blueline7

Basic question, but when one books on a site, such as Hotels.com, etc., how does the website convey the reservation to the hotel, thereby ensuring that a room is reserved for the particular guest? Once reserved through the website, does the hotel have the reservation in its system under the guest's name?

Often1

First, you are asking a generic question without providing details as to the site, the hotel or its location. All FT can provide is a generic answer.

Second, If this is a third-party vendor, you may be booking through the site as an agent of the hotel (chain) or buying a room already purchased by the site as a consolidator and then sold to you. Depending on the relationship, your relationship to the property itself is different.

Third, the only way to assure that the property actually has your reservation is to check online (with the hotel, not your vendor) or with the property (or its proprietary reservations phone system). If they show the reservation as confirmed, you are OK. If they don't, there's something from a glitch to fraud, all depending on the circumstances. But, whatever the reason, you will need to call the third party site immediately to remedy the situation.

Fourth, at the end of the day, if the property can't find your reservation when you check in, you won't be checked in (other than by buying a room at the prevailing rate if there is a room).

Fifth, before booking on a third-party site, read every word of the t&c on the site and then of the hotel or chain. You may find that the t&c of the site are substantially more restrictive than of the chain and not to your liking. The bottom line is that there are great deals to be had (sometimes), but there are risks too and sometimes the deal on the third-party site is the same as or little better than the property.

blueline7

Many thanks for your comprehensive response to my generic question. Much appreciated.

Am I understanding correctly, that one may be able to confirm that a reservations has been made with a hotel (booked through a third party website) by checking online via the hotel's website? What 'locator code' or other means would be used, other than what appears to be a confirmation number that would appear to normally be proprietary to the third party booking site?

Often1

You still haven't provided details, so can't answer your question. All depends on the information you receive from the third party and what the hotel site requires to pull up a res.

B1

If you don't have it, simply call the hotel and ask for their reservation department. Then ask if you are listed and get the reservation confirmation from them. The hotel's on-linme system may only have reservations made through that site. The on-line agencies I use always give me the confirmation number that will be in the hotel's system. Any legitimate agency should give you this when they notify you of their confirmation. Failing that they should give it to you if you ask.

daniellam

For the major chains such as Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt etc., the process is pretty much automated when booking through a third party site. You can always call the toll-free number for the chain to make sure your reservation is in the system.

However, for smaller hotels, they may receive the booking either via e-mail which then needs to be manually inputted into their internal system, or in batches in electronic format (EDI format?) which then periodically gets imported into their system.

MITjazz

I frequently use Priceline, and during check-in, I'm asked my name and have never had a problem. Of course, I always have a print-out of the reservation, as well, just in case of any problems.

mkt

I've been on the hotel end of this equation before, and in my experience it's one of two ways.

1- Some online agencies are connected directly to the hotel CRS through a GDS, maintaining real-time inventory availability and rates.

2- There is an inventory allotment with minimum reservation times to guarantee availability. IE- a contract is signed for 90 rooms per night at Hotel X and they require a minimum 72 hour notice to reserve.

These are generally transparent to whoever books, and in the case of option 2, if it's beyond the guarantee minimum, on their site it would show up as no availability or 'contact to request', at which point the agency would contact the hotel and ask for one or more additional rooms at the negotiated rate.

In the case of smaller hotels that don't have their reservation systems tied into a GDS, a lot of faxes and emails are sent, with those numbers counted against allotments like those featured in sceario #2.

There are other ways and exceptions to the rules, especially in regards to payment for the rooms, but this is IME how it's done.