Conditional Rates

Conditional rates are a type of rate rule that lets you offer different rates for itineraries, based on criteria such as the user's device, country, or whether the user has signed in to Google.

When you have more than one public or conditional rate for an itinerary or Room Bundle, the user will see the lowest rate. Google always picks the lowest eligible rate for the user.

Overview

Conditional rates are visible in the standard pricing slots, and are shown only to users whose searches meet the criteria for the associated conditional rate. These criteria can be based on the following:

• End-user device
• End-user country
• End-user language preference
• Downsampled subset of all users
• Whether the end-user is signed in

To enable conditional rates, modify the following:

• Rate rules XML file: Define the conditions in which the conditional rates are applied.

• Price feed: Use the <Rate> element in a Transaction message to set the rates.

• Landing Page file: Add rate rule specific values to your deep links.

Device-specific conditional rates

Device-specific rates are hotel rates that are only visible and bookable by users on a specific device such as a mobile, tablet, or desktop. The rates are provided by Google's partners, and end-users can see and book the same device-specific rates on the partner's site.

Country-specific conditional rates

Country-specific rates are hotel rates that are only visible and bookable by users who are searching for hotels from a specific country. Google determines the country using the end-user's IP address. The rates are provided by Google's partners, and end-users can see and book the same country-specific rates on the partner's own country-specific site.

Language-specific conditional rates

Language-specific rates are visible only to users who are searching for hotels while utilizing a specific language setting in Google. Language-specific conditions are defined using the <LanguageCode> element.

Language isn't specified in With Context queries request messages. So, if you specify <LanguageCode> in your rate rules, then the With Context response should include all relevant language-specific rates.

Important: If you are uncertain, it is recommended that you use country conditions instead of language conditions for determining user origin or nationality. However, if you have rates which are specific to the primary language of the user, then use language conditions.

Downsampled conditional rates

Downsampled conditional rates are visible only to a randomized subset of all eligible users. The sampling rate is defined using the <MaxUsersPercent> element and calculated using the following:

MaxUsersPercent = (number of users selected to view rate)/(total eligible users)

Signed-in conditional rates

Signed-in rates are visible only to users who have signed in with a Google Account. Google's partners provide the rates, and users can view and book the rates on the partner's own site. Signed-in rates are defined using the <UserSignedIn> element.

Key Point: The Price Accuracy Policy ensures that the search result rates and the rates that appear after click-through match during booking.

Since Google always selects the lowest eligible rate, if a conditional rate is higher than the price set at the <Result> level, the conditional rate will never be selected. To avoid this, remove the rate at the <Result> level and condition all rates. Alternatively, ask your Technical Account Manager about using a default rate rule for prices set at the <Result> level.

Create a rate rules XML file

Rate rules for conditional rates are defined using a rate rules XML file. For more information, see the Rate Rules XML Reference.

Update your price feed

Conditional rates are set using the element in a Transaction message.

The <Rate> element can also be used as multiple child elements of <Rates> within the <RoomBundle> or <Result> elements. To use it as a conditional rate, you must set the value of the rate_rule_id attribute to match with the rate rule ID that you defined in the rate rules XML file.

If you don't have a default public double occupancy rate, set the <Baserate> child element of the <Result> message to -1. Any conditional <Rates> that are sent to Google in this case will be considered valid.

Examples

Base + conditional

The following example shows a Transaction message that contains a base rate and a conditional rate:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Transaction timestamp="2023-05-18T16:20:00-04:00" id="42">
  <Result>
    <Property>1234</Property>
    <Checkin>2023-04-10</Checkin>
    <Nights>1</Nights>

    <Baserate currency="USD">200.00</Baserate>
    <Tax currency="USD">20.00</Tax>
    <OtherFees currency="USD">1.00</OtherFees>

    <Rates>
      <!-- The rate_rule_id is required when using conditional rates -->
      <Rate rate_rule_id="mobile">
        <!-- Override base rate and taxes for conditional rates -->
        <Baserate currency="USD">180.00</Baserate>
        <Tax currency="USD">18.00</Tax>
        <!-- NOTE: OtherFees is inherited from the above setting -->
        <Custom1>ratecode123</Custom1>
      </Rate>
    </Rates>

  </Result>
</Transaction>

RoomBundle single

The following example shows a Transaction message that contains a single rate under a <RoomBundle>:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Transaction timestamp="2023-05-18T16:20:00-04:00" id="42">
  <Result>
    <Property>1234</Property>
    <Checkin>2023-04-10</Checkin>
    <Nights>2</Nights>

    <Baserate currency="USD">300.00</Baserate>
    <Tax currency="USD">30.00</Tax>
    <OtherFees currency="USD">2.00</OtherFees>

    <RoomBundle>
      <RoomID>single</RoomID>
      <Baserate currency="USD">300.00</Baserate>
      <Tax currency="USD">30.00</Tax>
      <OtherFees currency="USD">2.00</OtherFees>
    </RoomBundle>

    <RoomBundle>
      <RoomID>3</RoomID>  <!-- Links to data in metadata -->
      <RatePlanID>basic</RatePlanID>
      <Baserate currency="USD">275.00</Baserate>
      <Tax currency="USD">27.50</Tax>
      <ChargeCurrency>web</ChargeCurrency>
      <BreakfastIncluded>1</BreakfastIncluded>

      <Rates>
        <Rate rate_rule_id="mobile">
          <Baserate currency="USD">269.00</Baserate>
          <Tax currency="USD">2.69</Tax>
          <OtherFees currency="USD">1.00</OtherFees>
        </Rates>
      </Rates>

    </RoomBundle>
  </Result>
</Transaction>

RoomBundle multiple

The following example shows a Transaction message that contains multiple rates under a <RoomBundle>:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Transaction timestamp="2023-05-18T16:20:00-04:00" id="42">
  <Result>
    <Property>1234</Property>
    <Checkin>2023-04-10</Checkin>
    <Nights>2</Nights>
    <!-- When Google receives new room bundle information for an itinerary, all
    previous room bundle pricing is dropped from Google's cache. Thus, if you
    want to delete a specific room bundle from Google's cache, you may do so
    by simply not providing that specific room bundle in subsequent transaction
    messages. -->
    <RoomBundle>
     ...
      <!-- RoomID is required, PackageID is recommended. -->
      <RoomID>5</RoomID>
      <PackageID>ABC</PackageID>
      <!-- Baserate is required. -->
      <Baserate currency="USD">275.00</Baserate>
      <Tax currency="USD">27.50</Tax>
      <OtherFees currency="USD">2.00</OtherFees>

      <!-- RatePlanID is optional and represents the unique identifier for a
      room and package data combination. We strongly recommend using RatePlanID
      as a variable to build your dynamic landing page (formerly Point of Sale)
      URL. For details, see Using Variables and Conditions. -->
      <RatePlanID>5-ABC</RatePlanID>

      <!-- Occupancy is mandatory for RoomBundle elements. -->
      <!-- Elements below will get inherited to nested rate elements. -->
      <Occupancy>2</Occupancy>
      <OccupancyDetails>
        <NumAdults>2</NumAdults>
      </OccupancyDetails>
      <InternetIncluded>1</InternetIncluded>


      <!-- Rate rule "mobile" overrides chargeCurrency, "us_or_gb" doesn't. -->
      <ChargeCurrency>web</ChargeCurrency>
      <Custom1>ratebasic</Custom1>
      <!-- Neither rate overrides Custom2. -->
      <Custom2>ratebasic</Custom2>

      <Rates>
        <Rate rate_rule_id="mobile">
          <Baserate currency="USD">258.33</Baserate>
          <Tax currency="USD">25.83</Tax>
          <OtherFees currency="USD">1.00</OtherFees>
          <!-- The value below overrides ChargeCurrency from roombundle. -->
          <ChargeCurrency>hotel</ChargeCurrency>
          <!-- The value below overrides Custom1 from roombundle. -->
          <Custom1>ratecode321</Custom1>
          <!-- Custom2 is inherited from roombundle. -->
        </Rate>
        <Rate rate_rule_id="us_or_gb">
          <Baserate currency="USD">268.33</Baserate>
          <Tax currency="USD">26.83</Tax>
          <OtherFees currency="USD">1.00</OtherFees>
          <!-- The value below overrides Custom1 from roombundle. -->
          <Custom1>ratecode432</Custom1>
          <!-- Custom2 is inherited from roombundle. -->
        </Rate>
      </Rates>
    </RoomBundle>
  </Result>
</Transaction>

No public double occupancy

The following example shows a Transaction message that contains conditional rate with no public double occupancy rate:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Transaction timestamp="2023-05-18T16:20:00-04:00" id="42">

  <Result>
    <Property>1234</Property>
    <Checkin>2023-04-10</Checkin>
    <Nights>1</Nights>

    <!-- <Unavailable/> should not be specified when available nested rates
    exist. -->
    <Baserate currency="USD">-1</Baserate>
    <Tax currency="USD">0</Tax>
    <OtherFees currency="USD">0</OtherFees>

    <Rates>
      <!-- The rate_rule_id is required when using conditional rates. -->
      <Rate rate_rule_id="mobile">
        <Baserate currency="USD">180.00</Baserate>
        <Tax currency="USD">18.00</Tax>
        <OtherFees currency="USD">1.00</OtherFees>
        <Custom1>ratecode123</Custom1>
      </Rate>
    </Rates>

  </Result>
</Transaction>

Update your landing page file

To ensure that eligible end-users can book the discounted rate through a deep link, modify your Landing Page file. Additional implementation might also be needed on the booking website to properly show and fulfill the discounted rates.

We expect partners to honor the price shown at the conditional rate deep link.

In a dynamic deep link, you can include the rate rule by its name, the id attribute of the <RateRule> element, with the RATE-RULE-ID variable.

The following example adds the rate rule ID:

https://bookingsite.com/landing.do?id=(PARTNER-HOTEL-ID)&arrival=(CHECKINDAY)-(CHECKINMONTH)-(CHECKINYEAR)&departure=(CHECKOUTDAY)-(CHECKOUTMONTH)-(CHECKOUTYEAR)&lang=(USER-LANGUAGE)&currency=(USER-CURRENCY)&prid=(RATE-RULE-ID)

The Landing Page file also supports the IF-RATE-RULE-ID directive that lets you conditionally define parts of the URL, based on whether the rate rule exists:

https://bookingsite.com/(IF-RATE-RULE-ID)privatelanding.do(RATE-RULE-ID)(ELSE)landing.do(ENDIF)?id=(PARTNER-HOTEL-ID)&arrival=(CHECKINDAY)-(CHECKINMONTH)-(CHECKINYEAR)&departure=(CHECKOUTDAY)-(CHECKOUTMONTH)-(CHECKOUTYEAR)&lang=(USER-LANGUAGE)&currency=(USER-CURRENCY)

This example chooses between two landing pages, depending on whether the rate rule ID is set.

For more information, see Using Variables and Conditions.