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Embedded CRS booking engine overview

Streamline guest bookings with an embedded booking engine that integrates directly into your website for simplified reservation experiences.

M
Written by Michelle Normoyle
Updated this week

Embedded CRS booking engine overview

The embedded CRS booking engine delivers a streamlined booking experience focused on popular features that simplify the guest journey. Built on our new design system, this booking solution integrates directly into your hotel website as a customizable widget, providing guests with direct access to availability searches and booking confirmation without leaving your site.

This embedded solution complements your full CRS booking engine, offering simplified functionality for straightforward bookings while maintaining access to comprehensive features for complex reservation scenarios.


Widget integration and display options

Outlined below is information regarding widget integration and display options.

Website widget deployment

The embedded booking engine appears as a widget on your hotel website. You can deploy it with or without the conversational AI panel, depending on your guest engagement strategy and website design preferences.

Engagement badge flexibility

The engagement badge can be maximized for prominent display or minimized for subtle website integration. This flexibility allows you to balance booking visibility with your website's overall user experience design.

Display mode options

Dark mode remains available for all embedded booking implementations, providing guests with display preferences that suit different lighting conditions and personal preferences.

Resizable panels

Guests can resize booking panels according to their preferences throughout the booking process, customizing their experience for optimal usability across different devices and screen sizes.


Room and rate presentation

Outlined below is information regarding room and rate presentation.

CRS data integration

Rooms, rates, and availability source directly from your CRS configuration. Any element channeled to your CRS booking engine automatically becomes part of the embedded booking experience, ensuring consistency across your booking channels.

Dynamic room descriptions

Room type descriptions display in both short and long formats by default. When guest segmentation is identified through interaction patterns, descriptions optimize for solo travelers, couples, families, or group bookings to enhance relevance and booking appeal.

Amenity and image display

The first six room amenities assigned in your CRS display alongside all images loaded in your system. This provides guests with essential room information and visual context for booking decisions.

πŸ“ŒNote: Amenity display order follows your CRS configuration priorities for each room type.


Booking flow and guest experience

Outlined below is information regarding booking flow and guest experience.

Availability search

Guests enter search criteria using standard date, occupancy, and promotional code fields directly within the embedded interface, maintaining familiar booking patterns without navigation complexity.

Room and rate selection

After room selection, available offers display for guest choice. Guests can navigate back to select different rooms throughout the booking process, providing flexibility during decision-making.

Offer details access

Selecting more details opens a modal window displaying complete terms and conditions for transparency during the booking process, helping guests make informed decisions.

Upgrade suggestions

When higher room categories are available, upgrade offers appear at checkout with persuasive messaging that highlights benefits relevant to the guest's identified segment and travel purpose.

Add-on integration

Available add-ons display at checkout for additional revenue opportunities. When add-on options exceed screen space, guests can scroll horizontally to view their choices without interface complications.


Booking confirmation and management

Outlined below is information regarding booking confirmation and management.

Cart review functionality

In the booking cart, guests can view room details, rate conditions, and images in a single modal for final selection confirmation before completing their reservation.

Configurable checkout fields

Guest detail collection at checkout uses your standard CRS application configuration, maintaining consistency with your full booking engine requirements and data collection preferences.

Confirmation and communication

Booking confirmation and transactional email delivery follow your standard CRS processes, ensuring consistent guest communication across all booking channels.

Reservation tracking

Completed reservations appear with 'Concierge' as the subchannel identifier, allowing you to track embedded booking engine performance and guest booking patterns.


Modification and cancellation handling

Outlined below is information regarding modification and cancellation handling.

Reservation changes

Online modifications or cancellations for existing reservations redirect guests to your full CRS booking engine, which provides comprehensive functionality for complex reservation adjustments.

⚠️Important: The embedded booking engine focuses on new reservation creation and the full CRS booking engine is leveraged for the post-booking management functionality.


Customization and localization

Outlined below is information regarding customization and localization.

Brand alignment

Multilingual support, currency options, labels, and messaging customize to align with your property or group's brand requirements and guest demographics.

Loyalty program integration

When configured with SHR's CRM system, loyalty elements include guest sign-up, sign-in functionality, and access to loyalty member rates for enhanced guest engagement and retention.


Feature scope and limitations

Outlined below is information regarding feature scope and limitations.

Streamlined functionality focus

The embedded booking engine concentrates on popular booking features designed to simplify guest journeys. This streamlined approach complements rather than replaces your full booking engine's comprehensive feature set.


Supported booking scenarios

Outlined below is information regarding supported booking scenarios.

Fully supported features:

  • Room and rate bookings channeled through CRS.

  • Guest segmentation-optimized descriptions.

  • Resort fees marked as inclusive in rate display.

  • Standard checkout field configuration.

  • Add-on sales during checkout.

  • Upgrade suggestions at appropriate booking stages.


Current limitations requiring full booking engine to leveraged in some scenarios

Outlined below is information regarding current limitations requiring full booking engine to leveraged in some scenarios.

Booking complexity requiring full booking engine:

  • Packages, recommend selling as rate codes instead.

  • Child age group specifications beyond first group assignment.

  • Add-on scheduling.

  • Multi-room bookings.

  • Multi-property itinerary reservations.

  • Multi-property booking page.

CRM-related limitations:

  • Reward redemptions and pay-by-points bookings.

  • Separate authentication pages with social sign-on.

  • Required registration field configurations.

  • Cart recovery functionality this remains available with the full booking engine.

πŸ“ŒNote: Direct booking links to your full booking engine remain necessary for landing pages with specific offers or metasearch criteria requirements.


Implementation considerations

Outlined below is information regarding implementation considerations.

Payment gateway compatibility

Payment processing may require configuration review to ensure optimal functionality with embedded booking flows and your existing payment infrastructure.

Booking pathway strategy

Maintain your full booking engine for scenarios requiring comprehensive functionality while leveraging the embedded solution for streamlined guest experiences.

Early adoption evaluation

Properties considering early adoption should evaluate booking complexity requirements, guest expectations, and market-specific needs to determine optimal deployment strategies.

⚠️Important: Future development phases may address current limitations based on property feedback and market requirements.

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