Creating a group booking

There are two ways to create group bookings in the BEX PMS back office, and which approach you should take depends on the requirements of your guests. In CMS, you can allow guests to make group bookings themselves via your website.

Dual approach to group bookings

Depending on the requirements of your guests:

Start with a single reservation and then add other reservations to make it a group booking.

Recommended if your booker states that the reservations they want each have specific requirements, such as the need for specific types/amenities or slightly deviating stay dates.

Start a group booking with an availability search based on the total guest group and stay dates.

Recommended if your booker wants to find accommodation for a large number of people, all with the same stay dates. Add objects to the group booking from the results of this availability search.

Notes and limitations:

  • A group booking can contain a maximum of 100 reservations.

  • The reservations within the group booking do not necessarily have to have the same arrival and departure dates. However, at least one day must overlap.

  • The booker will receive all email notifications for all reservations in the group booking.

  • The group booking will have a single invoice.

Group bookings cannot be used to put two reservations for the same (corporate) client on a single invoice, if the stay periods for those reservations do not overlap.

Starting with a single reservation

  • Click the '+Booking' button in the green navigation bar, and select 'Single reservation'.

  • Create the first reservation of the bunch, according to the booker’s wishes.

  • On that reservation page, click the '+Reservation' button behind the 'Booking' header. This will take you to the Planboard.
    OR
    Select the reservation from the Planboard view, and click '+Add reservation' at the top of the reservation summary on the right.

  • In the Planboard, select the dates and object for the additional reservation. From there, create another reservation. You’ll notice you don’t have to enter any booker details this time.

  • The booker details are copied from the first reservation. The guest group and other details for this reservation can be edited.

  • Under 'Booking', you’ll see that the two reservations are listed as 'A' and 'B' under the same group booking. The green highlighted reservation indicates which reservation details you are currently viewing/editing.

  • Click the same '+Reservation' button again to add another reservation to the group booking.

Starting with an availability search

  • Click the '+Booking' button in the green navigation bar, and select 'Group booking'.

  • Select the dates of the intended stay, and enter the total number of people in the guest group. Click 'Search'.

    A notification will let you know if there is insufficient availability on those dates for the whole guest group.

  • The search results will show which types, and how many objects within that type, are available for this group booking.

  • Click the shopping bag icon to add a single object to your selection for the group booking, or use the ellipsis button to add all available objects of this type to your selection.

  • On the right, the selection summary will show you how many reservations are in your selection, and how their occupancy matches your search.

  • If needed, use the edit button for each of the reservations in you selection to edit the guest group of that reservation. This is how you make the numbers for the different age groups in the summary match.

  • Use the trashcan icon to remove a reservation from your selection, if necessary.

  • When you are done, click 'Make group booking'.

  • You’ll see the overview page of the group booking, with all reservations that are part of it.

  • Add the booker details.

  • Edit and add information to the group booking or individual reservations as needed.

  • Confirm the reservations.

Managing group bookings

After a group booking has been created in either of the two ways mentioned above, the way in which they are managed is the same.
Read more: Managing a group booking

Splitting a group booking

If needed, you can split off a reservation from a group booking onto its own invoice.
Read more: Splitting a group booking

Allowing group bookings via your website

In your BEX CMS settings, you need to explicitly allow group bookings to enable guests to create group bookings themselves via your website. If you do not use BEX CMS, you need to contact support@bookingexperts.com to enable this feature in your Search & Book.
Read more: Allowing group bookings to be made on your website