How office hoteling works
An employee chooses a location, date and available workspace, makes a reservation and follows the office’s arrival and cancellation rules. When the reservation ends, the workspace returns to the shared pool.
Office hoteling versus hot desking
Hot desking is the broader practice of sharing desks instead of assigning every employee a permanent seat. Some workplaces use first-come seating; others require reservations. Hoteling specifically emphasises booking in advance, so the two terms can overlap.
A simple example
In a fictional office, an employee reserves a desk near their project team for Tuesday. A different colleague uses the same desk on Wednesday. Neither has a permanent claim on it.
What makes it work?
Clear booking windows, suitable equipment, cancellation rules and a way to find colleagues make the model easier to use. Size the desk pool around peak attendance and specific workspace needs, rather than headcount alone.
Read the hot desking versus office hoteling guide or explore desk-booking software.