Reception handles money and records every day: pre-authorisations, the guest folio, a cash float and guest documents. Payment and guest registration rules differ by country, so follow your hotel's policy and local rules.
Why it matters
Payment errors cost money, and careless card handling makes fraud easier. Accurate records protect you if a charge is questioned.
Key ideas
Pre-authorisation
A hold on the guest's card for the stay. At check-out it is settled for the final amount, and the unused part is released, which can take some days.
Cash float
The fixed amount of cash you start with for giving change. At the end of the shift, you count it and match the cash taken to the PMS.
Guest records
Registration cards, ID details and invoices are legal records. Store them securely, and only for as long as your hotel's policy allows.
Step by step
- 1
Tell the guest the amount and ask how they would like to pay.
- 2
Let the guest insert or tap their card and enter the PIN.
- 3
Count cash in front of the guest, keeping their note on the counter until you give change.
- 4
Post the payment to the correct folio.
- 5
Give a receipt or invoice.
Do
- Ask whether the invoice needs a company name.
- Count your float at the end of every shift.
- Report any cash difference to your supervisor at once.
Common mistakes
- Don't write down or photograph card numbers or security codes.
- Don't let a guest's card out of their sight.
- Don't mix the float with your own money.
The situation
At check-in, the pre-authorisation on a guest's card is declined, and there is a queue behind them.
What a professional does
You say quietly, 'The payment hasn't gone through; this sometimes happens with banks.' You offer to try again, use another card or take a cash deposit if your policy allows, and you ask a supervisor if nothing works.
Useful phrases
“How would you like to pay today, by card or cash?”
“Would you like the invoice in your name or a company name?”
Pro tip
Count cash twice: once when you receive it and once when you give change.
Quick check
Why do you keep a guest's banknote on the counter until you give change?
Think about it, then show the answer
So there is no dispute about which note the guest gave you.