Hotel Rate Plans Explained: EP, CP, MAP, AP Full Forms & Meanings

When booking a hotel in India or anywhere in the world, you'll come across terms like EP, CP, MAP, and AP. These are meal plan codes that tell you exactly what's included in your room rate. Understanding these plans helps you compare prices accurately and avoid surprises at checkout.

Whether you're a traveler trying to understand your booking or a hotelier setting up rate plans, this guide covers everything you need to know about hotel meal plans.

What is a Hotel Rate Plan?

A rate plan (also called a meal plan) defines what's included in your hotel room price beyond just the accommodation. The main difference between plans is the number of meals included.

Hotels use these standardized codes so guests can easily compare offerings across different properties. The same codes are used worldwide, though some regions prefer alternative names.

The Four Main Hotel Rate Plans

Complete Comparison: EP vs CP vs MAP vs AP

Plan	Full Form	Meals Included	Best For	Price Range
EP	European Plan	None	Budget travelers, food explorers	Lowest
CP	Continental Plan	Breakfast	Business trips, short stays	Low-Medium
MAP	Modified American Plan	Breakfast + Dinner	Resorts, family vacations	Medium-High
AP	American Plan	All 3 Meals	All-inclusive stays, remote hotels	Highest

Indian Variants: EPAI, CPAI, MAPAI, APAI

In India, you'll often see rate plans with an "AI" or "I" suffix. This stands for "All Indian" or simply "Indian", indicating that the meals are Indian cuisine (typically a buffet with North and South Indian options).

Plan	Meaning	What's Different
EPAI	European Plan All Indian	Room only (same as EP)
CPAI	Continental Plan All Indian	Indian breakfast buffet (idli, dosa, paratha, poha, etc.)
MAPAI	Modified American Plan All Indian	Indian breakfast + Indian dinner buffet
APAI	American Plan All Indian	All Indian meals throughout the day

International Equivalents

When booking international hotels (especially in Europe), you might see different terms for the same concepts:

Indian Term	International Term	Common In
EP	RO (Room Only)	Booking.com, Expedia
CP	BB (Bed & Breakfast)	UK, Europe
MAP	HB (Half Board)	Europe, Cruise ships
AP	FB (Full Board)	Resorts, International hotels

Which Rate Plan Should You Choose?

Choose EP (Room Only) If:

• You want to explore local restaurants and street food
• You're on a tight budget and prefer eating outside
• You have specific dietary requirements not easily met by hotel buffets
• You're staying in a city with great food options nearby

Choose CP (Breakfast Included) If:

• You want a hassle-free start to your day
• You're on a business trip with morning meetings
• You're traveling with family and want convenience
• You prefer flexibility for lunch and dinner plans

Choose MAP (Breakfast + Dinner) If:

• You're staying at a resort or hill station
• Limited dining options exist near the hotel
• You want to relax without worrying about dinner plans
• You're on a family vacation and want predictable meal times

Choose AP (All Meals) If:

• You're at an all-inclusive resort
• The hotel is in a remote location with no nearby restaurants
• You want complete relaxation without leaving the property
• You're traveling with kids and prefer set meal times

Tips for Hoteliers: Setting Up Rate Plans

Best Practices:

1. Always offer EP as base: Let guests add meals if they want. This gives you the lowest visible price for OTA comparisons.
2. Price meals attractively in bundles: If breakfast costs ₹500 walk-in, offer CP at ₹400 extra to incentivize booking with meals.
3. Use MAP for resort properties: It encourages on-property dining and increases F&B revenue.
4. Seasonal adjustments: During peak season, push AP/MAP plans. During lean season, focus on EP to attract price-sensitive guests.
5. Clear naming on OTAs: Use full descriptions like "Room Only (EP)" rather than just codes to avoid guest confusion.

Frequently Asked Questions