Flowers and indoor plants add colour and beauty to a room.

9. Room Maintenance:

 Good housekeeping department is just as responsible for the hotel's maintenance as an

engineering department
Duties and Responsibilities of Housekeeping Personnel

1) Executive Housekeeper

• Ensure conformance to policies and procedure as laid down by the management.

• Manage staff scheduling as demanded by room occupancy forecasts & banquet functions.

• Ensure that the staff is properly groomed and correctly uniformed.

• Check all the public areas and rooms and see that the standard of cleanliness is maintained.

• Prepares duty rosters for the staff.

• Coordinates with the purchase manager for purchase of linen.

• Co- ordinates with human resources department regarding the recruitment of staff.

• Supervise the staff working under her.

• Training of new recruitment.

• Set up par stock level and sanctions for uniform.

• Reports to the general manager of the hotel regarding the happenings of her department.

• Checks the working of the equipments.

• Hold meetings of the housekeeping staff.

• Prepares polices concerning housekeeping.

2) Assistant Executive Housekeeper:

• She acts as an executive house keeper on her absence.

• Assists the executive house keeper on daily functions.

• Supervises the staff working under her.

• Helps the house keeper in preparing duty roaster.

• Physically checks the areas to see that they are cleaned up as per the hotel standards.

• Trains the staff working under her.

• Checks the staff working under her.

• Checks the occupancy report.

• Checks the room attendants report.

3) Floor supervisor:

• Assigns duties to the room attendants.

• Responsible for the cleanliness and the upkeep of the assigned floors.

• Prepares occupancy report.

• Ensures the supply of guest amenities to the rooms.

• Maintains records of all room linen.

• Reports maintenance to the house keeping control desk.

• Handles guest complaints.

4) Public area supervisor:

• Assigns duties to the house men.

• Responsible for the cleanliness and the upkeep of the public areas.

• Reports for maintenance to the control desk.

• Prepares job order forms.

• Supervises pest control activities

5) Control desk supervisor:

• He listens to the guest complaints.

• Prepares housekeeping report; a copy of which is sent to the front office.

• Co-ordinates with the maintenance department.

• Prepares job order form.

• Conveys the messages.

• Controls the movement of keys.

• Enters lost and found items.

• Co-ordinates with all the staff of the department.

• Maintains log books in the desk. act as secretary to the executive housekeeper

6) Linen room supervisor:

• Controls and checks up the soiled and fresh linen and uniform to and from the linen room.

• Issues linen and uniform to the staff.

• Controls the linen room.

• Checks the linen stock periodically.

7) Room attendants:

• Cleans all the guest room • Cleans the assigned floors.

• Changes guest linen.

• Fills up day to day guest compliments and supplies.

• In charge of service trolley.

• Helps in preparing occupancy report and room attendant report.

• Replenishes service trolley with guest supplies, delegate linen, etc.

• Reports for maintenance if any

8) Public area attendants:

• Responsible for cleaning all public areas, outlets & executive office.

• Responsible for all heavy works in housekeeping department.

• Involve in pest control activities.

9) Gardener: Gardeners are responsible for maintaining all gardens in the hotel. Bellow it is a
sample Organizational Chart of Housekeeping in a large hotel, it can varies according to the
need the management