Hotel Industry Information
Larger hotels and motels often have banquet rooms, exhibit halls, and spacious
ballrooms to accommodate conventions, business meetings, wedding receptions, and
other social gatherings. Conventions and business meetings are major sources of
revenue for these hotels and motels. Some commercial hotels are known as conference
hotels—fully self-contained entities specifically designed for meetings.
They provide physical and recreational facilities for meetings, in addition to
state-of-the-art audiovisual and technical equipment.
Hotel Industry Information
Establishments vary greatly in size and in the services they provide. Hotels and
motels make up the majority of establishments and tend to provide more services
than do other lodging places. There are five basic types of hotels—commercial,
resort, residential, extended-stay, and casino. Most hotels and motels are commercial
properties that cater mainly to business people, tourists, and other travelers
who need accommodations for a brief stay. Commercial hotels and motels usually
are located in cities or suburban areas and operate year round. Larger properties
offer a variety of services for their guests, including coffee shops, restaurants,
and cocktail lounges with live entertainment. Some even provide gift shops, newsstands,
barber and beauty shops, laundry and valet services, theater and airline counters,
swimming pools, and fitness centers and health spas.
Lodging Tips & Questions
Food and beverage service workers, as well as hosts and hostesses, maids and
housekeeping cleaners, concierges, and baggage porters and bellhops, derive
their earnings from a combination of hourly earnings and customer tips. Waiters
and waitresses often derive the majority of their earnings from tips, which
vary greatly depending on menu prices and the volume of customers served. Many
employers also provide free meals and furnish uniforms. Food service personnel
may receive extra pay for working at banquets and on other special occasions.
In general, workers with the greatest skills, such as restaurant cooks, have
the highest earnings, and workers who receive tips have the lowest.