Central Reservation Office

A Central Reservation Office (CRO) is a centralized system or department responsible for handling hotel bookings across multiple properties within a hotel group or brand. Rather than relying on individual hotels to manage their own reservations, a CRO streamlines the process by consolidating availability, rates and guest data into one location.

CROs allow hotel groups to manage inventory more efficiently, maintain rate consistency and boost conversion rates by providing potential guests with a seamless, brand-wide booking experience. Traditionally, CROs have been staffed by dedicated agents, but the rise of AI in hospitality has allowed many hotels to introduce automation to the process. 

How Do Central Reservation Offices Work?

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CROs serve as the nerve center for hotel reservations, typically integrating with:

• Property Management Systems (PMS)
• Channel Managers
• Global Distribution Systems (GDS)
• Direct Booking Engines

When a guest contacts the CRO, the system matches their preferences (like location, dates and room type) with real-time availability across the brand’s portfolio. Reservations can then be processed and confirmed instantly.

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Many hotel chains also staff their CROs with agents trained to upsell premium rooms or add-on services, ensuring maximized revenue per booking.

Benefits of Central Reservation Offices

Utilizing a CRO can be quite beneficial for hotels with multiple locations. Managing reservations from a centralized hub streamlines operations and relieves the workload for on-site hotel staff. Here’s how: 

• Increased operational efficiency: Centralizing reservations reduces duplication and errors.
• Higher conversion rates: CRO staff or systems are trained to optimize bookings and minimize cart abandonment.
• Brand consistency: Guests receive the same booking experience regardless of which property they choose.
• Stronger guest insights: Consolidated booking data helps brands personalize offers and loyalty programs.
• 24/7 availability: CROs often operate around the clock, improving responsiveness and capturing more bookings globally.

CROs vs. Direct Reservations: What’s the Difference?

While direct reservations are made through a specific property’s website or front desk, central reservation offices manage bookings for an entire portfolio. This distinction is especially valuable for hotel brands with multiple locations in different regions, allowing guests to choose the best fit without navigating multiple systems.

AI and Hotel Central Reservation Systems

With the development of hospitality-specific AI tools, hotels can book reservations even more efficiently than before. AI-powered chatbots and voice assistants are available to handle a high volume of reservations simultaneously, ensuring potential guests always receive instant service and accurate information. 

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With Canary AI, hotels can use the most powerful, hospitality-specific AI solution to add a webchat widget to their website and utilize a voice assistant. Alleviate the workload on CROs and front desk agents while providing excellent guest service—book a demo today to see how.