Grand reception at small hotel a novelty (10)
I believe the answer is:
innovation
'a novelty' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'grand reception at small hotel' is the wordplay.
'grand reception' becomes 'ovation' (I have seen 'Enthusiastic reception' mean 'ovation' so perhaps 'reception' could also mean 'ovation'. I am not sure about the 'grand' bit.).
'at' means one lot of letters go next to another (I've seen this in other clues).
'small hotel' becomes 'inn' (I've seen this in another clue).
'ovation' put after 'inn' is 'INNOVATION'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for innovation that I've seen before include "New product" , "Something introduced as a novelty" , "New idea" , "What's new" , "Something new" .)