CLASSIFICATION OF HOTELS:

Hotel is defined in many ways,common of them is "Hotel is a home away from home".By British law hotel is a place where a bona-fied traveller can recieve food & shelter where the traveller is in a position to pay & avail the the facilities.

Basically hotels can be classified in the following ways:

1. STAR
2. LOCATION
3. CLIENTELE
4. LENGTH OF STAR
5. SIZE
6. PLAN
7. CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF OWNERSHIP & AFFILIATION
8. OTHER TYPES OF HOTELS

• STAR:

A hotel gets its star grading depending upon the amenities,itnis providingto the Guest.Star grading gives an idea about the facilities,comforts,etc.given by the hotel, it also gives a clear idea about the tariff of the particular hotel.

In India hotels are classified by HRACC(Hotel and Restaurant Approval and Classification Committee). HRACC Gives gradation to hotels from one star to five star and five star deluxe and heritage hotels. In other countries like Europe hotel inspection is done by AA (Automobile Association) .They offer 'AA' grade to the best of the hotel,'AA Rosette' is offered to the restaurants/food of the hotel.

• LOCATION:Hotels which catagorised according to their location.Like:

1. City/Downtown/commercial hotels: These types of hotels are situated at the heart of the city and are expensive. These hotels are centrally located nad are at a convinient distancefrom railway station, airport, markets etc.
2. Suburban hotels:These hotels are situated in the suburbs of the cities,moderately priced and can be of any size.
3. Resort hotels:Hotels which are located at tourists interest places like hills, beaches,forestsetc. are called resort hotels. These hotels generally operates on American plan or Modified American plan. Resorts are mostly seasonal.Resorts offer various types of packages to their guests. For example;Package deal for four days and three nights with aPick up and drop back for airport and railway station.
4. Motels:Motels are also known as motor hotels. These hotels are located on the highways(both domestic and national). These are economic hotels where motorists prefer to stay on their way for a night/halt.These hotels also have a proper motor garage to service a car and filling station to refill the fuel and gas with a proper parking facility.
5. Rotels:The hotels which rotate on wheels are known as rotels.It is also called motel on wheels.The best example is "place on wheels" is a luxurious train ,fully air-conditioned,well-furnished,with attached restaurant and bar.This trainstarts from Delhi and covers the tourist interest places of Rajasthan and Uttarpradesh.
6. Floatels: The hotels which floats on water are known as Floatels. The house boats in Kashmir which are stationed in Dal lake.These are luxury suits consisting of  drawing room,dinning room,bed room,sitting room,balcony,kitchen,bathroom, etc.
7. Boats:These are luxury yacht which can ferry you from one place to other.The best example of yachts are Mediterranean or Caribbean,hey can ferry guest through to canal-based narrow boat or Broad based cabin cruiser.
8. Airport hotels:Hotels which are situated near the airports are known as Airport hotels. These hotels are generally used by transit passengers.
9. Camp sites: In this case the guest may provide their own accommodation (tents),there are still bookings to  handle and various facilities and services to  be provide and maintained.

• CLIENTELE: The hotels which are classified depending upon the type of clientele it caters for: Chrishtian travellers(Young women chrishtian association), Company offers accommodation to their own employees(Bank homes,P.W.D etc.), old homes, hostels, hospital homes.
• LENGTH OF STAY: These hotels caters for specific time & can be classified in the following ways:

1.  Transit hotels: These hotels are patronized by those guests who are in transit & will be tarvelling to theirdestination.Motels & airoport hotls are best example of theses type of hotels.
2. Transient hotels: In these hotels one is not allowed to stay for a very long period of time as these are very economical & are usually patronized by the employees either on transfer or on tour or vaccations best example are rest houses, bank homes, government guest houses.

3. Residential hotels: These hotels offer rooms/apartments on monthly basis & even if the guest stays for a part of month is normally charged for the whole month.
4. Semi Residential Hotels:Most of the hotels in present days are semi residential hotels & are located through out the country.The guest staying in these hotel need to pay room rent in daily basis.

• SIZE:Depending upon the number of lettable rooms hotels are classified into five categories:

Small hotels: From 1 to 25 lettable rooms.
Medium hotels:From 26 to 100 lettable rooms.
Large hotels: From 101 to 300 lettable rooms.
Extra large hotels: From 301 to 999 lettable rooms.
Mega hotels: From 1000 to above lettable rooms.

• PLAN: Here plan means meal plan. The hotel provides various types of plan depending upon the guest's requirements.The following are the plans offered to guests.

1. European plan: This plan includes only room rent.If the guest is taking meal then it will charged separately.
2. Continental plan: The tariff is inclusive of room rent & continental Break fast ( a small glass of juice,toast, bread rolls with preserves & butter & tea or coffee).In Europe most of the hotels offer continental plan to the guests.
3. Modified American plan: This pla is also called DEMI PENSION & HALF PLAN.The tariff includes room rent, continental breakfast & lunch or dinner.The guests are required to inform at the time of booking or checkin, whether they will prefer to have lunch or dinner.
4. American plan: This is also called EN PENSION  & FULLTIME PLAN.The tariff is inclusive of Room rent & all major meals like continental breakfast,lunch & dinner.They guest need to pay extra if they are ordering any snaacks,etc.In city hotels,the Resorts & residential hotels offer this plan to its guests.
5. Bermuda plan: This also means bed & breakfast. But the breakfast served in this plan is English breakfast in place of continental breakfast.
6. Inclusive plan: This tariff is inclusive of room rent & all the meals.The guests are only required to pay for laundry,telephone,alchoholic drinks etc. 

•  OWNERSHIP & AFFILIATION:

1.  Timeshare:A timeshare is a form of ownership or right to the use of a property, or the term used to describe such properties. These properties are typically resort condominium units, in which multiple parties hold rights to use the property, and each sharer is allotted a period of time (typically one week, and almost always the same time every year) in which they may use the property. Units may be on a part-ownership or lease/"right to use" basis, in which the sharer holds no claim to ownership of the property.
2. Condominiums:A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate (usually of an apartment house) is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights associated with the individual ownership and controlled by the association of owners that jointly represent ownership of the whole piece. Colloquially, the term is often used to refer to the unit itself in place of the word "apartment". A condominium may be simply defined as an "apartment" that the resident "owns" as opposed to rents.
3. Independent hotels: Independent hotels do not have ownership or management affiliation with other properties. They have no relationship to other hotels regarding policies,procedures,financial obligetions,management,accounting,etc.These hotels are either family owned or indepedent properties. These may be registered as sole proprietor-ship or partnership or a private limited company.The biggest example of independent hotel is its autonomy.The owner may decide the standard, type of clientele,the tariff,etc. to patronize a class of people. He may tie up with travel agencies to sell his property against commission. If independent hotels have its advantages than it has some disadvantages like marketing,financial crunch, etc. as compare to chain hotels.
4. Chain hotels: Chains usually make certain rules regarding standards,rules,policies, procedures etc.The more reputed chains impose the stronger control on the individual properties.Chains with less dominant central organizations allow individual hotel management to exercise more & solve most of their problems themselves.Some chains insist on a specific architecture,management,standards of their member hotels but some others concentrate on advertising, marketing, purchasing,human resource development,etc.
5. Apartotel:This concept was developed in Spain by Melia Coy in 1970. Though, the apartments have become very popular in metripolitan cities of India but using them as hotel. The apartments are owned by individuals but when not in use these can be rented out by the hotel for getting income. The owners are required to pay a monthly or yearly maintenence charges.

• OTHER HOTELS:

1. Heritage hotels:India is known as a country of palaces, castles, forts,havelies, etc. During prepartition days India had many princely states. Each state  had its own king & kings had made various palaces for their families. These were not only built in the state capital but also at various tourists have inclination ti visit these old palaces, forts  etc. Both domestic & foreign tourists have inclination to visit these old palaces,forts, etc.The government of India , boost up tourism & to preserve the indian heritage, has started a scheme, where these old buildings can be converted in to hotels & are Christened as heritage hotels. The only condition was the building has been nuilt prior to 1950 & there should be no exterior change in the original building plan. The rooms  bathrooms,interior, etc. can be modified to make it comfortable for the guests. Now the Government of India has modified this rule & now only the building built prior to 1935 can be converted to heritage hotel. Hotels, which have been classified \reclassified under Heritage categories, pior to issue of uidelines, will continue under Heritage categories even if they were built between the years 195-50. Heritage hotels can be further classified into three categories:

a) Heritage Grand
b) heritage classic
c) Heritage.

    2. All suites: These all suites concept, a new addition to the hotel industry, developed in the 1980s as a separate marketing concept, offers guests a wide  range of services. These suits provide living room, bed room, kitchenette, etc. The guest can cook their own food, but if they so desire they can also order from room service or can dine at public dinning room. They also provide cable television, channel music, pickup & drop from & to airport\ railway station.
    3. Boutique hotels: these are very small & very expensive hotels & mainly cater for elite class. The staff of these hotels is well qualified, experienced & is specialized in courteous service. Though the hotel is small but still it has more number of restaurants. Each restaurant is decorated keeping in view a theme & the food served , the uniform of staff, the menu, even teh welcoming the guest commemorates with the theme.

4.Auberge, Gasthof, Herberge: In various countries, Auberge, Gasthof & Herberge are counter parts. These represent a smaller units which may have complimentary bar, restaurant & bedrooms  for  visitors. Here emphasis is given to eating & drinking more than the staying.

5. Casino Hotels: Casino mean gambling houses.These hotels are mainly patronized by those guests who would like to spend most of their time at gambling- casinos. Since the gambling in India is not allowed so the casino hotel do not exist. Normally tourists go to Kathmandu, Nepal to get the feeling of casinos.

6. International hotels: These are downtown hotels situated in the metro politan cities & provide modern western style luxury to their guests. They can also be called excellent service hotels. many such hotels are either owned directly or franchised by internetional chains. These hotels are in demand in commercial towns.

7. Green hotels: These hotels are eco-friendly. These hotels remind us of preserving our ecology. The unplanned construction of  buildings, especially in hills, to accomodate the ever increasing demand  of tourists,affects adversely the ecology of our great world.As a result many rare flora & fauna are vanishing from this beautiul world.

8. Commercial hotels: These hotels are also located in the central places of cities. These are also called downtown or city hotels & are patronized by business men & commercial executives. These hotels are more in demand during week days & week ends are lean unlike resort hotels which are more in demand during week ends. These hotels provide secretariat services with internet, fax, coference rooms\halls, etc. for commercial executives. These hotels also provide all other amenities provided by any luxury hotel like swimming pool,roomservice, bar, restaurants, shopping arcade, health club, sauna\turkish bath, etc.

 9. Supplementary hotels: A huge open space is provided, where tents, etc. can be installed to supplement the accommodation needs during peak season.