Google doesn't allow participation in free booking links or hotel ads for sites whose content is deceptive, misleading, unsafe, unlawful, or abusive to users or our network. The following are examples of the kinds of content that are prohibited by the service and could lead to account suspension or termination.
Abuse of the network
- Malicious content, specifically content that may harm or grant unauthorized access to a computer, device, or network
- Examples: Computer viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, rogue security software, and other malicious programs
- Attempts to bypass data quality and/or policy review processes, including Price Accuracy scoring
- Examples: Cloaking, use of dynamic DNS to switch page or product, manipulating product data or site content to bypass our automated system checks, creating duplicate Hotel Center accounts, restricting crawler access to your landing pages
- Consistently incorrect landing page redirects
Irresponsible data collection and use
- Examples of user information that should only be collected when necessary and must be handled with care include: full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, national identity, pension, social security, tax ID, health care, or driver's license number, birth date or mother's maiden name in addition to any of the above information, financial status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, and religion.
- The final and total booking rate must be displayed before any user information is requested.
- Examples of irresponsible data collection and use:
- Getting the following data over non-secure SSL (https://) server connections:
- Username or email in combination with passwords
- Credit and debit card numbers
- Bank and investment account numbers
- Checking account numbers
- Wire transfer numbers
- National identity, pension, social security, tax ID, health care, or driver's license number
- Re-selling users' contact information or using images of users in ads or free booking links without their consent
- Unnecessary data collection
- Using user information deceptively or without specific consent
- Sending users spam
- Getting the following data over non-secure SSL (https://) server connections:
Learn more about Data collection and use.
Misrepresentation
- Prompting users to initiate a purchase, download, or other commitment without first providing all relevant information and getting the user’s explicit consent
- Representing yourself, your company, or your offers in a way that is not accurate, realistic, and truthful
- Frequently providing incorrect pricing, not otherwise reflected in Price Accuracy score
- Destination URL (landing page) repeatedly unavailable
- Users are unable to complete checkout
- Displaying offers that cannot be reliably booked
- The final room availability and rate must be displayed before user information is requested (by implementing live price and availability checks on the booking page). In principle, changes to availability or price after entering PII aren’t allowed. If the user-requested room rate is found to be unavailable after entering PII, the partner should complete the reservation with no price change for the user.
- Taxes and fees charged for Google users should not be computed differently than they are for non-Google users
Partner display names must be free from click-bait, emojis, or other terms that misrepresent your business to users. If your display name is misleading or is deemed inappropriate or offensive, then Google may, at its discretion, show your website URL instead of your display name in the booking module or next to your link.
Suspension from Google Hotels
Google may, at its sole discretion, decide to suspend a partner’s content (partially or completely, including affiliate brands) from Google Hotels for any of the following reasons:
- Failure to meet Google’s policies, or engaging in prohibited practices as outlined above
- Evidence of a poor, deceptive, abusive, or harmful experience based on user feedback (via either Google’s own channels or public ones) or otherwise
- Provision of content that does not comply with applicable law or regulation
- Other conduct or data issues that frustrate the purposes of Google Hotels or its ability to operate in a reasonable manner
We use a combination of automated and human evaluation to detect this type of behavior, and all potential violations are reviewed by our policy team. If our policy team finds an account is in violation of our policies, they'll reach out to account owners directly with more details. Violations can result in price accuracy penalties, and could lead to a minimum account suspension of 5 business days if issues aren't resolved during a specified warning period. Subsequent violations will incur longer suspensions (up to permanent suspension for repeat offenders). Egregious violations can result in immediate account suspension.
Ask Google to reconsider a suspension decision
If you disagree with a suspension decision and want us to reconsider our position, you may submit an appeal within 6 months from the date of suspension. An appeal form has been provided within the suspension notification email. Note that after the end of this 6 months period, you will no longer be allowed to ask us to reconsider our decision.
Only one appeal can be submitted per suspension decision. Refrain from the repeated submission of unfounded appeals. Before submitting an appeal, ensure you understand Google policies. At the time of submitting an appeal, be sure to include clear and convincing evidence as to why Google should reconsider our decision. Failure to do so might prevent you from being allowed to submit an appeal in the future.
After an appeal is submitted, your request will be promptly reviewed and Google will get back to you with a decision. If your appeal is unsuccessful, you will be required to resolve any policy violations to be in compliance with Google's policies, in order for the suspension to be lifted.
For EU users covered by the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA)
Review the European Union Digital Service Act resolution options for additional appeal options.