Incidentals
Extra on-site charges such as minibar, parking or room service, billed separately from the room. These are personal charges incurred during the stay that fall outside the negotiated room rate, and are usually settled directly by the traveller or their corporate card. Because incidentals vary trip to trip, they're typically tracked and reimbursed through the expense process rather than the original booking.
Typical incidentals include minibar items, room service, restaurant and bar bills charged to the room, laundry, parking, spa services, in-room entertainment and telephone calls. Hotels usually take a card guarantee or deposit at check-in to cover these charges, even when the room itself has been prepaid by the company. At check-out, the guest receives a separate folio showing any extra charges incurred during the stay. If the company has arranged direct billing, the folio shows which charges have been sent to the company and which remain the traveller's responsibility.
Companies usually decide which incidentals are business expenses and which are personal. Parking, laundry on longer trips and business meals may be reimbursable, while minibar, entertainment and personal services are generally not. Some companies cover meals through a daily allowance instead of reimbursing individual items. Clear rules in the travel and expense policy help employees know what they can claim, and help finance teams process expense reports consistently. Incidental charges should be recorded against the correct trip and cost centre so that the full cost of each stay is visible.
Tumodo helps companies keep on-trip spending under control. Meal plans can be chosen at the time of booking, and the travel policy can define which room rates with or without meals are allowed. Employees can scan paper receipts directly in the mobile app, where they are added to the trip documents instantly, and automated daily allowance calculations can be applied when a travel expense report is created. All documents stay linked to the trip for the finance team.