The lowest unrestricted rate available to the general public for a specific date, room type, and occupancy - the baseline for hotel pricing.
The Best Available Rate (BAR) is the lowest non-restricted, publicly available rate that a hotel offers for a given date, room type, and occupancy. BAR serves as the foundational rate from which other rate plans are derived - corporate rates, package rates, and promotional offers are typically calculated as discounts or additions relative to BAR. Unlike restricted rates, BAR usually has no advance purchase requirements, minimum stay rules, or cancellation penalties beyond the standard policy.
BAR is the cornerstone of a hotel's pricing strategy. It sets the benchmark that all other rates reference and is the rate most commonly displayed on OTAs and direct booking channels. Effective BAR management through dynamic pricing ensures hotels maximize revenue - setting rates too high loses bookings to competitors, while setting them too low leaves money on the table. BAR also plays a central role in rate parity compliance across distribution channels.
