How to book a hotel as a Tour Operator ?

What you can do

✅ Search and book hotels with real-time availability
✅ Review hotel, room, rate, and cancellation details before booking
✅ Manage multiple hotel bookings under a Client Folder
✅ Update traveller information and hotel requests when needed
✅ Modify or cancel hotel bookings
✅ Communicate with DMCs and hotels through Chat and Documents
✅ Track booking statuses and related notifications

🚀 Objective: Learn how to create or select a Client Folder, book a hotel for your client, and manage the booking throughout the trip planning process.

In KOOB, Tour Operators must start a hotel booking from a Client Folder. You can select an existing Client Folder or create a new one before searching for and booking a hotel.

If you need to create a new Client Folder, follow the steps described in How to create a new Client Folder as a TO ?

In this article, you will learn how to:

Start a hotel booking from a Client Folder
Search for and book a hotel
Review hotel, room, rate, and cancellation details
Manage hotel bookings from a Client Folder
Update or cancel a hotel booking
Track booking statuses and related notifications
Communicate with DMCs and hotels through Chat and Documents

✔ Let's GO!

🏨 Booking a hotel from a Client Folder

Before booking a hotel, you need to select the Client Folder for the travellers you are booking for.

Select the Client Folder

From the Client Folder list:

Find the Client Folder you want to use for the hotel booking.
Click the corresponding row to open the Client Folder.

Once you open a Client Folder, it becomes your Active folder.

KOOB displays the following message:

Now working on [Client Folder name]

💡 Tip: Always check this message to make sure you are working on the correct Client Folder before starting your hotel booking. Any new booking you create will be associated with the active Client Folder.

Start the hotel booking

Once you have selected the Client Folder and confirmed that it is the correct Active folder:

Click Add a hotel.
KOOB opens the Hotel Marketplace, where you can search for and book a hotel for the travellers in the active Client Folder.

🔎 Searching for a hotel from a Client Folder

Before starting your search, make sure the correct Active folder is displayed in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

Use the search box to find hotels by:
- 📍 City, Region, or Country
- 🏨 Hotel Name
Use the filters to narrow down the results by:
- 🧳 Hotel Typology
- 🏨 Hotel Style
- ⭐ Star Rating
- ♻ Sustainability Level

👥 Entering the number of travellers and room details

Enter the details of the travellers and rooms:
- Number of rooms
- Number of adults and children in each room
- For children, enter their date of birth. If you only know their age, select the corresponding option and provide the available information.
Click + Add Room to add another room.

To remove a room, click the X icon next to it:

📅 Selecting the stay period

Select the stay period by specifying the check-in and check-out dates.

KOOB then displays the hotels available for the selected dates and traveller configuration.

🏨 Understanding hotel results

Each hotel card provides key information to help you compare the available options.

You may see the following symbols:

⚡ Green lightning bolt: Some or all rooms have Instant availability and can be confirmed immediately.
🏷️ Green tag: The hotel has available promotions or supplements.

📌 Note : If a hotel is marked “Request Connection”, you must connect with the DMC before you can book or view pricing.

📄 Viewing hotel details before booking

Before booking a hotel, you can open its factsheet to review detailed information about the property, facilities, location, sustainability commitments, and dining and business facilities.

Each hotel factsheet is divided into several sections:

🖼 Photo Gallery

Show All Pictures → Browse high-resolution images of the hotel, rooms, facilities, restaurants, and surroundings.

🏨 Hotel Overview

Hotel Name → Official name of the property.
Star Rating → Official star rating of the hotel.
Hotel Typology → Hotel's target typology, such as Couples, Groups, or Family.
Hotel Description → Overview of the hotel's services, unique experiences, and history.

🏨 Hotel Style

Hotel Style → Hotel style, such as Urban, Guesthouse, or Resort.

Contracting Conditions

Information about the hotel's contracting conditions

Hotel Promise

The hotel's commitments and unique selling points

📍 Location & Interactive Map

Location → Displays the hotel's location information.

Interactive Map → Displays the exact location of the hotel, nearby landmarks, and transport options.

🛎 Services & Facilities

The factsheet displays the hotel's available services and facilities, including:

🎭 Entertainment → Live shows, karaoke, game rooms.
🎟️ Events → Conference rooms, wedding halls.
🌳 Outdoor Areas → Gardens, terraces, beachfronts.
🏊 Swimming Pool → Infinity pools, children's pools, heated pools.
💆 Wellness → Spa, sauna, gym, beauty treatments.
...

📌 Tip: Click the message icon next to a facility to view or add additional details, such as spa opening hours or pool rules.

🌱 Sustainability Commitments

Hotels may provide information about their sustainability initiatives, including:

🌞 Energy Efficiency → Solar panels, LED lighting.
🌱 Eco-Certified Materials → Recycled furniture, organic bedding.
♻️ Waste Management → Plastic-free policies, recycling programs.
...

🍽 Restaurants & Dining Options

The factsheet may include information about the hotel's dining facilities, such as:

Children's Menu
Breakfast Buffet / Express Breakfast
Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner Options
Room Service Availability (24/7 or limited)
Special Dietary Menus (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
À La Carte / Buffet

📌 Example of Restaurant Facilities:
✔ Cloud Pool Bar → Afternoon tea, snack bar, outdoor terrace.
✔ Green Chili Restaurant → Fine dining, starred restaurant, all-inclusive options.
✔ 24-hour Room Service → Available for guests requiring flexible meal times.

🏢 Meeting Rooms & Business Facilities

Hotels with corporate event spaces may offer:

Conference Rooms → Capacity and available equipment.
Coworking Spaces
Business Centers → Printing, fax, Wi-Fi.
Private Event Spaces

📌 Example:
"CM Suite - Fully air-conditioned, with free Wi-Fi, modular space, and a private meeting area."

🌐 Changing the display language in KOOB

KOOB allows Tour Operators to change the display language of the interface for easier navigation.

To change the display language:

Locate the Language Selector in the top-right corner of the page.
Click the Language Selector dropdown.
Select your preferred language, such as EN, FR, or ES.

The interface will update automatically to the selected language.

💡 Tip: Use this feature when working with multilingual teams or when you prefer to navigate KOOB in your native language.

🛏 Selecting a room & customizing the booking

Once you have selected a hotel, review the available rooms and rate plans to choose the option that best matches your client's needs.

Click Book Now to start selecting a room.

📌 Add to Basket: If you want to add the hotel booking to your basket and continue browsing, click Add to Basket instead of Book Now.

You can continue browsing the Hotels and Experiences marketplaces and add other services to your basket. Once you have selected all the services you need, you can proceed with the booking from the basket.

Choosing a room

Review the available room options based on:

Room Name
Room Description
Facilities / Services

Room Name, description and facilities / services

💡 Click Show All Pictures to view the available room pictures.

Bed configuration

💡 If an extra bed supplement is required, the total price is updated automatically.

🍽 Meal plan: Review the available Meal Plan options, such as:
- Breakfast
- Half-board
- Room Only

Cancellation policy: Review the Cancellation Policy before selecting a rate.

Price, promotions & supplements: Review the Price and any applicable:

- Promotions
- Mandatory supplements
- Optional extras, such as airport transfers or early check-in

⚡ Availability & rate information

The green lightning symbol indicates Instant availability, meaning the room can be confirmed immediately.

If there is no lightning symbol, the booking is On Request and requires confirmation from the hotel.

For Live Inventory, you may see the DMC logo and name, indicating that the inventory is provided by that DMC.

Connected rooms available for immediate confirmation are also displayed when applicable.

📌 If multiple price plans are available for the same room, KOOB groups them together for easier comparison.

Each rate plan may display:

Meal Plan (e.g., Room Only, Breakfast included)
Cancellation Conditions (e.g., Refundable, Non-refundable)
Rate Type (e.g., BAR, Net Contract)

Confirming the selected room

Once you have reviewed the room and rate details, click Confirm to proceed to the booking confirmation page.

📌 If the selected room has Instant availability, the booking can be confirmed immediately. Otherwise, it will be On Request and the hotel must approve the booking.

📌 KOOB may group multiple price plans for easier reading (e.g., BAR vs. Net rates).

👤 Reviewing traveller information & confirming the booking

On the confirmation page, review the booking summary, including:

Room
Stay dates
Number of nights
Price
Promotions and supplements, if applicable

Traveller information

Because the booking was started from a Client Folder, the traveller information is automatically filled in from the Active folder.
Review the traveller information to make sure it is correct before confirming the booking.

Note for the Hotel

Use the Note for the Hotel field to add any specific request or message for the hotel.

Hotel conditions & cancellation policy

Before confirming the booking, review the Hotel Conditions and Cancellation Policy displayed below the traveller information.

Make sure you understand the applicable cancellation conditions before proceeding with the booking.

Confirm the booking

Click Confirm Booking to submit the reservation.

The booking status depends on the room's availability.

⚡ CONFIRMED – Instant Confirmation → The room is available for instant confirmation.
🕒 SENT – On Request → The booking request has been sent to the hotel and requires hotel confirmation.

Updating a hotel booking as a TO

If a booking has already been confirmed or sent, you can update it directly from the Client Folder.

✏ Light updates (Client Folder)

Go to "Client Folders" and select the folder containing the booking.

Click on the "Hotels" section.

Find the booking and click the pencil icon ✏ to modify:

The light updates types are :
- Guest names & details
- Notes to the hotel

- Message (Chat)

- Documents

💡 The hotel (for hotel bookings) and the DMC will be instantly notified of any updates, messages, or document uploads.

🔁 Important updates (Booking engine)

Enter your Client Folder and select the booking.

Click on "Update Booking" (top-right corner).

You will be redirected to the booking engine, where you can:
- Modify stay dates, number of pax, or room type.

Access the factsheet and click on Book Now.

Select the room and bed composition and click "Confirm"

Import the Guest details, validate the cancellation policy and click on "Confirm Booking"

As the updated booking is under "Instant availability ", the booking is Confirmed.

📌 Reminder

The green lightning symbol, informs you that the room has “Instant availability”, which means that it is instantly confirmable. If there is no symbol, it means that the booking will be on request, and that the hotelier will have to confirm the availability.

The hotel and the DMC are instantly informed by email.

Return to the Client Folder

Localise the booking and click on the pencil symbol to open it

Click on "History" tab to access the history of the reservation.

📌 Important

If the update involves a significant change (e.g., different dates or room types), it will trigger an On Request status (if no Instant availability while rebooking), requiring the hotel to confirm, refuse, or propose an alternative.
You cannot change hotel because you are requesting a modification for this hotel.

Canceling a Booking from the Client Folder

If you need to cancel a booking, follow these steps:

Go to "Client Folders" and locate the booking.
Click the pencil icon ✏ to open booking details.

Check the Cancellation conditions before cancelling to be aware of the possible fees.
Click "Cancel Booking" at the bottom of the page.

Enter the Cancellation reasons
Confirm the cancellation by clicking on "Continue".

The booking is now under "Canceled" status on the booking detail and in the Booking dashboard.

The Hotel and the DMC receive the the cancellation notification per mail.

💡 Result: The hotel or DMC will receive an instant notification, and the booking will change to "Canceled" status.

📌 Cancellation policy at the time of booking determines penalty.

Understanding booking statuses, email notifications & special requests

KOOB ensures every hotel reservation is tracked, updated and communicated through clear statuses and automatic notifications. This guarantees transparency between the TO, the DMC, and the hotel.

📊 Booking status & corresponding email notifications

Status	What it means	Email sent to	Email subject
Sent	A booking on request was sent to the hotel.	Hotel + DMC	Booking Request
Confirmed	Hotel confirmed the booking.	TO + Hotel + DMC	Booking Confirmation
Confirmed	TO confirms the booking after a hotel’s proposal was accepted.	Hotel + DMC	Booking Confirmation
Pending	Hotel proposes another room → waiting for TO action.	TO	Booking Update
Refused	Hotel rejected the on-request booking.	TO + DMC	Booking Refused
Cancelled	Booking was cancelled by TO or by the DMC (following TO request via Chat).	Hotel + DMC + TO	Booking Cancelled
Replaced	Booking was updated with a major change (dates, pax, room type, etc.).	Hotel + DMC + TO	Booking Updated

📌 Each email includes a direct link to the booking and relevant communication tab (If a new Chat or Documents for example).

💬 Using the Chat & Documents tabs for special requests

KOOB enables seamless collaboration through the Chat tab and the Documents tab in each hotel booking.

How it works:

The TO sends a special request or file (e.g. rooming list) via Chat or Documents.

The DMC receives an automatic email notification with a clickable link to the booking.

The DMC handles the communication with the hotel and then replies via Chat or Document upload.

KOOB automatically notifies the TO of the new update with a Booking Update email.

Click on the link in the email to be redirect to the related booking / Chat section.

✅ You can upload PDF, Excel, Word or image files.
✅ The conversation history remains visible and traceable in the booking interface.

💡 This process ensures TOs stay informed while letting DMCs manage operational communication with the hotel.

🧠 Key benefits of KOOB’s hotel booking system
✔ Instant Confirmation with Live Inventory or DMC Allotment ()
✔ Client Folder Management for grouped reservations
✔ Smart Pricing with visible promotions and rate types
✔ Transparency on providers and conditions
✔ Easy Modifications & Cancellations
✔ Clear Notifications for hotels, DMCs, and TOs

TUTORIAL VIDEO

Takeaways

✅ Search & filter hotels with instant availability and eco filters
✅ Book instantly or via request with clear confirmation icons
✅ Use Client Folders to manage multiple bookings efficiently
✅ Edit and cancel bookings directly within KOOB
✅ Communicate and upload documents for hotel and DMC coordination

FAQ

Q: What does the lightning icon mean?
✅ It means the room has instant availability and will be booked immediately.

Q: Can I book without guest names?
✅ Yes, enter “GUEST ONE” or “TBC” and update it later in the dashboard.

Q: What happens if I modify a booking?
🕒 Important changes (like dates or room type) will need hotel re-confirmation.

Q: Can I choose from multiple promotions?
✅ Yes, KOOB allows you to pick the promo you prefer during booking.

Q: Where do I find cancellation conditions?
📄 They are listed under each rate and must be validated before confirming.

📌 Need help? Visit the KOOB Knowledge Base or contact KOOB Support 🚀