How to write a hotel receipt in Nigeria
· LodgeDesk Team · 6 minutes
A receipt is proof that a guest has paid you. It protects you if a guest later disputes a payment, it helps guests claim their stay from their employer, and it keeps your own records straight. Yet many hotels, lodges and shortlets still hand over a scribbled note or a screenshot of a bank alert.
This guide covers what a proper receipt should include, the mistakes that cause problems, and a simple example you can follow.
Invoice or receipt: what's the difference?
- An invoice tells the guest what they owe. You send it before payment.
- A receipt confirms what they have paid. You issue it after payment.
If a guest pays a deposit first and the balance later, give a receipt for each payment, or one receipt that shows both payments and a zero balance.
What to include on a hotel receipt
1. Your business details
- Business name, exactly as registered
- Address of the property where the guest stayed
- Phone number and email
- Your logo, if you have one
- RC or BN number, if registered with the CAC
2. A unique receipt number
Every receipt needs its own number, such as RCT-0042, and no two should ever share one. This makes it easy to find a payment later and shows the guest you keep proper records.
3. Date of payment
The date the money was received, not the date of check-in.
4. Guest details
- Full name
- Phone number
- Company or organisation name, if the guest is travelling for work
5. What the payment was for
- Room type or apartment name
- Check-in and check-out dates
- Number of nights
- Nightly rate
- Any extras, listed separately: airport pickup, laundry, extra bed, late checkout, meals
6. Taxes, if they apply
If your business is registered for VAT, show VAT as its own line. Some states also charge a consumption or hotel occupancy tax on accommodation. Rules and rates vary by state and by the size of your business, so check with your accountant or the state revenue service which apply to you, and show each one separately.
7. Totals and payment
- Subtotal
- Discount, if any
- Taxes
- Total amount
- Amount paid on this receipt
- Balance remaining (ideally ₦0)
8. How the guest paid
Bank transfer, POS, cash or card, plus the reference number. For transfers, use the reference from your own bank statement, not the guest's screenshot.
9. Caution deposit, if you took one
Show it as a separate line, clearly marked as refundable, so the guest knows it is not part of the room charge.
10. Who issued it
The name of the staff member who received the payment, and a signature or stamp on paper receipts.
An example hotel receipt
Garden Wing Suites 12 Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos · 0801 234 5678
RECEIPT RCT-0042 · 14 Nov 2026
Guest: Amaka Eze · 0803 000 0000 Company: Northbridge Consulting Ltd
Deluxe Room · 12 Nov to 14 Nov 2026 · 2 nights × ₦35,000 = ₦70,000 Airport pickup = ₦15,000
Total: ₦85,000 Paid today: ₦85,000 · Bank transfer · Ref 000013261114 Balance: ₦0
Received by: Tunde, Front Desk
Common mistakes to avoid
Accepting a screenshot as proof of payment. Fake bank alerts and edited screenshots are common. Only issue a receipt after you have seen the money in your own bank app or statement.
Reusing receipt numbers. Duplicate numbers make it impossible to trace payments and look unprofessional to corporate guests.
Mixing the caution deposit into the total. If a refundable deposit is lumped into the room price, refunds become confusing and disputes are more likely.
Leaving out the dates. A receipt for "accommodation" with no dates is useless to a guest claiming expenses, and to you if there's a dispute later.
Writing "N" instead of "₦". It looks careless. Write amounts as ₦40,000, with a comma and no decimals.
Paper or digital?
Paper receipt books still work, but they get lost, damaged and are hard to search. A digital receipt can be sent on WhatsApp in seconds, stays in your records forever and is easy to find when a guest calls six months later asking for a copy.
LodgeDesk creates numbered receipts automatically when you record a payment, with your logo, the guest's details, every line item and the balance. You can send them on WhatsApp or download a PDF. Try it free for 4 days, or use our free receipt generator for a one-off receipt.