This article highlights the key features RMS provides for hotels, helping property managers understand and use the tools available to run their property effectively.

Overview

RMS is designed to support full-service hotels and boutique properties with a comprehensive set of tools covering reservations, revenue management, housekeeping, point of sale, guest communications, and more. This article provides an overview of the features most relevant to hotel operations, with links to detailed guides for each area.

Room and Category Management

RMS manages hotel inventory through Categories, which group individual rooms by their type (for example, Standard Room, Deluxe Room, Suite). Each Category is configured with its own rates, maximum occupancy, housekeeping settings, and tax rules.

Individual rooms within a Category are referred to as Areas in RMS. Each Area can be assigned attributes (such as floor level, view type, or bed configuration) that can be used to filter the Booking Chart and assist with room assignment.

Reservations and the Booking Chart

The Booking Chart provides a visual timeline of all reservations across every room in the property. Key capabilities include:

• Drag-and-drop room moves - Reservations can be moved between rooms by dragging them on the chart, with RMS prompting to confirm and optionally recalculate the rate.
• Out of Order and Out of Service - Rooms can be taken offline for maintenance without affecting surrounding reservations.
• Pencil Reservations - Temporary holds can be placed on rooms while a booking is being confirmed, and these auto-cancel after a set expiry time.
• Colour coding - Reservations can be colour-coded by status, booking source, company, travel agent, rate type, or group allotment for quick visual reference.

Housekeeping

RMS includes an optional Housekeeping feature that automates the management of room cleaning tasks. When enabled on a Category, housekeeping tasks are generated automatically based on arrivals, departures, and stay-overs. Housekeeping staff can update room status from the Housekeepers screen or via a mobile device. Key features include:

• Task assignment by housekeeper or room
• Room status tracking (Clean, Dirty, Inspected, Out of Order)
• Priority flagging for early arrivals or late departures
• Integration with the Booking Chart so front desk staff can see current room status at a glance

Revenue Management

RMS includes a suite of tools for managing rates and maximising revenue:

• Rate Manager - A calendar-based view of all rate periods, rate plans, and restrictions across the property. Rate periods and rate tables can be configured to define pricing by season, day of week, or occupancy level.
• Dynamic Pricing - An optional feature available on Rate Tables that automatically adjusts room rates based on configured triggers such as occupancy thresholds. When occupancy crosses a threshold, prices increase or decrease automatically without manual intervention.
• Derived Rate Types - Rate plans that calculate their price as a percentage adjustment or fixed offset from a parent rate, reducing the need to maintain individual rates for each plan.
• Quick Quote - A fast rate lookup tool that returns available rates and room types for a given date range, accessible from anywhere in RMS.

Group Bookings

Hotels that host conferences, corporate events, weddings, or tour groups can manage bulk bookings using RMS Groups (Group Allotments). A Group holds a block of room inventory at agreed rates, from which individual guest reservations are drawn as the rooming list comes in. Key features include inventory hold with guaranteed or non-guaranteed options, rate plan restrictions, a configurable release date, and automatic roll-up of individual reservations into a Master Reservation linked to the group.

Groups are managed under Reservations > Groups in RMS.

Point of Sale

RMS includes a Point of Sale (POS) feature for properties with a restaurant, bar, spa, or retail outlet. Charges posted through POS can be transferred directly to a guest's reservation account, eliminating the need for manual charge entry at checkout. The POS feature supports:

• Multiple outlet configuration (restaurant, bar, spa, etc.)
• Product and menu management with GL code allocation
• Direct posting to reservation accounts
• Reporting on outlet revenue

Guest Communications

RMS provides automated guest communication tools to reduce manual correspondence workload:

• Triggered Correspondence - Emails and SMS messages can be sent automatically based on reservation events, such as a booking confirmation, pre-arrival message, or post-departure follow-up.
• Form Letters - Templates for printed and emailed correspondence, including tax invoices, receipts, and registration cards.
• Guest Portal - An optional self-service portal where guests can view their booking, update their details, complete online check-in, and make payments ahead of arrival.

Online Bookings

The RMS Booking Engine provides a direct booking channel for hotel websites, reducing reliance on Online Travel Agents (OTAs). Properties can also connect to third-party OTAs and channel managers via the RMS Channel Connection feature, with availability and rates managed centrally in RMS.

Payment Processing

RMS integrates with payment gateways through RMS Pay and other supported payment providers. Card details can be stored securely on the reservation for automated processing at key points in the guest journey, such as at the time of booking, before arrival, and at checkout. The Automated Payments Dashboard provides a central view of scheduled and completed payment transactions.

Related Articles

• Daily Procedures Guide: Hotel
• Booking Chart - Overview
• Housekeeping Tasks
• Rate Manager Chart
• Create and manage group allotments
• RMS Pay
• RMS Booking Engine