Guest Folio

Term from Hotel Management industry explained for recruiters

A Guest Folio is a detailed record that hotels keep of a guest's stay, including all charges, payments, and activities. Think of it like a customer's hotel bill or account statement. It tracks everything from room charges to restaurant meals, spa services, and any extra purchases made during their stay. Hotel staff use guest folios to keep track of what guests owe, manage their accounts, and provide a clear breakdown of charges at checkout. You might also hear it called a "guest account," "guest bill," or "guest ledger."

Examples in Resumes

Managed daily Guest Folio reconciliation for a 200-room luxury hotel

Trained front desk staff on proper Guest Folio management and billing procedures

Resolved billing disputes by accurately reviewing Guest Folios and Guest Accounts

Typical job title: "Hotel Front Desk Agents"

Also try searching for:

Front Desk Agent Hotel Receptionist Guest Service Agent Front Office Associate Night Auditor Hotel Clerk Front Desk Manager

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you handle a situation where a large corporate group has billing discrepancies across multiple guest folios?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should explain their systematic approach to reconciling group accounts, mentioning coordination with the accounting department, communication with the corporate client, and implementing preventive measures for future bookings.

Q: Describe your experience in training staff on guest folio management and preventing billing errors.

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate leadership experience in developing training programs, implementing quality control measures, and creating standard operating procedures for guest folio management.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What steps do you take to ensure accurate guest folio charges during the night audit process?

Expected Answer: Should explain the process of reviewing daily transactions, checking for missing charges, verifying rate codes, and ensuring all departmental charges are properly posted to guest folios.

Q: How do you handle a dispute over charges on a guest folio?

Expected Answer: Should describe professional approach to reviewing charges with the guest, finding documentation to support charges, and knowing when to escalate to management or offer appropriate adjustments.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What information is typically included in a guest folio?

Expected Answer: Should list basic elements like room charges, incidental charges, taxes, payments received, and guest information.

Q: How do you process a payment and apply it to a guest folio?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain basic payment processing steps, including verifying the amount, processing different payment methods, and ensuring the payment is correctly posted to the folio.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-1 years)

  • Basic guest folio creation and maintenance
  • Processing standard payments
  • Posting room charges and basic services
  • Simple checkout procedures

Mid (1-3 years)

  • Handling billing disputes
  • Managing group folios
  • Correcting posting errors
  • Training junior staff

Senior (3+ years)

  • Complex billing resolution
  • Corporate account management
  • Staff training and supervision
  • Audit procedures development

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Unable to explain basic folio components
  • Lack of experience with hotel management systems
  • Poor attention to detail in financial matters
  • No understanding of payment processing procedures