Requesting Hotel Keyword Descriptions

A Hotel Keyword Descriptions request provides specific information based on a keyword. This information is typically more comprehensive than the abridged information provided in the General Property Description.

Each four-character keyword references a specific topic. The keywords appear in a numbered menu and can be retrieved either by their four-character code or by the item number. Keywords are available for hotel chains and properties. Not every hotel property or chain provides data for every keyword topic. For example, chains that only have properties in one country may not have information for the INTL (international) keyword. The data provided, however, can be extremely useful to travelers and travel professionals.

The available keywords, and information returned for each keyword can vary by supplier. A list of available keywords can be requested for a specific property. Keyword requests, and a request for available keywords can be submitted in the same transaction.

A Hotel Description request has no previous dependencies for data; however, the hotel property code must be known to perform this transaction. This hotel code can be obtained through a Hotel Search.

Keyword descriptions can be combined with general property descriptions to provide a more comprehensive description of the property.

Request

HotelKeywordReq in HotelService is used to request Hotel Keyword Descriptions.

HotelKeywordReq can be used to request both a list of available keywords and descriptions for specified keywords. A Keyword request and a Keyword List request can be submitted separately or in the same transaction, if some keywords are already known.

Requesting Available Keywords

A hotel chain (HotelChain) is required for a keyword list for the entire chain (supplier). Alternately, when the hotel property code (HotelCode) is specified, the response returns an available keyword list specific to that property.

If the ReturnKeywordList attribute is set to 'true', the keyword list for the specified chain or property is returned.

Requesting Keyword Descriptions

Keywords can be requested at a chain (supplier) or property level. See Hotel Keywords for an approximate list of keywords.

Note: Because this list may change frequently, a request for available keywords should be included. Also, the type of data included in a specified keyword response may vary from supplier to supplier.

A hotel chain (HotelChain) is required to return keyword data associated with the entire chain (supplier). Alternately, when the hotel property code (HotelCode) is specified, the response returns keywords specific to that property.

CheckinDate is optional, but if specified, keyword data specific to that date is returned. If this attribute is not included, the current date is the default.

One to 30 instances of Keyword can be included in the request. The Name attribute is required.

Universal API does not support sub-keywords for hotel descriptions; therefore, the SubKey child is not used for this transaction.

If more than one set of responses is required, Universal API performs a request for additional results internally. A Get More request is not required by the client.

Response

The response is returned in HotelKeywordRsp.

If the ReturnKeywordList attribute was set to 'true', the keyword list for the specified chain or property is returned.

If the response does not contain Keyword descriptions for:

• Some of the requested keywords, but at least one keyword description is returned, Universal API sends a warning in the response: Keyword description for some of the requested keywords not available.
• ALL of the requested keywords , Universal API sends a warning in the response: Keyword description for all of the requested keywords not available.

Exceptions