Channel manager settings guide
Successful hotel work always begins with the correct channel manager account setup. To start using OTA Gateway fast, please follow the 10 steps below.
1. Settings > Hotel
All the hotel data from this tab will be displayed on booking engine on the hotel's website (if it's working).
Also, hotel can upload logo and specify e-mail addresses for notifications from channel manager (you can also add your company e-mail and receive notification copies of your customers). What type of notifications will be sent? For example notifications about new bookings, notifications about OTA channels if hotel should map any new room types or rate plans.
2. Settings > Room Types
Hotel should create all the room types that are available in the hotel and accomodation options.
Accommodation options can be used when the same room can be sold with another price for another number of persons.
For example, Standard double room is accommodation type for 2 pax with the default price 100 Euros per night
Standard double room for single use is an accommodation option for the came room. For one pax it will cost 80 Euros per night.
If extra bed is available in the same room, hotel can create an accomodation type for three pax and sell it on the OTAs as well.
Rooms availability for accommodation type and it's accommodation options is the same.Pay attention that every room type and accommodation option has "Play" and "Pause" buttons for Booking engine and for OTA's. Using this buttons hotel can stop or resume direct or OTA sales fast.
3. Settings > Extra services (if needed for booking engine)
Here we can create all the hotel extra services that hotels would like to sell via booking engine on the website.
It can be transfers, any tickets, excursions, bike rental etc
4. Settings > Users (if needed for multiple login)
In this section hotel can create the separate credentials for each employee. It han help in the future for example in checking the change logs.
5. Create a rate plans
Hotel should create all the rate plans that will be available via OTAs and booking engine on the website.
Rate plan can be Parent or Dependent.
Parent rate can be managed manually (rates, restrictions) or via API connection.
Dependent rate prices will automatically recalculated from the Parent one. But if it's necessary, hotel also can change these recalculated prices and these manually changed prices will not be recalculated automatically again. Pay attention that every rate plan has "Play" and "Pause" buttons for Booking engine and for OTA's. Using this buttons hotel can stop or resume rate plan direct or OTA sales fast.
RestrictionsEvery rate plan has its own restrictions. It can be used by the hotel for some reasons, for example if hotel would like to close any dates for arrival or departure or create a holiday package for minimum 2 or 3 nights to stay.
OTA Gateway supports the restrictions listed below:
6. Update availability
To update an availability hotel can use the Bulk availability update tool. It can be found inside any rate plan. Just go to the rate plan list and click "Edit" button (pencil icon)
7. Connect OTA channels
To connect OTA you should proceed to Tools > Online sales management > Add sales channel
For every sales channel we have short step-by-step instruction how to connect.
For Booking.com hotel can also create an account directly from our channel manager. It will let the hotel start sales fast because there is no need do wait for the confirmation letter from Booking.com
8. Ical
Ical tool is using for those OTA channels that don't support XML connection.
Ical links send to OTAs only closed and open dates to book, but not rates and availability.
To get Ical links please proceed to Tools > Online sales management > Ical > Edit
9. Tasks
Tasks Tab can be used for fast reservation search using guest name, OTA reservation number etc Also there hotel can find the list of new and cancelled reservations.
10. Booking engine
Booking engine design could be fast and simply decorated with the colours that are similar to hotel's website colours.
To find decoration tab please proceed to Tools > Online sales management > Online booking engine > Decoration
1. Settings > Hotel
All the hotel data from this tab will be displayed on booking engine on the hotel's website (if it's working).
Also, hotel can upload logo and specify e-mail addresses for notifications from channel manager (you can also add your company e-mail and receive notification copies of your customers). What type of notifications will be sent? For example notifications about new bookings, notifications about OTA channels if hotel should map any new room types or rate plans.
2. Settings > Room Types
Hotel should create all the room types that are available in the hotel and accomodation options.
Accommodation options can be used when the same room can be sold with another price for another number of persons.
For example, Standard double room is accommodation type for 2 pax with the default price 100 Euros per night
Standard double room for single use is an accommodation option for the came room. For one pax it will cost 80 Euros per night.
If extra bed is available in the same room, hotel can create an accomodation type for three pax and sell it on the OTAs as well.
Rooms availability for accommodation type and it's accommodation options is the same.Pay attention that every room type and accommodation option has "Play" and "Pause" buttons for Booking engine and for OTA's. Using this buttons hotel can stop or resume direct or OTA sales fast.
3. Settings > Extra services (if needed for booking engine)
Here we can create all the hotel extra services that hotels would like to sell via booking engine on the website.
It can be transfers, any tickets, excursions, bike rental etc
4. Settings > Users (if needed for multiple login)
In this section hotel can create the separate credentials for each employee. It han help in the future for example in checking the change logs.
5. Create a rate plans
Hotel should create all the rate plans that will be available via OTAs and booking engine on the website.
Rate plan can be Parent or Dependent.
Parent rate can be managed manually (rates, restrictions) or via API connection.
Dependent rate prices will automatically recalculated from the Parent one. But if it's necessary, hotel also can change these recalculated prices and these manually changed prices will not be recalculated automatically again. Pay attention that every rate plan has "Play" and "Pause" buttons for Booking engine and for OTA's. Using this buttons hotel can stop or resume rate plan direct or OTA sales fast.
RestrictionsEvery rate plan has its own restrictions. It can be used by the hotel for some reasons, for example if hotel would like to close any dates for arrival or departure or create a holiday package for minimum 2 or 3 nights to stay.
OTA Gateway supports the restrictions listed below:
- Closed sales
- Min stay - minimum number of nights to stay (including this date)
- Min stay arrival - minimum number of nights to stay (starting from this date)
- Max stay - maximum number of nights to stay
- Closed arrival - guests can't check in in this date
- Closed departure - guests can't check out in this date
6. Update availability
To update an availability hotel can use the Bulk availability update tool. It can be found inside any rate plan. Just go to the rate plan list and click "Edit" button (pencil icon)
7. Connect OTA channels
To connect OTA you should proceed to Tools > Online sales management > Add sales channel
For every sales channel we have short step-by-step instruction how to connect.
For Booking.com hotel can also create an account directly from our channel manager. It will let the hotel start sales fast because there is no need do wait for the confirmation letter from Booking.com
8. Ical
Ical tool is using for those OTA channels that don't support XML connection.
Ical links send to OTAs only closed and open dates to book, but not rates and availability.
To get Ical links please proceed to Tools > Online sales management > Ical > Edit
9. Tasks
Tasks Tab can be used for fast reservation search using guest name, OTA reservation number etc Also there hotel can find the list of new and cancelled reservations.
10. Booking engine
Booking engine design could be fast and simply decorated with the colours that are similar to hotel's website colours.
To find decoration tab please proceed to Tools > Online sales management > Online booking engine > Decoration
For more information or if you need an advice how to make some special integrations, please contact me directly yana.p@otagateway.com
See you soon!
See you soon!
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