CHA Practice Test

The Certified Hotel Administrator credential is aimed at general managers, owners and multi-property executives in lodging. This page collects free practice sets by topic, three worked questions with full explanations, a study plan and the exam facts published by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, such as format, time allowed and passing score.

CHA Exam at a Glance

What the CHA is and how it works

According to American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, “General Manager, Owner/Operator in a lodging hospitality company, or corporate executive at a lodging hospitality company responsible for the operation of two or more properties.”^[1]

The CHA is a credential from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) for senior lodging leaders. According to AHLEI, eligible candidates are a General Manager, an Owner/Operator in a lodging company, or a corporate executive responsible for the operation of multiple properties. An Assistant General Manager or Director of Operations can also qualify after completing the CRDE, and the requirement is 2 years in position.

The exam is proctored and uses the ExamFlex model, which means you choose a print or online exam when the exam is administered, not when you buy it. It has 200 questions and a time allowance of 4 hours. The passing score is 70%. For online sessions, results and certificates are available within minutes of the session ending.

The listed price is $800, which covers the Smart Study Modules, the ExamFlex exam and the application. If you need another attempt, up to 2 retake purchases are allowed within 1 year of application approval.

Once earned, the designation needs 60 recertification points every 5 years. Fees, eligibility wording and policies can change, so check the AHLEI pages before you apply. Our practice sets are written by us as study aids and are not real exam questions.

Worked examples: how to reason through CHA questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is the primary goal of guest services in a hotel?

1. To increase operational costs
2. To enhance guest experience and satisfaction
3. To reduce guest interactions
4. To limit service availability

Answer: B. To enhance guest experience and satisfaction

Explanation:

The correct answer is that guest services exist to enhance guest experience and satisfaction. Everything a guest services team does, from handling requests to resolving complaints, is aimed at making the stay comfortable and encouraging the guest to return.

Increasing operational costs is wrong because cost is a constraint the team manages, not a goal. Reducing guest interactions is wrong because guest services depends on attentive contact and early problem resolution. Limiting service availability is wrong because it works against responsiveness and would lower satisfaction.

The rule to remember: when an option describes what the guest feels or receives, and the others describe cutting service or adding cost, the guest-focused option is almost always the stated purpose of the function.

Example 2

Question: What is the primary purpose of a 'room pickup' report in group event management?

1. To track how many contracted room nights the group has actually booked versus the block
2. To summarize post-event guest satisfaction scores
3. To document all food and beverage consumption during the event
4. To reconcile audiovisual charges against the master folio

Answer: A. To track how many contracted room nights the group has actually booked versus the block

Explanation:

A room pickup report tracks how many contracted room nights the group has actually booked against the block the hotel set aside. That comparison lets the sales and revenue teams see whether the group is on pace and whether attrition clauses may come into play.

Post-event satisfaction scores are wrong because they measure the guest's opinion after the event, not reservations. Food and beverage consumption is wrong because that is tracked through banquet event orders and checks, not room bookings. Reconciling audiovisual charges against the master folio is a billing task, separate from monitoring the block.

The rule to remember: pickup is about rooms booked versus rooms committed, and it is reviewed before the event so the hotel can act on any shortfall or release unused inventory.

Example 3

Question: PCI-DSS compliance is required in hotel operations to:

1. Satisfy hotel brand standards for all franchised properties
2. Protect cardholder data from breaches and ensure secure handling of payment card transactions
3. Enable international credit card acceptance in all markets
4. Comply with AHLEI certification requirements

Answer: B. Protect cardholder data from breaches and ensure secure handling of payment card transactions

Explanation:

PCI-DSS is required to protect cardholder data and to ensure payment card transactions are handled securely. Hotels store and process card details at reservation, check-in and the folio, so a breach exposes guests and the property to fraud and liability.

Satisfying brand standards is wrong because the requirement comes from the payment card industry, and it applies whether or not a hotel is franchised. Enabling international card acceptance is wrong because acceptance depends on processor and acquirer arrangements, not on this standard. Complying with AHLEI certification requirements is wrong because AHLEI does not set payment security rules.

The rule to remember: a security standard exists to reduce risk to data, not to add a business capability or satisfy a certifying body.

How to use these practice tests

Start by reading the official AHLEI study material and noting which topics feel unfamiliar. Candidates are often experienced operators, so gaps tend to sit outside their home department, for example a general manager with a rooms background who has little finance or legal exposure.

Take a short diagnostic across the practice sets and record your results by topic. Then work the weak topics first, such as Financial Planning and Revenue Optimization, Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management and Human Resources. For every miss, write down why the right answer is right and why your choice failed, then go back to the study modules and read that section again.

Mix in the operational sets, including Food and Beverage Operations and Housekeeping and Facilities Management, so that recall stays broad. Also practise Strategic Planning and Leadership, since scenario questions reward judgment more than memory.

In the final days, sit a long mixed session in a single block to rehearse the 4 hour exam length. Decide in advance whether you will take the print or online version, and review the AHLEI instructions for test day.

Sources & last verified

1. American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute — number of questions, time limit, exam fee, passing score (official source). “# Questions 200” Verified Oct 20, 2026.
2. ahlei.org — validity, renewal (official source). “The following recertification points are required within 5 years of the date you earned your designation and every 5 years thereafter:” Verified Oct 20, 2026.
3. ahlei.servsafebrands.com — delivery, score release (official source). “With ExamFlex you have the flexibility to choose a print or online exam at the time the exam is administered, instead of doing so at…” Verified Oct 20, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.