Hotel Search Qualifiers

A series of qualifiers can be added to a hotel availability request to narrow down the list of returned properties to most closely target the traveler's preferences. These qualifiers are used to request specific features or services associated with a hotel property. Up to 15 qualifiers can be used for a hotel request.

The RoomMaster system uses a "most of the best" search algorithm to meet as many of the requested qualifiers as possible. If no properties meet all qualifiers, RoomMaster drops off the least important qualifier and attempts to match n-1 qualifiers in a process known as relaxing. The sequence or order of the qualifiers can dramatically change the results. If qualifiers have been relaxed, a bitmap is returned with an indication of the qualifiers that have been relaxed.

Qualifiers are included in slot arrays <SlotID> in a hotel index, standard availability, or complete availability request. Each qualifier has three child elements:

• <ID> Identifies the type of search qualifier. Up to 15 slot IDs can be identified for each search.

• <Priority> Identifies the ranking or weighting of that slot ID. Each slot ID must have a unique priority number; however, slot with the same type of ID (e.g., amenities or chain preferences) are given the same weighting in the response, regardless of the priority number assigned.

• <Data> The specific value of the qualifier.

Additional information is included in the Hotel Slots topic.

Other elements within hotel search and availability requests can also include search qualifiers.

Search Qualifier Identifiers

The following identifiers used to specify the type of search qualifier. For slot arrays, these values are included in the <ID> element.
 

Value	Qualifier	Description
A	Amenity	Multiple property features can be requested, such as indoor pool, concierge, disabled access, or conference rooms. See Amenity Types.
B	Room Type	The type of room, such as suite or deluxe room with a king-sized bed. Note: The room type can be indicated as part of the booking code, for example, A1K or B*D. However, room type should be used with caution because rate codes do not always indicate room types within the code.
C	Rate Category	Rate categories define the general room rate, such as standard, corporate, government, and weekend. See Rate Category Types.
D	Distance and Direction Qualifier	The minimum or maximum distance the hotel should be from the reference point, city, or airport. See Distance and Direction Qualifiers.
E	AAA Rating	One-digit value from 1 to 5 diamonds. Or a range, for example, 1-5. Note: Not compatible with Travel Screen
FG	Frequent Guest Number	The 2- or 3-character hotel chain code, followed by a frequent guest number of up to 17 characters.
ID	Special Rate Identification Number	The 2- or 3-character hotel chain code, followed by a special rate identification number of up to 17 characters.
L	Location	A general property location within the requested city. Includes city, airport, resort, suburb, downtown, beach, and country (rural) locations. See Location Types.
M	Rate Access	A negotiated rate code between an organization and a vendor. Multi-level rates can be created for corporations or other organizations that offered discounts with preferred vendors. A  6-character rate access code (multi-level rate code) identifies properties and rates that apply to a specific organization. Note: The rate access qualifier is never relaxed.
N	Property Name	The first three to twelve characters of the property name.
P	Property Types	The type of hotel property, such as hotel, motel, suites, condo, and resort. See Property Types.
R	Rate Value	A specified rate or range of rate that can be targeted. Specifications or ranges for hotel rates are: -999999999 = less than or equal Y99999999 = greater than or equal 999999999 = within 10% 999999999-999999999 = range Rates must be rounded up to whole number, with no implied decimal, and zero filled. Note: Rate value denotes a flat rate. For example, a rate value qualifier of "200 - 300 will return properties with rates that fall between that range. However, rate value is not subject to currency conversion. For example, requesting a rate of 200 - 300 for a hotel in New York will search for rates in 200 - 300 US Dollars, while a search in Rome will try to match rates for 200 to 300 Italian lira. Rate value is also not applicable for locations that list rates in multiple currencies. For example, hotel properties in Geneva, Switzerland typically list rates in both Swiss francs and German marks.
T	Transportation	Transportation to from a hotel property, such as walking, limousine, public, taxi, and courtesy bus. See Transportation Types.
X	City Preferences	For use with TravelScreen transactions only.
Y	General Preferences	For use with TravelScreen transactions only.
Z	Chains	The 2-character vendor chain code. Up to six (6) chain codes can be searched.
@	Rate Access Code (Travelscreen and TDS response)	The 6-character rate access code (multi-level rate code). Rate access codes are assigned for corporate or other organizational rates. Used only for Travelscreen and TDS (The Data Store) requests only -- other requests should use the Rate Access qualifier, "M".

 

Amenity Types

Multiple property features can be requested, such as indoor pool, concierge, disabled access, or conference rooms.

A search qualifier with a value of "A" denotes an amenity. Amenities are assigned by using slot arrays.

 

Value	Amenity		Value	Amenity
01	AIR CONDITION		41	PARKING
02	AIRLINE DESK		42	FREE PARKING
03	CHILD CARE		43	SMALL PETS
04	BALCONY		44	PHONE SERVICE
05	KIDS PROGRAMS		45	POOL - includes BOTH Indoor and Outdoor
06	HAIR SALON		46	INDOOR POOL
07	INTERNET		47	OUTDOOR POOL
08	BREAKFAST		48	PORTERS
09	CAR RENT DESK		49	REFRIGERATOR
10	CASINO		50	RESTAURANT
11	COFFEE SHOP		51	ROOM SERVICE
12	KIDS STAYFREE		52	ORIENTAL ROOM
13	COMPUTER BUS		53	WESTERN ROOM
14	CONCIERGE DK		54	SAFE IN ROOM
15	CONCIERGE LVL		55	SAFE DEPOSIT
16	CONNECT ROOMS		56	SAUNA
17	CONTIN BKFST		57	SECRETARY SRV
18	DINNER		58	SHOWER
19	EFFICIENCY		59	SKIING - includes BOTH Snow and Water Skiing
20	ELEVATORS		60	SNOW SKIING
21	ENTERTAINMENT		61	WATER SKIING
22	FAMILY PLAN		62	SPA
23	FIREPLACE		63	TENNIS COURT
24	FREE TRANS		64	TOUR DESK
25	GAME ROOM		65	TV
26	GIFT SHOP		66	TV, CABLE
27	GOLF		67	VCR
28	HANDICAP FAC		68	WATER BED
29	HEALTH CLUB		69	PRIVATE BATH
30	MICROWAVE		70	WET BAR
31	KITCHEN		71	120 AC
32	LAUNDRY/VALET		72	120 DC
33	LOUNGE		73	220 AC
34	LUNCH		74	220 DC
35	MEAL PLAN		75	FAX SERVICE
36	MEETING ROOMS		76	JOGGING TRACK
37	MINI BAR		77	SOFA BED
38	MOVIE/INHOUSE		78	PHOTO COPY SV
39	MULTILINGUAL		79	BATHTUB
40	NO SMOKING RM		80	FIRE SAFETY

 

Rate Category Types

Rate categories define the general room rate, such as standard, corporate, government, and weekend.

A search qualifier with a value of "C" denotes a rate category. Rate categories are used in complete availability and standard availability requests to specify desired rate responses. Up to 15 specific rate categories can be included in a  search.

In complete and standard availability requests, rate categories can be included in a slot array by using an <ID> with a value of "C". In a complete availability request, rate category indicators <RateCatInd> are also included in the <HotelRate> element.

Default rate categories, as well as the type of actual rate categories returned for a property depend on what rate categories are stored in RoomMaster or in the hotel vendor's database.

 

Value	Rate Category		Value	Rate Category
R	RAC Rate		A	Association
C	Corporate		F	Family Plan
W	Weekend		T	Tour
P	Package		I	Travel Industry
S	Senior Citizen		V	Convention
G	Government		L	Special/Promotional
M	Military		N	Negotiated
B	Club

  

Distance & Direction Qualifiers

The minimum or maximum distance the hotel should be from the reference point, city, or airport.

There are a variety of ways to express a search based on a combination of distance and direction. The following examples show possible combinations of distance and direction qualifiers.

Note: For XML transactions, distance and direction qualifiers should be submitted as part of a CDATA structure to ensure that the formats are processed directly by the CRS, without parsing.

Distance Formats

The layout for the 10 characters in the DDDmddaDDD distance format is:
 

Format	Description
DDDmddaDDD	3-digit distance in number of miles or kilometers. Always left filled with zeros. In a range of distances, these values represent the lower limit of the range.
DDDmddaDDD	1-character unit of measure M = miles, K = kilometers
DDDmddaDDD	2-chararacter direction N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW, or blanks
DDDmddaDDD	1-character action code Greater than (Y),  Less than (-), or blank
DDDmddaDDD	3-digit distance in number of miles or kilometers. Always left filled with zeros. In a range of distances, these values represent the upper limit of the range.

Example 1:
Retrieve locations less than or equal to 9 miles from the reference point.

<![CDATA[ 000M  -009  ]]>

Distance value = 000

Unit of measure = M

Direction = blanks

Action code = -

Distance value =  009

Example 2:
Retrieve locations between 10 and 25 miles from the reference point.

<![CDATA[ 010M  -25  ]]>

Distance value = 010

Unit of measure = M

Direction = blanks

Action code = -

Distance value = 025

Example 3:
Retrieve locations between 1 and 15 miles East of the reference point.

<![CDATA[ 001ME -015  ]]>

Distance value = 001

Unit of measure = M

Direction = Eb (E followed by a blank)

Action code = -

Distance value =  015

Example 4:
Retrieve locations greater than or equal to 20 miles from the reference point.

<![CDATA[ 020M  Y000  ]]>

Distance value =  020

Unit of measure =  M

Direction = blanks

Action code = Y

Distance value =  000

Example 5:
Retrieve locations within 10% of 100 kilometers of the reference point.

<![CDATA[ 100K  -000  ]]>

Distance value = 100

Unit of measure =  K

Direction =  blanks

Action code = -

Distance value = 000

Example 6:
Retrieve all properties North of the reference point.

<![CDATA[ 000MN Y000  ]]>

Distance value = 000

Unit of measure = M

Direction = Nb (N followed by a blank)

Action code = Y

Distance value = 000

Location Types

A general property location within the requested city. Includes city, airport, resort, suburb, downtown, beach, and country (rural) locations.

A search qualifier with a value of "L" denotes a location qualifier. Rate categories can be included in a slot array by using an <ID> with a value of "L". The following Location values are included in the <Data> element for the slot identifier.

Note: The location qualifier provides an index of properties associated with a specific location, but does not qualify from distance to that location. Therefore, properties from two (2) or 25 miles from the location can be returned. It is recommended to use Reference Points, which use calculated distances for qualifying hotels by location.
 

Value	Location Type		Value	Location Type
01	City		11	Entertainment District
02	Airport		12	Shopping District
03	Resort		13	Business District
04	Suburb (Any)		14	Financial District
05	North Suburb		15	Highway
06	South Suburb		16	On Beach
07	East Suburb		17	By Lake
08	West Suburb		18	In Mountains
09	Downtown		19	In Country
10	Theater District

 

Property Types

The type of hotel property, such as hotel, motel, suites, condo, and resort.

A search qualifier with a value of "P" denotes a property type qualifier. Property types can be included in a slot array by using an <ID> with a value of "P". The following Property values are included in the <Data> element for the slot identifier.
 

Value	Property Type		Value	Property Type
01	Hotel		07	Castle
02	Motel		08	Pension
03	Inn		09	Resort
04	All Suites		10	Convention
05	Condo		11	Bed/Breakfast
06	Villa		12	Other

 

Transportation Types

Transportation to from a hotel property, such as walking, limousine, public, taxi, and courtesy bus.

A search qualifier with a value of "T" denotes a transportation qualifier. This qualifier identifies what type of transportation is available to or from a hotel property.

Transportation qualifiers can be included in a slot array by using an <ID> with a value of "T". The following Transportation values are included in the <Data> element for the slot identifier.

Note: Transportation qualifiers are not always indicated in availability responses. Often a hotel vendor will not list transportation information in the qualifier field. The vendor may list transportation keywords in the hotel description; however, this description is free-form text and cannot be searched programmatically.
 

Value	Property Type		Value	Property Type
01	Walk		06	Bus
02	Courtesy Bus		07	Other
03	Limo		08	Taxi
04	Public		09	Rental Car/Hire Car
05	Subway/Rail