Room Night

Term from Hospitality industry explained for recruiters

A Room Night is a basic measurement used in the hotel industry to track occupancy and sales. It represents one room occupied for one night. For example, if a guest stays in a hotel room for three nights, that equals three room nights. Hotels and hospitality businesses use this term to measure their business performance, set prices, and plan staffing needs. It's similar to how retail stores count individual items sold, but for hotels, they count nights that rooms are occupied. This term frequently appears in hotel management, revenue management, and sales positions.

Examples in Resumes

Increased Room Night sales by 30% through strategic partnerships with corporate clients

Managed inventory of 200 Room Nights per month across multiple properties

Generated $2M in revenue through optimization of Room Night pricing strategies

Typical job title: "Hotel Revenue Managers"

Also try searching for:

Revenue Manager Hotel Sales Manager Hospitality Manager Rooms Division Manager Hotel Operations Manager Reservation Manager Hotel Revenue Analyst

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you develop a strategy to maximize room night revenue during both peak and off-peak seasons?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss analyzing historical data, implementing dynamic pricing, creating packages, identifying target markets, and developing relationships with corporate clients and travel agencies. They should also mention strategies for different seasons and market conditions.

Q: How would you handle a situation where a competing hotel is significantly undercutting your room night rates?

Expected Answer: The answer should cover market analysis, value proposition development, strategic pricing decisions, and maintaining profitability while remaining competitive. They should discuss additional value services rather than just matching prices.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you calculate and analyze RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) using room nights?

Expected Answer: The candidate should explain that RevPAR is calculated by dividing total room revenue by total available room nights, and discuss how this metric helps in making pricing and inventory decisions.

Q: What factors do you consider when forecasting room night demand?

Expected Answer: They should mention historical data, local events, seasonality, competitive analysis, and market trends as key factors in predicting demand for room nights.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is a room night and how is it used in hotel operations?

Expected Answer: The candidate should explain that a room night is one room occupied for one night, and describe how this basic unit is used to track occupancy and revenue in hotels.

Q: How do cancellations affect room night inventory?

Expected Answer: They should explain how cancellations return room nights to available inventory and discuss basic handling of cancellation policies and rebooking procedures.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of room night calculations
  • Reservation management
  • Customer service
  • Basic revenue tracking

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Revenue analysis and forecasting
  • Pricing strategy implementation
  • Inventory management
  • Market analysis

Senior (5+ years)

  • Strategic revenue management
  • Team leadership
  • Contract negotiation
  • Long-term business planning

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No understanding of basic hotel metrics and calculations
  • Lack of experience with revenue management systems
  • Poor understanding of seasonal pricing strategies
  • No knowledge of market competition analysis