New reservation system

[Madeleine]

Hi gang!
We are in the process of getting a new reservation system set up. I'm not asking for help setting up or advice on what system to get. I need layout advice on how it should look to the guest.
Option 1: Guest clicks on 'Make a reservation' (or whatever the text is) and sees an availability calendar first where they select a date, then see rooms available for that date (photos and text) and an option to 'add to cart'.
Option 2: Guest sees a list of all rooms available on today's date (with photos and text) and has to enter their date to see those rooms.
I find it confusing to see the rooms first and not understand I have to pick a date. I'd rather see a calendar. But that's me. Maybe when it's set up it will be more intuitive to me. There is always the option to view the calendar so the guest doesn't have to keep randomly picking dates until they find one with openings. THAT drives me nuts.
What do YOU like?

 

[OnTheShore]

Pick dates first, then see what rooms are available for those dates. As best I can remember, I think all of the reservations systems I've used as a guest have worked that way. Personally, I would also like to see the overall availability calendar, too, so that I could shift my dates I desired.
On our site, in addition to the availability search option -- pick dates, then show cottages, but which also shows the overall availability calendar -- we also have a separate page with the overview of availability (and rates), and we also have the availability calendar for each specific cottage shown on that cottage's page....

 

[JBloggs]

Me personally I never ever have an open span of dates when I travel I want to see what is available for the exact date I put in.
Option 2: Guest sees a list of all rooms available on today's date (with photos and text) and has to enter their date to see those rooms.
I don't like reservation calendars because I don't like anyone else looking at my occupancy (as a B&B owner). Not "other B&B's" but guests. Oh they aren't very full, or other weird ideas
When I reserve 1 week at our state parks it is always DATE specific show me the money. If not avail I go to the next park.

 

[Arks]

Thinking of hotels like Holiday Inn or Marriott, they ALL have me put in my dates first, then show me what rooms are available. I think that's what most people are used to.
I have mine set to show rooms available after you put in the dates, but beneath that it shows the calendar view so you can see what dates are open. And there's a "Switch to Calendar Search Mode" link if they want to click an open date on the availability calendar, rather than putting in dates.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I do both. The left column of each page on my site has a place where you enter in dates and it shows what's available for those days. At the top of my site is a 'check availability' icon and when that is clicked, they get the calendar view. 6 one way, half dozen the other.

 

[Madeleine]

I do both. The left column of each page on my site has a place where you enter in dates and it shows what's available for those days. At the top of my site is a 'check availability' icon and when that is clicked, they get the calendar view. 6 one way, half dozen the other..

That works. I like how that looks. I have to see if that sort of option is available. Putting in the date the way you have it on your site.
Totally off the topic but the photo of your place on my tablet, the mobile version of your site, is terrible. It's very fuzzy and not at all like the great photos on the main site. Can they fix that for you?

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I do both. The left column of each page on my site has a place where you enter in dates and it shows what's available for those days. At the top of my site is a 'check availability' icon and when that is clicked, they get the calendar view. 6 one way, half dozen the other..

That works. I like how that looks. I have to see if that sort of option is available. Putting in the date the way you have it on your site.
Totally off the topic but the photo of your place on my tablet, the mobile version of your site, is terrible. It's very fuzzy and not at all like the great photos on the main site. Can they fix that for you?
.

Hmm, I see that, thanks. When I use my ipad it defaults to the regular site and I have to click on 'mobile site'. That mobile site is supposed to be for phones. When you first went to my site on your pad did it go directly to the moble?

 

[Madeleine]

I do both. The left column of each page on my site has a place where you enter in dates and it shows what's available for those days. At the top of my site is a 'check availability' icon and when that is clicked, they get the calendar view. 6 one way, half dozen the other..

That works. I like how that looks. I have to see if that sort of option is available. Putting in the date the way you have it on your site.
Totally off the topic but the photo of your place on my tablet, the mobile version of your site, is terrible. It's very fuzzy and not at all like the great photos on the main site. Can they fix that for you?
.

Hmm, I see that, thanks. When I use my ipad it defaults to the regular site and I have to click on 'mobile site'. That mobile site is supposed to be for phones. When you first went to my site on your pad did it go directly to the moble?
.

Yes. Right to mobile. I clicked over to the full site to see the way you had the date info set up.

 

[Generic]

I love when B&Bs show me an availability calendar, so much easier for me to compete and see how they are doing with reservations. (In other words... don't do it!)
Put the dates in first, see what's available.

 

[Iris]

Hi gang!
We are in the process of getting a new reservation system set up. I'm not asking for help setting up or advice on what system to get. I need layout advice on how it should look to the guest.
Option 1: Guest clicks on 'Make a reservation' (or whatever the text is) and sees an availability calendar first where they select a date, then see rooms available for that date (photos and text) and an option to 'add to cart'.
Option 2: Guest sees a list of all rooms available on today's date (with photos and text) and has to enter their date to see those rooms.
I find it confusing to see the rooms first and not understand I have to pick a date. I'd rather see a calendar. But that's me. Maybe when it's set up it will be more intuitive to me. There is always the option to view the calendar so the guest doesn't have to keep randomly picking dates until they find one with openings. THAT drives me nuts.
What do YOU like?

Hi Madeleine
My reservation system shows a calendar of availability first. I find it less confusing to look at. This way the guest can see if there is even something available for their time frame.
I want guests to see a bigger picture. When you pick by specific dates, and nothing is available, if the guest sees a 10 span, they might be able to wiggle a little, but they might not adjust their search when they see the no vacancy message

 

[OnTheShore]

I think whether or not one shows an overall availability calendar probably depends on the nature of one's business -- e.g. if you are a destination, people generally make their reservations months and months in advance, and you are mostly full, then you may want people to be able to see the openings that you do have so that they can adjust their plans to fit.
On the other hand, if (for example) most of your bookings are made within a month or less of the stay, so your calendar otherwise looks vacant, maybe you don't want to telegraph that.

 

[Madeleine]

I think whether or not one shows an overall availability calendar probably depends on the nature of one's business -- e.g. if you are a destination, people generally make their reservations months and months in advance, and you are mostly full, then you may want people to be able to see the openings that you do have so that they can adjust their plans to fit.
On the other hand, if (for example) most of your bookings are made within a month or less of the stay, so your calendar otherwise looks vacant, maybe you don't want to telegraph that..

I like the calendar when I'm searching because I might be able to move my stay by a couple of days but I am not going to keep entering new dates to see what the availability is. I'll move on to another Inn that has a calendar feature.
Of course we get those guests who see lots of time open on the calendar and want to dicker or who ask probing questions about the business. Who cares.
For those periods where I see my comp filling up while I'm empty I block a couple of rooms off and release them when we get live guests. (So, yes, the calendar is how everyone here is set up.)
I'm on a group calendar anyway so what I do over here is more about what the guest finds easier than what the comp cares about.
For this question I was wondering if you'd rather see the calendar first or the list of all rooms first. As the guest, not as the owner.

 

[Momma Smurf]

I think whether or not one shows an overall availability calendar probably depends on the nature of one's business -- e.g. if you are a destination, people generally make their reservations months and months in advance, and you are mostly full, then you may want people to be able to see the openings that you do have so that they can adjust their plans to fit.
On the other hand, if (for example) most of your bookings are made within a month or less of the stay, so your calendar otherwise looks vacant, maybe you don't want to telegraph that..

During this part of the early season, before bookings start to fill up, we do not show a comprehensive Availability Calendar. Once the season gets going towards early May, we feature it at the bottom of every reservation page.

 

[Arks]

I think whether or not one shows an overall availability calendar probably depends on the nature of one's business -- e.g. if you are a destination, people generally make their reservations months and months in advance, and you are mostly full, then you may want people to be able to see the openings that you do have so that they can adjust their plans to fit.
On the other hand, if (for example) most of your bookings are made within a month or less of the stay, so your calendar otherwise looks vacant, maybe you don't want to telegraph that..

I think whether or not one shows an overall availability calendar probably depends on the nature of one's business -- e.g. if you are a destination, people generally make their reservations months and months in advance, and you are mostly full, then you may want people to be able to see the openings that you do have so that they can adjust their plans to fit.

Very good point. Hotels have you put in the dates first, then they show the rooms available, because they have 50 to 200 rooms and there's almost always something available. Not so much frustration with dates being completely full.
But smaller places that are mostly booked up in busy season may be better off showing a calendar view during busy season, and switching to a room view in slower times.
I put both on my reservation page, but ResKey puts the calendar view at the bottom and most people probably never see it down there. Since they give you the option to show calendar view, room view, or both, with calendar at the bottom, I wonder if John would consider giving one more option:

• Calendar View
• Room View
• Room Top, Calendar Bottom
• Calendar Top, Room Bottom

Since the calendar view takes very little screen space, people would also see the room view, if the calendar was at the top.

 

[OnTheShore]

I think whether or not one shows an overall availability calendar probably depends on the nature of one's business -- e.g. if you are a destination, people generally make their reservations months and months in advance, and you are mostly full, then you may want people to be able to see the openings that you do have so that they can adjust their plans to fit.
On the other hand, if (for example) most of your bookings are made within a month or less of the stay, so your calendar otherwise looks vacant, maybe you don't want to telegraph that..

I like the calendar when I'm searching because I might be able to move my stay by a couple of days but I am not going to keep entering new dates to see what the availability is. I'll move on to another Inn that has a calendar feature.
Of course we get those guests who see lots of time open on the calendar and want to dicker or who ask probing questions about the business. Who cares.
For those periods where I see my comp filling up while I'm empty I block a couple of rooms off and release them when we get live guests. (So, yes, the calendar is how everyone here is set up.)
I'm on a group calendar anyway so what I do over here is more about what the guest finds easier than what the comp cares about.
For this question I was wondering if you'd rather see the calendar first or the list of all rooms first. As the guest, not as the owner.
.

Would rather see the list of available rooms first, for the date range searched, then the calendar at the bottom...

 

[Arks]

I've found a way in ResKey that may be the best for me without bothering John. I now have it set to first collect their desired date, then show the rooms available for that date. But if there is NO availability for their date(s) it shows the availability calendar beneath a contact box (the contact box lets them send a waiting list request for the desired date).
So if their desired date is full, they see the calendar so they can find a date that is not full, and they also get the option to send a waiting list request.
Here's the setting I'm currently using:

• Click Website tab
• Click Reservation Pages
• Then click on the reservation page to open
• Under Reservation Modes set it to Show availability calendar: Only when no rooms available

 

[gillumhouse]

As a guest - I am traveling on these dates. Period. I am not flexible with dates because this is when I will be traveling for whatever reason. I am not a la-di-da traveler. There is a reason I am going at this particular time. Even in the old days when we vacationed this was so. We scheduled a time period around school, kids activities and schedules, and work. Not wiggle room.

 

[gillumhouse]

I've found a way in ResKey that may be the best for me without bothering John. I now have it set to first collect their desired date, then show the rooms available for that date. But if there is NO availability for their date(s) it shows the availability calendar beneath a contact box (the contact box lets them send a waiting list request for the desired date).
So if their desired date is full, they see the calendar so they can find a date that is not full, and they also get the option to send a waiting list request.
Here's the setting I'm currently using:

• Click Website tab
• Click Reservation Pages
• Then click on the reservation page to open
• Under Reservation Modes set it to Show availability calendar: Only when no rooms available

.

It must be the default on mine because I have never set it. In fact I did not know there was a Waiting List until I got one.

 

[Arks]

As a guest - I am traveling on these dates. Period. I am not flexible with dates because this is when I will be traveling for whatever reason. I am not a la-di-da traveler. There is a reason I am going at this particular time. Even in the old days when we vacationed this was so. We scheduled a time period around school, kids activities and schedules, and work. Not wiggle room..

We scheduled a time period around school, kids activities and schedules, and work. Not wiggle room.

Am now picturing Kathleen wiggling.
I'll bet she enjoyed dancing The Twist back in the 50's.

 

[gillumhouse]

As a guest - I am traveling on these dates. Period. I am not flexible with dates because this is when I will be traveling for whatever reason. I am not a la-di-da traveler. There is a reason I am going at this particular time. Even in the old days when we vacationed this was so. We scheduled a time period around school, kids activities and schedules, and work. Not wiggle room..

We scheduled a time period around school, kids activities and schedules, and work. Not wiggle room.

Am now picturing Kathleen wiggling.
I'll bet she enjoyed dancing The Twist back in the 50's.
.

Once bulk gets put in motion, it is hard to stop.
PS: Twist was in the 60s - we were still innocents in the 50s.