How to merge a reservation group into an availability block group in Mews Operations

When two separate reservation groups need to be combined under a single availability block, you can merge them directly in Mews without cancelling and rebooking any reservations. This is how you add an existing reservation group to a block. Reservations managers and front desk supervisors do this whenever a group created outside an availability block needs to come under block management, for example, when a corporate account's rooming list arrives separately from the original block. You perform the merge in the Reservations area of Mews, and the system evaluates each reservation in the source group before assigning block identifiers.

 

A block identifier is the tag Mews assigns to a reservation to link it to an availability block. Reservations with a block identifier count towards the block's pick-up and carry the block rate.

 

In this article, you can learn about:

• How the system evaluates reservations during a merge
• Merge a group into an availability block group
• Understand the confirmation options
• What happens to reservations that do not qualify for block assignment

 

How the system evaluates reservations during a merge

Before assigning block identifiers, Mews checks every reservation in the source group against three criteria. A reservation must meet all three to receive a block identifier.

• Status: The reservation must have a Confirmed status. Reservations with any other status, such as Optional or Inquired, are added to the destination group but do not receive a block identifier.
• Space category: The reservation's space category must match one of the space categories defined in the availability block. Reservations in a non-matching category are added to the group but do not receive a block identifier.
• Capacity: The availability block must have enough remaining capacity to absorb the reservations. If capacity is insufficient, no reservations in the source group receive a block identifier, though they can still be merged into the group.

 

When all three criteria are met, Mews also checks whether the cancellation policy of each reservation permits a rate and pricing adjustment. If it does, the system assigns the block identifier, applies the block rate, and aligns pricing automatically to protect reporting accuracy.

Merge a group into an availability block group

1. In Mews, open Reservations.
2. Locate the destination reservation group with an assigned availability block.
3. Navigate to the Group tab.
4. Select Merge group.

5. Choose the group that you want to include within the availability block.
6. Confirm the merge to trigger the system evaluation.
7. Review the confirmation that summarises the evaluation results, and choose the appropriate option. See the next section for details on each option.

 

Eligibility for block assignment

Mews checks each reservation before assigning it to the Availability Block. A reservation is eligible when all of the following conditions are met:

• The Availability Block is confirmed.
• The reservation is in Confirmed, Checked-in, or Checked-out status.
• The reservation's space category is included in the Availability Block.
• The block has enough remaining capacity for all eligible reservations in each space category. If any category exceeds its remaining capacity, no reservations from the merge receive a block assignment.
• The reservation already uses the block rate, or its rate can be safely changed to the block rate. Reservations with outstanding charged payments, fully non-refundable terms, or other restrictions that prevent repricing do not receive a block assignment.

Reservations that do not meet these conditions may still be added to the group, but they will not be assigned to the Availability Block. Non-confirmed reservations remain in the original group.

 

Understand the confirmation options

Depending on the evaluation results, Mews presents one of the following confirmations.

• All reservations qualify: All reservations in the source group meet the status, space category, and capacity requirements. The confirmation asks whether you want to assign block identifiers to the merged reservations, or merge them into the group without block assignment. Choose based on whether you need the reservations to count towards block pick-up.
• Some reservations have a non-Confirmed status: At least one reservation is not Confirmed. You can continue and assign block identifiers only to the Confirmed reservations, or merge all reservations into the group without assigning any block identifiers.
• Insufficient block capacity: The block does not have enough capacity to cover the source group reservations. You can merge all reservations into the group without assigning any block identifiers, or cancel the merge.
• Some reservations are in a non-matching space category: At least one reservation is in a space category not defined in the block. You can merge all reservations and assign block identifiers only to those in a matching space category, or merge all reservations without assigning any block identifiers.

 

What happens to reservations that do not qualify for block assignment

Reservations that do not receive a block identifier can move into the destination group. They remain visible alongside block-assigned reservations, but are not counted in block pick-up reporting and do not carry the block rate. Their reservation history and guest records are preserved throughout.

 

Note: Once a reservation is assigned a block identifier, the system applies the block rate and aligns pricing. If a reservation's cancellation policy does not permit a rate adjustment, the system doesn’t assign the block identifier to that reservation.