Guides
Guides for people who run hotels.
Plain, practical answers for people who run hotels, lodges, camps and guest houses: the numbers, the routines and the controls. Written to be useful whether or not you use Tivuzo.
Where to start
Start with the numbers: occupancy, ADR and RevPAR and cost per occupied room. Then the routines: the night audit and the month-end close. Choosing software? Read how to choose a hotel PMS and the buyer's guide. Opening a property? See how to start a guest house.
Numbers and performance
- Occupancy, ADR and RevPARWhat occupancy rate, ADR and RevPAR mean, how to calculate each with a worked example, what good looks like, and the cost numbers to read beside them.
- Cost per occupied roomCost per occupied room (CPOR) explained: the formula, what to include, a worked example, GOPPAR beside RevPAR, and where small hotels usually save money.
- Food cost percentageThe food cost percentage formula, a worked hotel kitchen example, typical ranges, why it drifts and seven ways to bring it back, from receiving to portions.
- Bar stock controlHow to control hotel bar stock: pour cost formula, measures and recipes, par stock, daily and weekly counts, variance by bottle and the leaks to watch.
Running the hotel
- What is a night auditWhat a hotel night audit is, who does it and the steps: check arrivals and no-shows, post room charges, balance the tills, run the reports, roll the date.
- Housekeeping checklistA practical hotel housekeeping guide: room status codes, the daily flow with the front desk, a room cleaning checklist, inspections, linen par and amenities.
- Hotel procurement processThe hotel procurement process from purchase request to payment: approvals, quotes, purchase orders, receiving and the GRN, three-way matching and controls.
- Hotel stores controlHow to run hotel stores: main and department stores, receiving, issues and requisitions, par levels, FIFO and expiry, monthly counts and reading variances.
Accounts
- Hotel month-end closeA hotel month-end checklist: folios and city ledger, OTA commissions, supplier bills, stores counts, bank and M-Pesa reconciliation, VAT, and the P&L review.
- OTA commission accountingHow hotels record OTA bookings and commissions from Booking.com, Expedia and agents: gross vs net, prepaid vs pay-at-hotel, invoices and matching payouts.
Choosing software
- How to choose a hotel PMSA 10-point checklist for choosing a hotel PMS: rooms and rates, front desk, folios, housekeeping, the back office, payments, offline, data and support.
- Best hotel management softwareHow to choose the best hotel management software in 2026: the PMS features that matter, back office, offline, payments, total cost and questions to ask.
- Best PMS for small hotelsWhat the best PMS for a small hotel, lodge or guest house must do, what you can skip, what it should cost and how to compare systems in a week.
- Best hotel accounting softwareHow to choose hotel accounting software: departmental P&L, folios that post themselves, VAT and levies, stock valuation, bank and M-Pesa matching.
- One system vs separate systemsSeparate PMS, POS, stores and accounting software vs one hotel back office: re-keying, month-end, cost per room, price and when each choice makes sense.
- Cloud vs on-premise hotel softwareCloud vs on-premise hotel software compared: internet and power, backups, updates, access from anywhere, security and total cost for a small property.
- Tivuzo vs Excel and notebooksWhen a booking diary and Excel stop working for a hotel, what a PMS and back office add, what they cost and how to move without closing for a day.
Starting out
Reference
- GlossaryPlain-English definitions of hotel terms: ADR, RevPAR, occupancy, folio, night audit, rack rate, meal plans, no-show, GRN, par stock and food cost.
- Questions and answersAnswers about Tivuzo: what it does, who it is for, per-user pricing, the free trial, OTAs, offline selling, M-Pesa, your data, countries and support.
About these guides
Who writes these guides?
The Tivuzo team, from our work with hotels, lodges and guest houses. They are general guides; for legal, tax or licensing questions, check with the relevant authority or a qualified adviser. About Tivuzo.
Can I share or quote these guides?
Yes. You are welcome to link to or quote them with a link back to the page.
Are the examples real?
The worked examples use round, realistic figures to show the method. Use your own numbers.
Last updated by the Tivuzo team.