Hint Request Messages

  • Google's Changed Pricing method allows you to update hotel prices efficiently by focusing on changes since the last update.

  • The process involves a Hint Request from Google, a Hint Response from your server with changed hotel IDs, a Query from Google, and a Transaction from your server with updated data.

  • Google sends Hint Requests every 5 minutes, but this frequency can be adjusted by contacting Google support.

  • Hint Requests use HTTP POST with specific headers; ensure endpoint status is "OK" for successful communication.

  • Hint Request messages contain the last fetch time, allowing your server to identify price changes since then.

One way to implement your price feed is to use Changed Pricing (formerly Pull with Hints).

The flow for this method is as follows:

  1. Google sends a Hint Request message from the root element <HintRequest> that contains time information from your most recent server update.

  2. Your server responds with a Hint Response message, <Hint>, which contains a list of hotels prices that have changed since the last update.

  3. Google then responds with a Query message: <Query>.

  4. Your server responds with a Transaction message, <Transaction>, that includes the updated data.

For an overview of repricing, see Repricing process.

Google sends a Hint Request message to your server at 5-minute intervals by default. This frequency can be adjusted by setting contact us.

The request message is sent using an HTTP POST method with the Content-Type header set to application/xml and the User-Agent header set to Google-HotelAdsPrices. Ensure the endpoint status that Google sends back is OK by contacting your Technical Account Manager (TAM). You should have configured this setting during your Hotel Prices initial setup.

Hint Request example

Hint Request messages have a root element of <HintRequest> and a single child element, <LastFetchTime>.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<HintRequest id="request" timestamp="2023-06-03T22:59:48Z">
  <LastFetchTime>2023-06-03T22:54:40Z</LastFetchTime>
</HintRequest>

For more examples and additional information, refer to Query & Hints XML Reference.