Preparing a property to be open / bookable

To prepare a property to be open so that it is ready for guests to book involves multiple steps. You cannot open a property for stays unless the property has all the minimum requirements defined.

Use the OTA_HotelSummaryNotif endpoint to check whether the property created in Booking.com has all the necessary content ready to accept reservations from guests. If the property clears all the checks, then you can set the property to open and bookable.

You can perform the following tasks using the OTA_HotelSummaryNotif endpoint:

• Check whether the property has all the necessary content required to become open and bookable.
• Change the status of the property to Open and bookable.
• Change the status of the property to be Closed.

Getting ready to open a property for stays

Depending on the property type you want to create, you must use multiple endpoints to define all the information before you can set the property open for booking. To see the minimum requirements when creating a property, see Minimum requirements to create a property.

At a high level, you must use the following APIs and their endpoints:

Minimum requirements to open a property

For a property to be open and bookable, you need to make sure that you have configured the following content:

Using Licence API (licenses):

• You may need a licence for the room or property depending on the rules. Check if the property needs a license before creating it. You can check whether a property needs a licence using the licence API. The licence requirement can be at the room-level or property-level.

Using Contracting API

• The accommodation partner needs to have signed contract with Booking.com for the countries in which the properties are located. The contract can be specific to the country the property is located in.
  You can retrieve the contract status to check whether the accommodation partner has signed the contract using the Contracting API.

Using OTA_HotelDescriptiveContentNotif endpoint (Content API):

• Provide the property name with only Latin characters.
• Provide Physical location (PhysicalLocation) contact type with the following details:
  • Address line 1 - only latin characters are allowed.
  • City.
  • Postcode.
• Provide General (general) and Invoice (invoices) contact types with the following details:
  • Contact person name (Given name and surname).
  • Email address, and
  • Phone number.
• Provide the latitude and longitude details of the property's physical location.
• Specify the checkin and checkout timing.
• Specify the number of sellable units.
• Specify the property's accommodation type.
• Specify at least one language code for the property.
• Specify at least one cancellation policy.
• If the property is one of the following types: APARTHOTEL, CAPSULE_HOTEL, HOTEL INN, LOVE_HOTEL, MOTEL RESORT, RYOKAN, then provide at least one facility for the property.
• If the property is one of the following types: APARTHOTEL, APARTMENT, or CONDO, you must specify whether the property has a Kitchen or a Kitchenette. For more information, see the [Property class type.(/connectivity/docs/codes-pct.md)

Using Photo API (photo-api):

• Set the property's main photo. Note: If you do not set the property's main photo, then the API selects the first photo in the property-level photo gallery as the main photo.
• Specify a photo for each room type. This applies to all property types excluding: VILLA, CHALET, APARTMENT, HOLIDAY_HOME, APART_HOTEL.

Using Room and Rate Plan Management API:

• Specify at least one roomtype using the OTA_HotelInvNotif endpoint and specify the following:
  • The occupancy based on the roomtype.
  • If you optionally specify a name for the roomtype, make sure the room name is appropriate for the room type.
• Specify at least one amenity per room for the property.
• Specify at least one rate plan using the OTA_HotelRatePlanNotif endpoint.
• Specify at least one roomrate using the OTA_HotelProductNotif endpoint.

Using Rates & Availability API (/hotels/xml/availability):

• Create inventory with a price for at least 1 stay date using the Rates and Availability API.

High-level steps to set a property to Open/bookable

To prepare a property to be open and bookable on Booking.com, you must perform the following steps:

1. Verify whether the property fulfils all the necessary requirements to become open and bookable.
2. If not all requirements are met, make sure to fix at least the issues mentioned in the errors. For more information on all the possible errors and their resolutions, see the Error guidelines section.
3. If the API doesn't return any errors:
   • Wait until Booking.com changes the property status to Ready To Open. This takes place every day at 12:00 PM CE(S)T. For more information on all the property status changes, see property creation workflow.
   • Alternatively, you can turn on the feature: Direct to 'Open Bookable' status (skip_rtc_rto) to set the property to open/bookable immediately.
4. Set the property to open and bookable.

Verifying, opening, and closing a property

POST https://supply-xml.booking.com/hotels/ota/OTA_HotelSummaryNotif

This section covers the endpoint and lists the request body and response parameters.

Body parameters

The following table describes what elements you must add in the request body:

Request body example: Check

The following is a request body example where you verify whether a property fulfills all the necessary requirements to become open and bookable (with StatusType="Check"):

<OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRQ HotelCode="12345">
  <HotelSummaryMessages>
	  <HotelSummaryMessage StatusType="Check" />
  </HotelSummaryMessages>
</OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRQ>

Sample response: Check

<OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRS Target="Production">
  <Success />
  <Warnings>
    <Warning Code="733" ShortText="Restricted">Warning on check total_num_rooms: Hotel Info: Number of active rooms: 0
  </Warning>
</OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRS>

Request body example: Open

<OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRQ HotelCode="12345">
  <HotelSummaryMessages>
    <HotelSummaryMessage StatusType="Open" />
  </HotelSummaryMessages>
</OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRQ>

Sample response: Open

<OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRS Target="Production">
  <Success />
  <Warnings>
    <Warning Code="733" ShortText="Restricted">Warning on check total_num_rooms: Hotel Info: Number of active rooms: 0
  </Warning>
</OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRS>

Request body example: Closed

You can temporarily close a property and prevent it from appearing on Booking.com. Booking.com recommends that you add a reason and closure type for closing a property. You can select from one of the following reasons:

• Season: The property is closed during certain months of the year. For example, during winter.
• Renovation: The property is under renovation.
• Property_Not_Available: The property is closing the business indefinitely due to public crisis/government regulations.
• Fully_Booked: The property is sold out through Booking.com, other websites or direct booking.
• Issues_Guests: Select this option for any of the following reasons:
  • The property can't review guests,
  • Guests caused property damages,
  • Guests from Booking.com cancel too often,
  • Guests don't pay.
• Issues_Booking: Select this option for any of the following reasons:
  • The property lacks support from Booking.com,
  • The property feels that the commission is too high,
  • The property faces issues with payments,
  • The property faces issues with Extranet or other tools,
  • The property prefers direct selling.
• Strategy: Select this option for any of the following reasons:
  • The property is not sure about the price in the long term,
  • The property wants to avoid cancellations,
  • The property is planning to switch to a new property management company,
  • The property's staff are on holiday.
• Other

<OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRQ HotelCode="12345">
  <HotelSummaryMessages>
    <HotelSummaryMessage StatusType="Closed">
        <TPA_Extensions>
            <Reason Type="Other">Include a description</Reason>
        </TPA_Extensions>
    </HotelSummaryMessage>    
  </HotelSummaryMessages>
</OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRQ>

Sample response: Closed

<OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRS Target="Production">
  <Success />
  <Warnings>
    <Warning Code="733" ShortText="Restricted">Warning on check total_num_rooms: Hotel Info: Number of active rooms: 0
  </Warning>
</OTA_HotelSummaryNotifRS>

Response body

The following table describes the elements of the response body:

Error guidelines

Before your property can become Open / bookable on Booking.com, it needs to pass some validations. For more information, see Check a property's content.

This page contains a list of errors with Error Message they produce on OTA_HotelSummaryNotif Endpoint, their descriptions and possible resolution steps.

Please note the message type for each message:

• Type Error means this is a blocker and you can't proceed with going to Open status.

• Type Warning means something is uncertain, but you can still proceed.

List of property-level errors

List of room-level errors