Add and manage room rates and availability using Business Profile: Frequently Asked Questions

Access the hotel rate editor

Who can add rates and availability using Business Profile?

Currently, only hotels that are bookable online are eligible to add rates. If your hotel is not bookable online, fill out our interest form to stay informed on product updates.

How do I access the rates and availability option using Business Profile?

When signed in to the Google Account used to manage your Business Profile, search for your hotel using Google Search on your desktop. Click the Edit profile chip within the merchant panel to access the hotel rate editor.

You’ll be able to view various aspects of your hotel that you can manage, including general business information such as hotel name, address and phone number, hotel details, and photos. You can add your rates and availability using the “Rates and availability” menu option. Learn more about how to access rates and availability

If you don't have the “Edit profile” chip, your hotel may not be eligible to enter rates using Business Profile. We plan to expand this feature to more hotels soon.

Booking page URL

What is a booking page URL?

A booking page allows a traveler to select their dates and finalize the reservation. In most cases, a traveler is asked to enter purchase details such as name and credit card information to secure the reservation.

When entering a booking page URL, don’t use a social media page like Facebook or an online travel agency (OTA) link like Expedia or Booking.com. The booking page URL must take travelers who click on your hotel via free booking links to your website to book directly with you, not a third party.

Where can I update my booking page URL?

The booking page URL can be updated by clicking on “Rate settings”. Changes to the booking page URL will reflect on Google within 5 business days.

I get an error when entering my booking page URL. How do I proceed?

You may get an error while we attempt to validate your booking page URL. Below are the possible errors and reasons for them:

• URL is not on your official hotel website: When entering a booking page URL, don’t use a social media page (like Facebook) or an online travel agency (OTA) link (like Expedia or Booking.com). The booking page URL must take travelers who click on your hotel via free booking links to your website to book directly with you, not a third party. Learn more about booking page URLs.
• An error occurred while verifying your booking page URL: It looks like we’re having trouble verifying your booking page URL. We recommend trying again later.
• URL is broken: We couldn’t load your booking page URL. It could be because the link is broken or the URL is timing out. We recommend trying to load the page on your end to verify that it’s working as intended.
• Enter the URL: The booking page URL field seems to be blank with no text entered. Enter a valid booking page URL to proceed.

Minimum stay restrictions

What is a minimum stay restriction?

A minimum stay restriction is the fewest number of nights a traveler can book.

For example, If your minimum stay is 3 nights, your property won’t appear for travelers searching for 2-night stays.

Stay restrictions cannot be longer than 30 nights, and the shortest possible stay is 1 night. Hotels can add only one restriction at a time.

Where can I update my minimum stay restriction?

You can add or edit your minimum stay restriction using the calendar view or by clicking Rate settings.

Calendar View: Edit your minimum stay restriction for individual dates.

Rate Settings: You can set a minimum stay restriction for multiple dates by clicking Rate settings.

A separate setting will appear for entering the new restriction.

Adding new stay restrictions will override any previous restrictions. Hotels can add only one restriction at a time.

After a minimum stay restriction is entered, the calendar view will display an icon with the stay restriction you entered for the date. For a stay restriction of one day, the icon will not show on the calendar view.

I get an error when entering a stay restriction. How do I proceed?

You may get an error while you attempt to set a minimum stay restriction. Below are the possible errors and reasons for them:

• Can’t be longer than 30 nights: Stay restrictions cannot be longer than 30 nights. Enter a number between 1 and 30 to proceed.
• Travelers must stay at least 1 night: The shortest possible stay is 1 night. Enter a number bigger than 0 to proceed.
• Enter a number: The minimum stay restriction field needs to be a numerical value between 1 and 30. We default to 1 night minimum. Based on your minimum stay restriction, enter a number between 1 and 30 to proceed.

Update Settings

Can I change the default rate currency?

The rate currency is determined based on the location of the hotel. The currency can't be changed.

How do I change my internet booking engine?

Google will either automatically detect which booking engine you are using or you can enter your booking page URL. If your IBE changes or is not correct, you can replace it with a booking page URL. The booking page URL can be updated by clicking on “Rate settings”. Changes to the booking page URL will reflect on Google within 5 business days.

How do I update the VAT/GST setting from including VAT/GST to not including it or vice versa?

After you’ve selected your VAT/GST settings during account setup, you’ll need to contact our support team to make any changes.

Rate Entry

What rate do I enter?

Learn more about best practices for entering rates using your Business Profile

What taxes and fees should be included in the room rate?

Learn more about taxes and fees that should be included in the room rate.

How do I change my rates, taxes, and availability?

Room rates, taxes, and availability can be updated at any time. Learn more about managing your rates using Business Profile

Can I set specific rates for holidays, weekends, or special events?

You can add or manage rates and availability for any date using the rate calendar or bulk editor view.

Use the rate calendar to update specific days one at a time. Click “Edit” on the specific date to update the rate and availability.

You can also update rates in bulk using the bulk editor. Select the date range and days that the special rate applies to and enter your new rate.

Taxes and fees are set at the account level and can be updated by clicking on “Rate settings”. A change in your taxes and fees will apply to all rates.

Can I update VAT/GST and taxes/fees information for a specific period?

We don’t currently support setting taxes and fees that apply to only certain time periods. Taxes and fees that are set will reflect across all prices entered.

What if VAT/GST or taxes/fees apply only to travelers from certain countries or are different depending on the rate?

We currently don’t support rates with restrictions.

How far in advance can I enter my rates and availability?

We support prices for itineraries up to 2 years in advance with stays of up to 30 days. Travelers can search for prices up to one year in advance with stays of up to 30 days.

How do I enter rates for other occupancies, room types, or rate plans?

We currently offer a single nightly room rate for double occupancy.

What if I have different rates depending on the currency? How do I enter the various rates?

We currently offer a single nightly room rate for double occupancy in the local currency based on the location of the hotel. We don’t support different rates depending on the currency. Travelers will find your rate converted automatically to their local currency when they view your price on Google.

When do I need to set the availability to “Closed”? What happens when I do this?

The availability should be updated to “Closed” when the room is sold out, no longer available, or the hotel is closed. Setting the availability to “Closed” will prevent the rate from showing on Google for that date.

What if I have a minimum length of stay or other stay restrictions?

We currently don't support stay restrictions.

Where do I specify room discounts and promotions?

Discounts and promotions should be reflected in the room rate and can't be specified separately.

View your rates on Google

Where will my rates appear on Google?

Travelers will find your rates and availability via free booking links in Google Search and Google Maps. Free booking links are listed under "All options". Learn more about how travelers find hotel booking links

What happens when a traveler clicks on my rate?

Travelers that click on free booking links for your hotel will be directed to your website to book with you directly.

How are prices presented in different regions?

When a traveler searches for your hotel, Google will show your hotel prices in the currency of the user’s regional settings.

For travelers in the United States and Canada, Google highlights the value of the base rate without taxes and fees more prominently. In all other countries, the total price (which includes taxes and other fees) is more prominently shown. However, all travelers have the ability to view prices with or without taxes and fees using a selector on Google. Google reserves the right to amend the way in which it displays prices to comply with local law or other requirements.

When a traveler clicks on your free booking link, they will be directed to your website to complete the booking process. The traveler will be charged in the currency supported by your Internet Booking Engine.

How long does it take for my rates and availability to appear on Google?

For internet booking engines that are auto detected, your rates and availability will appear on Google within an hour.

For booking page URLs, your rates and availability will appear on Google within 5 business days.

How are free booking links different from existing hotel ads?

Free booking links display similar information to paid booking links. The main difference is that hotel ads are paid links, ranked according to Google’s ad auction, whereas free booking links are unpaid links, ranked according to their utility to users. Google may show free booking links alongside hotel ads within the existing booking module. Hotel partners pay no fee for free booking links, and Google doesn’t collect any payment for placement or user engagement with these links.

How can I show in the ads section on Google Search?

For now, room rate and availability entered using Business Profile will appear only in the free booking links section and are not used for hotel ads.

To participate in hotel ads, we recommend signing up with one of our integration partners.

If a traveler searches for a multi-night stay, how do you determine the price? I've only entered single night pricing.

For travelers who search for multi-night stays, we simply add the prices for each date together. If you have discounts for multi-night stays, we don’t currently support that.

Reporting and Ranking

How does my listing get ranked in free booking links?

Hotel free booking links use a variety of signals to determine which links are best to show users. These signals include consumer preference, value offered to the user, and landing page experience. Google’s commercial relationship with the free booking link provider has no effect on ranking, nor can anyone pay for a higher ranking. Participation, or non-participation, in Hotel Ads doesn't impact rankings of free booking links.

Where can I track the clicks I generated from free booking links?

When a traveler clicks on your free booking link, we track these clicks and display them above the rates and availability calendar.