We all need rules to live by, some being more essential than others. If everyone chose individually which side of the road to drive on, disasters would quickly follow. Other rules or regulations are more subtle but still play an important part in making life more frictionless. Rules and guidelines in the hospitality industry provide many important guardrails for guests, staff, and the hotel, but what constitutes hotel rules and hotel policies?
Flexible vs strict hotel policies
At first sight, it may seem obvious that hotels must have policies, and that there can be differences between a policy and a rule. For example, it can be a rule that smoking is never permitted in hotel bedrooms, while there may be a policy which allows smoking outside, or in specified areas. This situation is now so widely applied that few guests need to be informed of it. Other policies are more flexible, such as allowing pets into the hotel, and sometimes the fine details can be negotiable between guests and management. Some hotels may have specific policies such as no children, (especially with hotels offering quiet breaks) and here the rules must be understood by all parties.
The importance of clear policies
Having clear policies and hotel rules is important from every side of the hotel and guest equation. Accommodation providers must always be explicit about their expectations, offers and deliverables. Having clear parameters helps protect a hotel's reputation, and provides risk cover should any medical, legal or other contentious issues arise.
At the same time, a balance must be struck where guests are not overwhelmed with instructions and advisories about their behaviour while staying in a hotel. In a city centre location it could be useful to remind guests to enter quietly late at night, for the sake of other guests. However does that need to be a hard-and-fast rule which could then be unenforceable? Charging a guest some additional tariff at the end of their stay for boisterous behaviour would also be hard to apply. So policies have to be measured and balanced, but they have to exist and be documented.
Ensure the availability of your hotel policies
It’s important to communicate your hotel policies clearly in writing, available throughout the booking process and printed in your hotel. If there is ever a point of friction, then staff and guests must be able to refer to guidelines or rules which spell out behaviours in any given circumstances. An element of this is also about knowing your customer and adjusting the priorities of hotel rules according to the most common traits shown by guests. If, for example, damage to the property is vanishingly rare, then a clause about property damage need not feature first and foremost in the rules. However, it should certainly be included because even the best-behaved guests can unwittingly cause damage.
The most common hotel policies
It depends on many factors, including the class of the property - such as boutique, Airbnb type, luxury or budget, short stay or long stay - but most hotels will have clear and upfront policies covering areas such as:
1. Rates and cancellation
Everyone should know the room rates and any additional costs such as parking charges, or cancellations. Typically this is time dependent, with a higher percentage of the total fee being charged the closer the booking gets. It’s common practice in many industries, particularly in the entertainment field, and few guests would dispute such rules if they are shown on the Booking Engine at the time of booking.
2. Payment Policy
Being clear about payment terms is similarly well-accepted, and quite normal in the hospitality industry. It’s necessary to tell guests what payment types are accepted, and when payment is expected. Usually, this is on check-out, but in some instances such as corporate bookings, there may be other agreed payment schedules. Again, payment terms should be made clear in the original transaction. It’s not necessary to get ultra-legal about it - just spell out the basics, and then refer to further details available on request.
3. Check-in and Check-out policy
For any hotel, this will be one of the most Frequently Asked Questions, and most properties will state times for guests to arrive and depart. Sometimes there may be latitude given, such as requesting a late check-out (which might be subject to an additional charge). Late arrival may also be open to negotiation, although, with increasingly automated services such as self check-in and keyless access to rooms, this is becoming less rule-bound.
4. Guest behaviour policy
Encouraging good behaviour and sanctioning behaviour which fails to match the values and reputation of the hotel is essential, and this can be made explicit through guidelines which refer to food and beverage consumption, smoking, noise, and even preferred dress codes. It’s necessary to get key points across without being heavy-handed, but which are clear for all and easy for staff to implement.
5. Children policy
Kids are now allowed in most hotels, but in the case of adult-only hotels, a no-children policy should be clearly stated.
6. Pet policy
Whether pets are encouraged, tolerated, or barred is another matter for hotel management to decide, but the guidelines must be clear and easily available to guests. Typically a ‘pet friendly’ hotel will make that a part of its marketing and social media presence, showcased on the hotel’s website. The policy should be backed by additional documentation for the removal of all doubt.
7. Property damage policy
Along with the general behaviour of guests (and their children or pets) comes the question of damage, and what rights a hotel has to demand payment when damage is done. Often this will be at the discretion of hotel staff, but must be backed by guidelines or rules which attend to both general and specific situations. A dropped coffee cup would never be charged for, a flooded bathroom might well be. Clear policies result in clear implementation, but even then the manager can choose to waive the rules, depending on the behaviour of guests.
8. Overbooking policy
Every hotelier would like to have a full occupation, but guests do cancel or fail to show up, and so across the industry overbooking was once the norm, on the fairly safe bet that not every guest would materialise. An overbooking policy supports staff decision making, and reassures guests that they will be given alternative accommodation if necessary. However, with the help of a proper PMS and Channel Manager synchronising your room availability on all OTA channels, you can reduce the chance of overbookings and save yourself a headache.
Ignorance is no defence
There is an ancient legal principle that ‘Ignorance of the law is no defence’. So even if you weren’t aware that running away from a shop with an unpaid-for apple is illegal, you can still be found guilty of the crime. The law argues that you should have made yourself aware of the ‘terms and conditions’ of shopping for apples. More specifically in the hospitality industry, properties must strike the fine balance of bombarding potential guests with endless lists of dos and don’ts while at the same time having solid instructions about the contract that is being entered into when a guest makes a hotel booking. Standing behind that booking must be the fine print that spells out all of the what ifs that can arise. One way of ensuring full knowledge and compliance with the contract would be to send each guest a hotel ‘user manual’ covering every eventuality, and hope that they read it from cover to cover. But OK, that would never happen, and it’s a guaranteed turn-off for potential guests.
Enter the Booking Engine
Fortunately, there is a surefire way of codifying all the guidelines, rules and regulations of a hotel, and its interactions with guests. As more and more hotels employ Property Management Systems to automate almost every operational aspect, these incredibly data-rich software solutions enable hotel policies to be easily accessed by staff and guests alike.
Furthermore, if you use an embedded Booking Engine, you can showcase all important details and policies on your website, so guests can easily access and check them when making a reservation. It also makes sure communication is efficient and gives security and clarity to everyone.
SabeeApp for efficient communication and great guest experience
Getting the balance right between the publication of too many - or not enough - hotel policies and rules is crucial because it reassures guests, and protects the reputation and operational standards of the property. Policies and rules underlie the smooth running of a hotel, act as a reference point, and can be mentioned on the Booking Engine to increase clarity and transparency.
Our property management system, SabeeApp, is designed specifically for the hotel industry. Our software suite includes a highly functional Booking Engine, and in 2025 we are rolling out further upgrades to make it even more user-friendly and modern. If you are interested in making your hotel, hostel or apartment rental more efficient and your guest communication smoother, don’t hesitate to reach out to us, we’ll be happy to show you our solutions.
At SabeeApp our primary hotel policy is to provide the very best software solutions to modern hoteliers.