FAQs for availability blocks

Mews Operations

In this article, you can find answers to the following questions:

 

What is the difference between a block with one group and a block with multiple individual groups?

You can choose to create two types of blocks in Mews Operations. 

  • Blocks with one group: When you pick up reservations, Mews adds all of them to the same group.
  • Blocks with multiple individual groups: When you pick up reservations, you can add them to different groups, where each group has its own billing.

 

Can I modify a block type after creation?

No, you cannot modify a single group block to one with individual groups or the other way around after you create the block. 

If you need a new block type, you need to create a new block.

 

What happens to reservations picked up via the booking engine for blocks allowing individual groups?

When a reservation is picked up through an availability block’s booking engine link, Mews creates a new group in the availability block, if it allows individual groups.

 

If you want to add reservations to the same group, you can do this only from that group’s Reservations management screen. 

 

How do I release a block to public availability?

When choosing how to release the unused inventory back to public availability, you can select one of the following options:

  • One time: Release all unused inventory at a specific date and time, before the block’s end date. 
  • Every day: Gradually release unused inventory, a set number of days ahead, at a specific time. For example, you can release the unused inventory from a travel agency block a few days before the arrival date to make those spaces available for direct booking. 
  • Do not release: Retain your inventory for the entire block period. 

 

Can I adjust my release preferences after creating a block?

Yes, you can adjust the release dates or change the release rules after you create the block.

 

As soon as you update the release rules, they take immediate effect. For example, if you modify a block to release inventory 2 days before arrival, Mews automatically releases the affected inventory. 

 

How do I apply product rules to availability block rates?

When you create a product rule, you can select to apply it to a rate used by any of your existing availability blocks. The product rule then applies to all newly picked-up reservations in the block that uses the rate you selected.

 

How does Mews create the custom rate name within a block?

When you create a new block, Mews copies the configuration from the selected rate, including product rules and cancellation policies. The rate name becomes “rate_short_name (Block name).” When there is no short name, Mews automatically generates one. 

 

How do I identify Availability block rate types?

You can identify an Availability block rate type in the rate’s detail tab. Note: You cannot update or change this rate type.   

What is the recommended set up for availability block rates?

To set up availability block rates: 

  1. Create a rate group for availability blocks. 
  2. Apply your cancellation policies to the rate group if required. 
  3. Create a private rate in that rate group to match your segments for blocks. For example, Student, Business or Leisure. 
  4. For each rate you create, you can add your Segments, Default reservation purpose and Pricing classification. Note: Adding the segmentation at the rate level applies to all reservations picked up in a block.
  5. Add a short name for the rate groups in the format “rate_short_name (Block name)”. If there is no short name field, Mews automatically creates a short name for the rate and applies it to each block you created. 

Note: When setting up product rules for blocks, use the rate group name to apply the product rule for all reservations that are picked up within a block. 
 

How do I report on availability block rates?

The Reservation report displays the reservations with block rates with the structure “rate_short_name (Block name)”. Alternatively, you can group by the base rate you create for an availability block. You can also use this method for your exported reports.

  

 

Why doesn’t the availability block show up on the timeline?

An availability block becomes visible on the timeline after picking up its first reservation. 

For groups that are unlikely to change, for example, a group of relatives staying over the weekend, you can opt for group reservations instead of availability blocks. You can view these reservations immediately on the timeline and you can modify them if any cancellations occur.  

Note: You can also choose to create optional reservations. Mews automatically releases any inventory you do not pick up. 

 

How can integration partners work with blocks consisting of multiple, individual groups?

To pick up reservations in an existing or a newly created group in the block, you need to set up a two-way communication link with the Mews API. This helps you sync any updates to individual groups, in Mews Operations.

When picking up reservations through integration partners, such as Event Temple or Thynk, you can: 

  • Create a new, individual group within the block by specifying only the block’s external identifier. 
  • Add reservations to an existing group by specifying both:
    • the blocks external identifier, and
    • the groupID of the reservation group. You can learn more about adding reservations using the Mews Connector API here. 

 


You can learn more about picking up reservations in availability blocks here.

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