Rate Plans and Packages is a feature that allows you to create special offers and packages for discounted daily, weekly or monthly rates. Depending on the rate plan, you may want to apply restrictions to certain packages such as MinLos, MaxLos, Closed to arrival.
Useful article for you to learn How to Create Rate Plans and Packages
Restrictions Overview
Restrictions may include one or more of the following rules:
- How far/close is the booking date is permitted prior to the stay date
- The length of stay [number of nights]
- Arrival and departure restrictions.
Please note that the availability search will only return results if matching a specific criteria.
Below, you can find extra context on each of the restriction options.
Fields marked with the green symbol will be sent to supported channels (please note that cut-off and Last Minute options will not be synced with channel)
Click here to learn more about channel rate plan sync and which channels support this feature.
The minimum length of stay [Min LOS] may be set for 1 or more nights. In order for the reservation to be eligible for the rate plan, it must meet or exceed the specified number of nights.
Example: Min Los = 2.
It means the guest must book a minimum of 2 nights. If searching for 1 night only, the rate plan will not be visible in the search.
If a maximum length of stay [Max LOS] is set, the reservation must have less or equivalent to the specified number of nights.
Example: Max LOS = 5
It means the guest must book 5 nights or less. If searching for more than 5 nights, the rate plan will not be visible in the search.
Cut-off
The package will only be visible for clients to book until a certain deadline (a number of days prior to the arrival date).
Example: Early Booking Cutoff of 30
A guest would only be able to book this package if their check-in date is at least 30 days before the booking date. Meaning, their reservation must be confirmed within 30 or more days before their arrival date.
If the arrival date is less than 30 days in advance, the package will not be visible.
Last Minute
This offer will become available for reservations made within the specified number of days prior to the guest’s arrival date. Also, the guest’s departure date needs to be within the offer’s date range.
Example: Last Minute rate plan with a 2-days setting
This rate plan will only be displayed if the guest is trying to book a reservation when the booking date is within 2 days prior to the arrival date. Meaning, this restriction will prevent guests from booking reservations with 3 or more days of anticipation: The number of days between arrival date and booking date needs to be less or equal to 2.
Please check further details and examples about these 2 options in this article: How are Cut-off and Last-minute booking settings different?
When this option is applied to a rate plan, it limits arrivals on the specified date. Meaning, if you apply this restriction to a specific date(s), guests will not be able to book a reservation using the restricted date as a check-in date.
Be aware that the 'Closed to Arrival (CTA)' option works differently from the Availability Matrix.
If you wish to close a day for arrival for your package, you will have to create more than one interval for the same period. Please check an example below for better comprehension.
Example:
- Rate Plan date range: March 27 - March 31
- Check-in date allowed: March 27
- Check-in dates not allowed: from March 28 til the end of the package date range [March 31]
You may create different intervals to enable "Closed to Arrival":
-
[1st Interval in red]
- Create an interval for the first day of your package [From March 27 - to March 27] which is allowed to check-in
- No restrictions applied
-
[2nd Interval in yellow]
- Create a new Interval and select the 'middle' of your date range [From March 28 to March 30]
- Apply the 'Closed to Arrival' restriction. Meaning, no guest will be able to check-in during these days
The package will only be visible if the guest selects exactly the date range check-in March 27 and check-out March 31.
If the guest selects check-in March 28 and check-out March 31, the package will not be visible.
Closed to Departure restricts guest check-out on a specific date(s).
When this option is applied to a rate plan, it will not allow departure on that date. Meaning, if you apply this restriction to a specific date(s), guests will not be able to book a reservation using the restricted date as a check-out date.
Be aware that the 'Closed to Departure (CTD)' option works differently from the Availability Matrix.
Example 1 - Simple Package
- Rate Plan date range: March 27 - March 31
- Check-out date allowed: March 31
- Check-out dates not allowed: from March 27 to March 30
You may create the following interval:
- Create an interval and select a check-in date for March 27 and a check-out date for March 30th. Apply the 'Closed to Departure' restriction. Meaning, no guest will be able to check-out during these days
The package will be visible if the guest selects exactly the date range check-in March 27 and check-out March 31.
If the guest selects check-in March 27 and check-out March 30 or any other date, the package will not be visible.
Example 2 - Package that span over a month
If you have a package that spans over a month, the settings are different from the above example.
Let's suppose that you need to create a package for a few months but close it for Friday and Saturday departures.
- Rate Plan date range: May 4 - August 31
- Check-out date allowed: Every week, Sunday - Thursday
- Check-out dates not allowed: every week, Friday and Saturday
In this case you will have to create more than one interval for the same period. You may create the following intervals:
[1st Interval]
- Create an Interval with start date May 4 and end date August 31
- Select the days of the week that you allow guest's check out (in this example will be from Sunday to Thursday)
- No restrictions applied
[2nd Interval]
- Create an Interval with start date May 4th and end date August 31
- Select the days of the week that you do not allow guest's check out (For this example we selected Friday and Saturday)
- Apply Close to Departure (CTD) restriction
When you save, the system will automatically split the intervals for you in order to indicate the dates that are closed to departure.
Why did the system split the intervals when the package was saved?
Do not worry - this is the expected behavior.
The reason it is broken into different intervals is because the system will make separate intervals for the weeks which don't have restrictions applied - all the intervals fall under the general interval date range
