Dictionary
This Glossary is provided to help guests understand more about the rental of inns, resorts and vacation rentals. It is not comprehensive but serves as a primer for terms guests may encounter in renting specialty lodging. Not all terms apply to all properties or managers.
Package
A fixed price travel product that makes it easy for a traveler to buy and enjoy a destination or several destinations. Packages offer a mix of elements like transportation, accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, cultural activities, sightseeing and car rental.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Patient & Family Lodging
Traditional hotel or other facility that provides lodging to patients receiving care in the area or to their families.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
PayPal
A fast and convenient online payment service.
Origin: Plumbob Publishing
Peak Season
The primary travel season when occupancy and rates are the highest
See also: Travel Seasons, Low Season, Shoulder Season Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Per Person Pricing (PPP)
Often used for Vacation Rental homes, a pricing model where a minimum nightly rate is set for a property allowing a base or normal number of occupants. Guests pay an additional fee for each guest over the normal, up to a maximum number of guests allowed in the property. The additional fee is often much higher for unapproved guests.
See also: Dynamic Rates Origin: Istay
Pet Deposit
Should a lodging facility allow for pets they may require the guest to pay a significant deposit to cover any damage or excessive cleaning necessitated by the pets occupancy. Pet Deposits are usually refundable if no damage or effect occurs
See also: Pet Fee, Pet Friendly, No Pets, Pet Penalty Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pet Fee
If a lodging property allows guests to bring pets, they may charge a fee, usually daily, for that privilege. Generally guests are also responsible for any damage they may cause.
See also: Pet Friendly, No Pets, Pet Deposit, Pet Penalty Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pet Friendly
A lodging unit which allows pets in the facility and on the grounds. There is often a deposit and/or a daily fee for allowing pets.
See also: No Pets Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pet Penalty
When a guest brings a pet to a facility designated as No Pets, a penalty fee is charged. To discourage unapproved pets, pet penalties are usually significant and utilized to retreat a room to counteract the presence of the pet and provide additional cleaning.
See also: Pet penalty, Pet Friendly, No Pets Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Pool Fee
A certain amount above and beyond the rental rate charged to renters wishing to use the heater on your pool or hot tub.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Property
A hotel, motel, inn, lodge, vacation rental or other accommodation facility.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Property Manager
A person or company who manages real estate including commercial, residential and other properties. Should not be used for people who manage vacation rentals, as those should be called "Vacation Rental Managers" or "Lodging Managers"
See also: Vacation Rental Manager, Lodging Manager, Absentee Vacation Rental Manager, Corporate Vacation Rental Manager Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Property Survey
A periodic inspection of a property, usually twice a year but can be more or less often. The purpose is to determine what housekeeping, repairs or maintenance a property should have completed. These include high priority items for safety purposes, to preferred maintenance for guest comfort to recommended improvements that might increase rates or occupancy.
See also: Maintenance, Repairs, Housekeeping Origin: Vortex
Province
See State
See also: Country, Destination, Location Origin: Redstone Systems
Quote (Booking)
Prior to receiving a guest's approval for purchase, a booking can be completed as a Quote to display all related detailed. This is NOT a commitment to sell the dates. Our software used this word as a Booking Status
See also: Abandoned, Aborted, Blocked, Cancelled, Confirmed, Order, Hold, Incomplete, In Error, Out of Service, Unblocked Origin: Istay
Re-Sellable
When a booking for lodging property is non-cancelable it may instead, be re-sellable. In that case, an owner or manager agrees to attempt to resell a guest's booked dates and, if successful refunds the guests payment usually less a fee for the resell process.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Reciprocal Program
Some managers give property owners a 10% rental discount when staying in other properties handled by the manager. Usually this is optional and only available to owners who provide the same discount to other owners. Due to seasonality the discount may not be available in all properties at all times - - especially during high seasons.
Origin: William May
Referral
A booking that results from the referral of a friend, neighbor, or past renter.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Refund
A payment to the guest for amounts paid toward lodging property bookings and after charges for rent, services, fees or other charges. A common type of refund is for the return to guest of a security and damage deposit they have paid.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Rent By Owner
A property that is rented directly from the owner, rather than through a property management firm. Also refers to websites which offers homes directly from owners.
See also: Direct Marketing terminology, Client, Owner, Target, Lead, Complex, Hijack Origin: Vacation Rental Association Link: VRIA.org