Comp Ratio

What is a comp ratio in a hotel contract?

The formula that determines how many complimentary rooms a group earns from paid room night pickup, most commonly expressed as "1 per 40" — one free room night for every 40 picked up — or "1 per 50." The comp ratio is a standard contract concession and is usually calculated on cumulative room nights across the whole block, not per night. A more favorable ratio, such as 1 per 35 instead of 1 per 45, meaningfully lowers your effective cost, which makes it a common negotiation lever. Because comps are earned on actual pickup, a weak block yields fewer of them. Always confirm whether the ratio counts all room nights or only revenue-generating ones, and reconcile the comps you earned against the final pickup report.

Related Terms

Comp RoomConcessionsPickupRoom NightPickup Report

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Hotel comp rooms explainedHow comp rooms are earned, counted and credited, with the ratios and restrictions worth negotiating.Open →Comp room calculatorEnter your pickup and your ratio to see the comps you earn and what they are worth. Free, no email required.Open →

Comp Ratio: common questions

The questions people ask most about comp ratio, answered.

Is a comp ratio calculated cumulatively or per night?
Usually cumulatively, and that is the better basis for a group. A cumulative ratio adds every picked-up room night across the whole block and divides once, so a strong peak night carries a soft shoulder. A per-night ratio applies the divisor to each date on its own, which means a night that falls below the ratio earns nothing and the surplus on a strong night does not carry forward. On a block with uneven pickup the same room nights can earn noticeably fewer comps per night than cumulatively, so get the basis written into the contract rather than assumed.
Do all room nights count toward the comp ratio?
Not always. Most contracts count actualized, revenue-generating room nights — rooms someone paid for and slept in. The comped nights themselves usually do not count toward earning more, and staff rooms at a reduced or zero rate, no-shows, and rooms booked outside the block are all commonly excluded. Ask which room nights count before you sign, and reconcile the comps you earned against the final pickup report rather than the rooming list.

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