TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

In this article, you can find out all about the functionalities and abilities you have while performing a hotel search. We will explain to you how you can use our system in the best possible way, and what can you achieve and expect.


Fields on the Booking Engine

Once the hotel's module is activated, you will have (depending on which other modules you are using) the Hotel icon in a row with the rest (Air, Car, Train): 


Image 1. Hotel module


Name of the trip


You can enable or disable this field. It doesn't mandatory need to be visible on the search page. It is a free text box, and if it is visible on the search engine it is mandatory to be full-field in order to perform a search.


Image 2. Name of the Trip


Info:  Here you can read more about how to disable Trip Name from the booking engine:https://support.thomalex.com/a/solutions/articles/6000082568


Select Trip Reason


Assuming that you disabled the Trip Name, now you will only be left with the Select Trip Reason option:


Image 3. Select Trip Reason

If the Trip reason wasn't deleted or disabled, it is mandatory in order to do the search. It is in the form of a list, and you need to choose one of the list items (if you added multiple). If not, the system will by default, add the Business as Trip Reason. 


Info: Read about the Trip Reason and it functionality on: https://support.thomalex.com/a/solutions/articles/60000825685


Basic search flow

First, you will need to define the destination-Check-in Location. The system will give you the dropdown list as you start typing one letter:


Image 4. Hotel search/Check-in Location


Note: Be aware that results are depenfing on Geolocation and radius selected in Travel Group Settings.


Once you click on the Check-in Date (and Check-out date), the system will automatically show the calendar so you can choose the month and date:


Image 5. Check-in Date


We have 2 types of search: 

  1. Multiroom
  2. one room


No of Rooms


You have the option to add in the initial search up to 4 rooms:


Image 6. No of rooms


If we select that we want in this case, 2 rooms to search, an additional field for choosing the number of Adults/Childs will appear. You can add up to 9 adults and children to one room:


Image 7. Multiroom


Guests


Choose the location from the dropdown menu when you start typing (on Platform or Widget) and specify the time, date, and number of guests:


Image 8. Multiroom and guests


Note: In multiroom search you can add and book up to 4 rooms and you have the possibility to determine the number of people in the room as well as which guests will be in which room. It is only possible to specify number of rooms on platform (not on widget)


Note: The possibillity to search and book multiroom depends on website setup and hotel provider. Agency decides if this option will be enabled on the website.


You can add up to 9 guests in one search, and up to 9 children in one request. 

The children are considered all guests ages 0-17.


When you choose a location, time/date, and the number of guests you can start your search. 


You will get the results for the wanted location and on the result page besides general information (Hotel name, Star rating, Address, Price and etc.) you will also be able to see the distance. Distance is calculated from the center of the location.


In general, the flow for one-room search and multi-room are the same. The main difference is when you are in the shopping cart. The result page will load and you will be able to see the filters on the left side:


Image 9. Result page


Filters

You can use the filter box if you want to sort or filter results. 


Sort results by -When you click on the option, the dropdown menu will appear. You can specify how you want to sort the results.

You will have the option (and it is by default sorted) by price (cheapest/highest), by stars, and by hotel name. 


Image 10. Sort by option


Star rating- The system will allow you to check multiple stars you want to search for. 

From No Rating up to 5, you can specify do you want to have in the results for example only hotels with 4 and 5*:


Image 11. Star rating


Below the star rating, we have the option to search the hotel by name. 

You will have a field where you can put the hotel name and just search for it.


Price per night-that The system will automatically create the slider from the cheapest hotel to the highest and allow you to specify the value and price cap so that only hotels that are in that range appear in the results.


Chains- You will have the list of the chains that we received from the provider, therefore, you can specify if you want to include only some of them in the results and filter the results. 


Hotel amenities- The list of information and amenities that we receive from the provider, we put in the filter box and allow you to check which amenities you want to contain in the hotel you are searching for.


Image 12. Price per night, chains, amenities


Adding a room to the shopping cart

 Once you choose the hotel which you want to check/book, the system will list the available rooms with information (amenities, address, images).


Image 13. Available rooms for the selected hotel


For each room, you will have the category, number of beds, and rooms, same as bed type.

Guest will be able to check the cancellation policy and description for each room. To add the room to the shopping cart, you will need to click on the blue book now button and the system will redirect you:


Image 14. Adding a room to the shopping cart


Once you are in the shopping cart, below the information about the hotel and room you have chosen, will be the form where you will need to insert information about the guest:


Image 15. Shopping cart


In case where we have a multiroom search, you will be able to see the Room schedule section:


Image 16. Room Schedule


In this section, you are able to connect each guest to the specific room you want. In this case, we have 2 adults and 2 rooms, which means that you can specify which guest will be in Room 1 and which in Room 2.


Once you are finished with inserting information about the guests, you will have the preview of price details for both rooms:


Image 17. Price details/Payment options


Depending on the payment options enabled by the agency, the last thing left for you to do in order to finish the booking is to insert your credit card information or check the desired payment option and confirm it.


The system will then generate the PNR and the booking is done:


Image 18. Thank you page-generated PNR


The confirmation email will be sent to email address from the shopping cart, and the Agency will also receive the same email. In case where there is a multiroom reservation, in the hotel description on the email, you will be able to see the number of booked rooms:


Image 19. Itinerary for confirmed booking