What is Rack Rate?
Meaning, Origin, Popular Use, and Synonyms
What is Rack Rate?
Rack Rate refers to the standard or published price of a hotel room or accommodation before any discounts or promotions are applied. It is the official rate set by the hotel or lodging establishment for a particular room category without considering any special offers, packages, or negotiated rates. The Rack Rate serves as a reference point for pricing and is typically higher than the actual rate guests pay after applying discounts or booking through online travel agencies.
Origins of the term Rack Rate
The term “Rack Rate” has its origins in the early days of the hotel industry when hotels used physical “racks” or display boards to show the prices of their rooms. These racks were often placed near the front desk, and each room type had a designated slot with its corresponding price listed. The rates displayed on these racks were the standard rates without any negotiated or discounted prices. Over time, the term “Rack Rate” became synonymous with the published price of hotel rooms.
Where is the term Rack Rate commonly used?
The term “Rack Rate” is commonly used in the hotel and hospitality industry worldwide. It is often seen in hotel booking systems, on hotel websites, and in hotel brochures or marketing materials. Travelers may encounter the Rack Rate when making direct bookings with hotels or when inquiring about room rates at the front desk.
Synonyms of the term Rack Rate
While “Rack Rate” is the most widely used term, there are some synonyms or related terms that refer to the same concept:
- Published Rate
- Standard Rate
- Full Rate
- Tariff Rate
These terms are all used to describe the official, non-discounted price of a hotel room.
How to say Rack Rate in other languages?
When traveling to non-English-speaking countries, it can be helpful to know how to say “Rack Rate” to understand the official price of hotel rooms. Here’s how to say “Rack Rate” in various languages:
- Spanish: “Tarifa de Lista” or “Tarifa Oficial”
- Italian: “Tariffa Base” or “Tariffa Piena”
- French: “Tarif Public” or “Tarif Officiel”
- German: “Listenpreis” or “Standardpreis”
- Chinese: “标准价格” (Biāozhǔn jiàgé)
- Hindi: “रैक रेट” (Raik reṭa)
- Japanese: “ラックレート” (Rakku rēto)
- Arabic: “السعر الأساسي” (Alssier al’aasasi)
- Russian: “Базовая ставка” (Bazovaya stavka)
