QloApps Hourly Booking

The wait is over! QloApps now brings you the much-anticipated Hourly Booking Module, designed for guests seeking short-term stays with unmatched flexibility. 

Whether it’s a few hours for business meetings or a brief layover, this module empowers hotels to meet diverse guest needs while maximizing occupancy and revenue. 

With this QloApps module, hoteliers can manage both nightly and hourly reservations from the same platform.

The module increases revenue potential by maximizing room usage and offering an additional booking option for guests with varied needs.

Features of QloApps Hourly Booking Module:

• Flexible Booking Window: The admin can define the start and end time for hourly bookings, offering complete control over booking schedules.
• Set Minimum Booking Hours: The admin can specify the minimum number of hours required for a booking.
• Customizable Time Format Display: Easily switch between 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats for the front-end display to match your preferences.
• Multiple Hourly Booking Types: Choose from three booking types – Time Period (based on specific start and end times), Fixed Duration (preset hourly slots), or Fixed Slot (custom time slots with defined start and end times).
• Hotel-Specific Hourly Booking: Enable hourly bookings for individual hotels, set specific booking windows, and minimum booking offset times, and assign hourly rates.
• Room-Type Specific Hourly Booking: Apply hourly booking options to specific room types, with the ability to set pricing either as a percentage of the daily rate or as a fixed price for selected durations.
• Flexible Admin Hourly Booking: Admin can create custom hourly bookings for offline guests via the back office, with room-type-specific pricing.
• Combined Hourly and Nightly Booking Front-End: Guests can seamlessly switch between hourly and nightly booking options directly from the home booking page for added convenience.

Prior to installing the QloApps Hourly Booking Module, you must make a few changes in the core files for the proper functioning of the module.

The step is very simple, you just have to replace the mentioned codes for the proper functioning of the module.

Locate the following path and replace the function getNumberOfDays with the code below.

Path: QloApps/modules/hotelreservationsystem/classes/HotelHelper.php 

Code

Installing the QloApps QloApps Early Check-In and Late Check-Out Manager addon is a straightforward process. Follow these steps:-

1. Log in to the back office of QloApps

2. Go to the Modules and Services tab

3. Click on Add a new module

4. Upload the ZIP file of the module

5. Click on the “Choose File “ to select the zip file and the “Upload and install this module” option

After uploading the ZIP file the module will start installing automatically.

Once the module is installed, the user can see the prompt for successful installation and the module will be listed below. 

Once you have installed the QloApps Hourly Booking Module, you can easily configure its settings by following these steps:

1. Navigate to the “Modules & Services” tab.
2. Select “Manage Module”.
3. Search for “Hourly Booking”.
4. Click on “Configure” to customize the module settings.

Booking Start Time: Set the time when hourly bookings can begin.

Booking End Time: Define the latest time for hourly bookings.

Minimum Booking Hours: Specify the minimum duration for bookings in hours.

Time Format: Choose the time format (12-hour or 24-hour) to be displayed on the front end.

Hourly Booking Types: Select from different types of hourly bookings based on your hotel’s needs:

• Time Period: This type allows guests to select both their check-in and check-out times according to their specific needs. Ideal for guests seeking flexible booking times without being limited to predefined durations.
• Fixed Duration: Guests can choose their check-in time and set the duration of their booking. Suitable for those who know their start time and require flexibility in determining how long they will stay.
  
• Fixed Slots: The admin defines specific check-in and check-out times in predefined time slots. Guests can choose from these fixed options, providing a more structured booking experience.

With these configurations, you can easily manage and customize your hotel’s hourly bookings to suit different guest requirements.

The booking start time and booking end time can only be set in complete hours.

You cannot specify times in minutes (e.g., the booking time can be set to 05:00 but not 05:30 or 05:45).

The minimum booking hours must be equal to 1 or greater.

Please consider these points while configuring your Hourly Booking process to ensure a smooth booking experience for your guests.

You need to enable the hourly booking feature for each hotel in QloApps.

This feature allows you to customize hourly booking settings for individual hotels.

It give the flexibility to apply different rules for each property.

To enable hourly booking for a hotel:

1. Go to the Hotel Reservation tab.
2. Select Manage Hotel.
3. Click the Edit button for the specific hotel.

On the Edit Hotel page, there’s a dedicated tab for Hourly Booking.

Using this you can enable the feature, set minimum booking offsets, adjust the booking window, and define date ranges for hourly bookings.

Enable Hourly Booking: Select “Yes” to enable hourly bookings for the hotel. Choose “No” to disable it.

Minimum Booking Offset: Set the number of hours required for advance notice before a guest can book a room. This represents the minimum preparation time needed for same-day reservations.

For example, if you set it to 2 hours, guests must book at least 2 hours in advance.

Booking Window: Specify the number of days within which guests can make the hourly booking. Only dates within this window will be available for hourly reservations.

NOTE: The booking window cannot be shorter than the hotel’s minimum booking offset in days. Please adjust your settings accordingly.

Allow Date Range: Select “Yes” to enable bookings within a specific date range. Choose “No” to disable this option.

• Date From: Set the start date of the booking period.
• Date To: Set the end date of the booking period.

This detailed setup allows you to have precise control over how hourly bookings are managed for each hotel.

You can also configure hourly bookings for individual room types.

Just like for the hotel. If hourly booking is enabled for the hotel, each room type must also be enabled; otherwise, it will function as a standard night booking.

To enable hourly booking for a room type, go to the Catalog tab and select Manage Room Types. Click on the Edit button for the desired room type.

Navigate to the dedicated Hourly Booking tab on the Edit Room Type page.

Enable Hourly Booking: Select Yes to allow hourly bookings for the room type, or No to disable it.

Only Hourly Booking: Choose Yes to restrict bookings solely to hourly rates; select No to allow traditional overnight bookings as well.

Hourly Booking Pricing: Select between Fixed Price and and Percentage Price. 

• Fixed Price: Enter a fixed rate for each hour booked, applied on an hourly basis.
• Percentage Price: Enter a percentage that will be calculated based on the total amount for day-wise bookings.

If Fixed Price is selected, further options will show:

• Fixed Price for Time Period: Enter the price for one hour.
• Fixed Price for Back Office Booking: Enter the price for one hour if the booking is created using the back office.

If Percentage Price is selected, further options will show:

• Percentage Price for Time Period: Enter the percentage price for one hour.
• Percentage Price for Back Office Booking: Enter the percentage price for one hour created using the back office which will be calculated based on the total amount for day-wise bookings.

Once all the back-office configurations are complete, the front-end flow for hourly booking with the “Time Period” option will work as follows:

Booking Home Page: A toggle option will be available to switch from regular booking to Hourly Booking.

Select Hotel & Check-in Date: Choose the desired hotel and set the Check-in date.

Specify the stay duration by entering the Time From and Time To, based on the minimum booking hours configured.

Once done you can hit search rooms for the results. 

After selecting the time period, the room types available for hourly booking will be displayed.

A summary of the selected room and the corresponding price based on the hourly duration will be displayed showing room type, Check-in date, and hourly booking. 

For the Fixed Duration booking type, follow these steps to create fixed hourly slots:

Set Up Fixed Hourly Slots: In the Hourly Booking Configuration section of the back office, select the Hourly Booking Type as Fixed Duration.

Set the available slot durations, for example: 3 hours, 6 hours, and 9 hours.

Enable Hourly Booking for Hotel and Room Types: Go to the hotel-specific settings, and enable Hourly Booking.

Similarly, for each room type, enable Hourly Booking and assign the pricing for the slots (3 hours, 6 hours, and 9 hours).

Set pricing options as Fixed or Percentage:

• Fixed Price: A set rate for each hour booked, applied on an hourly basis.
• Percentage Price: Calculated based on the total amount for day-wise bookings, applied for each slot (3 hours, 6 hours, and 9 hours).

For the Fixed Slots booking type, you can define specific time slots with a set start time, end time, and pricing. Here’s how you can configure it:

Set Up Fixed Time Slots: In the Hourly Booking Configuration section of the back office, select Fixed Slots as the Hourly Booking Type.

Define specific time slots with start and end times along with their respective prices. For example:

Start-time: 14:00, End-time: 15:00, Price: ₹100, 16:00, End-time: 17:00, Price: ₹200, 18:00, End-time: 19:00, Price: ₹300

Enable Hourly Booking for Hotel and Room Types:

For each room type, enable Hourly Booking and define the fixed time slots with their corresponding prices.

Set Pricing Options: You can set pricing as either a Fixed Price for each time slot or a Percentage based on the day-wise booking amounts.

After completing the hourly booking process, the system updates the order confirmation page to display the details of the booking. The layout will display essential information such as:

• Room Description: Details about the selected room.
• Hotel Name: The name of the hotel where the booking is made.
• Rooms: Number of rooms booked along with guest details.
• Check-in Date: The date and time when the guest is expected to check-in.
• Check-out Date: The date and time for the end of the stay.

Once the admin receives an hourly booking order, they can edit the check-in date and create a flexible hourly booking, regardless of the selected hourly booking type.

This flexibility helps manage bookings according to the hotel’s needs and policies.

To edit an order:

1. Navigate to the Orders tab and select the Orders option.
2. Click on the View button of the order you wish to edit.
3. Scroll down to the Rooms Booking Details section.
4. Click Edit on the room’s booking details.
5. From here, you can create a Flexible Hourly Booking for any duration, complying with hourly booking rules.

This feature allows the admin to modify bookings efficiently, adapting to any last-minute changes or guest requirements.

When an admin creates a booking from the back office, they have the flexibility to create hourly bookings regardless of the Hourly Booking Type selected for the hotel. To do this:

1. Go to the Hotel Reservation tab.
2. Click on Book Now.
3. Select Hourly in the Booking Type.
4. Add the check-in date and create any hourly slot using the Time From and Time To fields.

This feature provides greater control and customization for handling special cases directly from the back office.

That’s all from the QloApps Hourly Booking Module. I hope this guide has provided a clear understanding of how to manage and customize hourly bookings for your hotel.

For more information about QloApps, feel free to visit the official website: QLO Reservation System – Free Open-Source Hotel Booking & Reservation System.

Should you have any queries, issues, or additional requirements, don’t hesitate to share them on the QloApps Forum.

Current Product Version – V_1.0.1
Supported Framework Version – QloApps 1.6.x