Hotel and hostel guest register: what to record for every guest
The details a guest register should hold, why CNIC matters, and how to keep it ready when police or the owner ask for it.
Munshi Team · 07 Oct 2026 · 2 min read
Every hotel, guest house and hostel in Pakistan keeps a guest register. Local police often ask to see it, and on a busy night it is also the only record of who is in which room.
What to record
- Guest's full name and father's name
- CNIC number (or passport for foreign guests)
- Mobile number
- Permanent address and city
- Room number and number of guests
- Check-in date and time
- Expected and actual check-out
- Purpose of visit
- Vehicle number, if they parked one
- For hostel students: a guardian's name and phone
Why CNIC matters
It is the one detail that identifies the guest reliably, and it lets you recognise a returning guest. Check the card against the person, and keep a copy if your policy allows it.
Keeping it ready
A register is only useful if it is complete and easy to read. Write it at check-in, not at the end of the shift. Keep one line per stay, in date order, so a whole month can be printed or handed over quickly.
Beyond the register
The same details give you the guest's bill, their advance and what they still owe, and for a hostel, who hasn't paid this month's rent.
Munshi's hotel and hostel software takes these details at check-in, finds returning guests by CNIC, and prints the guest register by date whenever it's needed.
Try it free in your own shop
Start with your mobile number. No card, no installation.