diff --git a/test/check-room-metadata.mjs b/test/check-room-metadata.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d2249d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/check-room-metadata.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import * as assert from 'node:assert';
+import { initTestEnv } from './init-test-env.mjs';
+import { getEnvKey, setEnvKey } from '../tools/lib/envkeys.mjs';
+import { fetchProject } from '../tools/lib/project.mjs';
+
+async function fetchTestProject() {
+  const project = await fetchProject(
+    await getEnvKey('PROJECT_OWNER'),
+    await getEnvKey('PROJECT_NUMBER'));
+  return project;
+}
+
+function assertRoom(project, name, metadata) {
+  const room = project.rooms.find(r => r.name === name);
+  assert.ok(room, `Room "${name}" not found in project`);
+  const roomCopy = Object.assign({}, room);
+  if (roomCopy.id) {
+    delete roomCopy.id;
+  }
+  const metadataCopy = Object.assign({}, metadata);
+  metadataCopy.name = metadata.name ?? name;
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(roomCopy, metadataCopy);
+}
+
+describe('The room definition', function () {
+  before(function () {
+    initTestEnv();
+    setEnvKey('PROJECT_NUMBER', 'room-metadata');
+    setEnvKey('ISSUE_TEMPLATE', 'test/data/template-breakout.yml');
+  });
+
+  it('may be just a name', async function () {
+    const project = await fetchTestProject();
+    const name = 'Just a room';
+    assertRoom(project, name, {
+      label: name,
+      location: '',
+      capacity: 30,
+      vip: false
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('may inline room information in the name', async function () {
+    const project = await fetchTestProject();
+    const name = 'Inline (75 - basement) (VIP)';
+    assertRoom(project, name, {
+      label: 'Inline',
+      capacity: 75,
+      location: 'basement',
+      vip: true
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('may contain VIP info in the description', async function () {
+    const project = await fetchTestProject();
+    const name = 'VIP room';
+    assertRoom(project, name, {
+      label: name,
+      location: '',
+      capacity: 25,
+      vip: true
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('may contain additional metadata in the description', async function () {
+    const project = await fetchTestProject();
+    const name = 'In the back';
+    assertRoom(project, name, {
+      label: name,
+      location: '2nd floor',
+      capacity: 40,
+      vip: false,
+      type: 'backroom'
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('may contain invalid metadata in the description', async function () {
+    const project = await fetchTestProject();
+    const name = 'Weird';
+    assertRoom(project, name, {
+      label: name,
+      location: 'somewhere',
+      capacity: 30,
+      vip: false
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('may define metadata inline and in the description', async function () {
+    const project = await fetchTestProject();
+    const name = 'Hybrid (42)';
+    assertRoom(project, name, {
+      label: 'Hybrid',
+      location: 'on ze web',
+      capacity: 42,
+      vip: false
+    });
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/data/room-metadata.mjs b/test/data/room-metadata.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..170315f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/room-metadata.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+export default {
+  description: 'meeting: Validation of room metadata, timezone: Etc/UTC',
+
+  days: [
+    '2042-04-05'
+  ],
+
+  slots: [
+    '9:00 - 10:00',
+    '10:00 - 11:00'
+  ],
+
+  rooms: [
+    'Just a room',
+    'Inline (75 - basement) (VIP)',
+    {
+      name: 'VIP room',
+      description: `
+- capacity: 25
+- vip: true
+`
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'In the back',
+      description: `
+* location: 2nd floor
+* capacity: 40
+* vip: false
+* type: backroom`
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'Weird',
+      description: `
+-
+- yes
+- location: somewhere`
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'Hybrid (42)',
+      description: `capacity: 35
+location: on ze web`
+    }
+  ],
+
+  sessions: [
+  ]
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/stubs.mjs b/test/stubs.mjs
index 6ba42f0..f643186 100644
--- a/test/stubs.mjs
+++ b/test/stubs.mjs
@@ -39,7 +39,21 @@ async function getTestData(testDataId) {
   }
 
   function toGraphQLNameList(arr) {
-    return arr.map(name => Object.assign({ id: `id_${uid++}`, name }));
+    return arr.map(item => {
+      if (typeof item === 'string') {
+        return {
+          id: `id_${uid++}`,
+          name: item
+        };
+      }
+      else {
+        return {
+          id: `id_${uid++}`,
+          name: item.name,
+          description: item.description
+        };
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   function toGraphQLAuthor(login) {
diff --git a/tools/lib/project.mjs b/tools/lib/project.mjs
index 2d7c0fa..46c34a5 100644
--- a/tools/lib/project.mjs
+++ b/tools/lib/project.mjs
@@ -557,7 +557,6 @@ export async function fetchProject(login, id) {
               ... on ProjectV2SingleSelectFieldOption {
                 id
                 name
-                description
               }
             }
           }
@@ -579,7 +578,6 @@ export async function fetchProject(login, id) {
               ... on ProjectV2SingleSelectFieldOption {
                 id
                 name
-                description
               }
             }
           }
@@ -762,10 +760,10 @@ export async function fetchProject(login, id) {
     metadata: parseProjectDescription(project.shortDescription),
 
     // List of rooms. For each of them, we return the exact name of the option
-    // for the "Room" custom field in the project (which includes all info),
-    // the actual room label, the room's capacity in number of seats, the
-    // location of the room, and the possible "vip" flag.
-    // The room's full name should follow the pattern:
+    // for the "Room" custom field in the project. If the exact name can be
+    // split into a room label, capacity in number of seats, location, and the
+    // possible "vip" flag, then that information is used to initialize the
+    // room's metadata. The room's full name should follow the pattern:
     //   "label (xx - location) (vip)"
     // Examples:
     //  Catalina (25)
@@ -774,18 +772,31 @@ export async function fetchProject(login, id) {
     //  Business (vip)
     //  Small (15)
     //  Plenary (150 - 18th floor) (vip)
+    // The exact same information can be provided using actual metadata in the
+    // description of the room, given as a list of key/value pairs such as:
+    // - capacity: 40
+    // - location: 2nd floor
+    // Possible metadata keys are expected to evolve over time. If the
+    // information is duplicated in the room name and in metadata, the
+    // information in the room name will be used
     roomsFieldId: rooms.id,
     rooms: rooms.options.map(room => {
+      const metadata = {};
+      (room.description ?? '')
+        .split(/\n/)
+        .map(line => line.trim().replace(/^[*\-] /, '').split(/:\s*/))
+        .filter(data => data[0] && data[1])
+        .filter(data => data[0].toLowerCase() !== 'capacity' || data[1]?.match(/^\d+$/))
+        .forEach(data => metadata[data[0].toLowerCase()] = data[1]);
       const match = room.name.match(/^(.*?)(?:\s*\((\d+)\s*(?:\-\s*([^\)]+))?\))?(?:\s*\((vip)\))?$/i);
-      return {
+      return Object.assign(metadata, {
         id: room.id,
         name: match[0],
         label: match[1],
-        location: match[3] ?? '',
-        capacity: parseInt(match[2] ?? '30', 10),
-        vip: !!match[4],
-        description: room.description
-      };
+        location: match[3] ?? metadata.location ?? '',
+        capacity: parseInt(match[2] ?? metadata.capacity ?? '30', 10),
+        vip: !!match[4] || (metadata.vip === 'true')
+      });
     }),
 
     // IDs of custom fields used to store validation problems