HotelTonight Extranet: How to Optimize your Hotel Listings

The HotelTonight Extranet is a powerful platform for hoteliers who want to attract last-minute bookings. With HotelTonight’s mobile-focused user base and reputation for offering deals on short-notice stays, optimizing your listing can increase both visibility and occupancy for your property. Here, we’ll explore essential strategies to maximize the performance of your HotelTonight listing and help drive higher booking volumes.

What is HotelTonight Extranet?

HotelTonight has been a go-to booking platform since 2010, and since being acquired by Airbnb in 2019, it has grown into an essential channel for hotels looking to fill rooms quickly. The Extranet serves as the management hub for HotelTonight listings, where you can control pricing, adjust availability, and improve your listing to appeal to a broad audience of spontaneous travelers. Unlike many traditional OTAs, HotelTonight is not bound by rate parity agreements, allowing you more flexibility with your rates.

Why Optimizing Your HotelTonight Listing Matters

Last-minute travelers rely heavily on visuals, price, and guest reviews when deciding where to book. An optimized listing will appear more attractive, rank higher in HotelTonight’s search results, and convert more viewers into guests. With strong optimization, you’ll see improvements in booking volumes, revenue, and customer satisfaction, especially during low-demand periods.

Key Steps to Optimizing Your HotelTonight Listing

1. Refine Your Profile Details

Your profile is often the first impression for potential guests, so accuracy and appeal are essential:

• Keep Descriptions Clear and Descriptive: Detail your unique selling points like free breakfast, fast Wi-Fi, or scenic views. Clearly describe room types and amenities, ensuring guests know exactly what to expect.
• Highlight Local Attractions: Mention nearby landmarks, popular eateries, or local events. For many guests, proximity to points of interest is a major deciding factor.
• Update Regularly: Any recent changes to your property—whether an upgrade, seasonal decor, or new amenities—should be reflected in your profile.

2. Prioritize High-Quality, Engaging Visuals

Because HotelTonight is a mobile-first platform, photos are pivotal. Travelers often make snap judgments based on visuals alone. Good photos can increase the conversion rate of your booking by an impressive 136%.

• Invest in Professional Photography: Use well-lit, high-resolution images to showcase the best aspects of your property. Photos should highlight rooms, lobby, and special amenities, giving users a sense of comfort and style.
• Include Different Angles: Capture all key areas from multiple viewpoints, giving potential guests a true feel for the experience.
• Refresh Seasonally: If you update decor seasonally or add new amenities, include fresh images to maintain an up-to-date feel.
• Moderate Images: Since you are probably uploading hundreds of images at a time at various locations, use a software that moderate your images. This software scans all your images to ensure quality, clarity, enhanced color, and brand alignment to increase conversion.

3. Implement Smart Pricing Strategies

Dynamic pricing is key on a last-minute platform like HotelTonight:

• Use Flexible Rates: HotelTonight’s audience is price-sensitive, so consider offering discounts for same-day bookings or filling rooms during low occupancy periods.
• Leverage HotelTonight’s Rank Boost: This feature increases your visibility for a fee, which can help you attract more bookings during high-demand periods or on weekends.
• Create Limited-Time Offers: Flash sales and exclusive deals drive urgency and appeal to travelers who are looking for last-minute savings.

4. Keep Availability Accurate and Updated

An up-to-date listing is not just about convenience; it prevents issues like double bookings and ensures you’re maximizing your chances for last-minute reservations:

• Regular Availability Checks: Check your inventory frequently and update the Extranet to reflect real-time availability, especially if you’re also listed on other OTAs.
• Adjust for High- and Low-Demand Times: During off-peak periods, make more rooms available on HotelTonight to capitalize on the last-minute market. Conversely, manage availability to avoid overbooking during peak times.

5. Focus on Reviews and Guest Feedback

Guest reviews greatly influence HotelTonight’s rankings and impact booking decisions:

• Respond to Reviews: Engaging with feedback, both positive and negative, shows potential guests that you value their experience. Responding to reviews also improves the credibility of your listing.
• Encourage Positive Feedback: Ask satisfied guests to leave reviews, especially if they booked through HotelTonight. Higher ratings not only enhance your profile but can also improve your ranking on the platform.
• Use Feedback for Continuous Improvement: Reviews are a valuable source of information about areas needing improvement. Address frequent comments (like noise issues or room updates) to enhance your overall guest experience.

Advanced Optimization Tips for HotelTonight

Manage Promotions and Deals for Maximum Effect

Promotions are especially effective on HotelTonight, as users are often seeking immediate discounts or special offers:

• Seasonal Promotions: Create tailored offers around holidays or events in your area to attract spontaneous travelers.
• Flash Sales: HotelTonight users often respond well to time-sensitive deals, so consider implementing flash sales for quick occupancy boosts.

Experiment with Rank Boost to Gain Visibility

HotelTonight’s Rank Boost feature can help you stand out in search results, especially during competitive periods. When strategically implemented, it can help your property appear at the top of search results, driving more views and increasing the likelihood of bookings.

Improve the Guest Experience to Encourage Repeat Bookings

HotelTonight’s users are primarily last-minute bookers, meaning they may appreciate extra convenience and thoughtful touches. Simple enhancements to the guest experience can set you apart and increase your chances of earning repeat business:

1. Streamline Check-In and Check-Out Processes: Efficient and friendly check-in/out services make a great impression on last-minute travelers, who often prioritize speed and convenience.
2. Personalize Communications: Send welcoming pre-arrival messages or offer details about local events, making guests feel valued and informed.
3. Offer Exclusive Deals for Return Guests: For guests who booked via HotelTonight, consider providing a special code for a discount on their next direct booking.

Troubleshooting Common Challenges on the HotelTonight Extranet

While the HotelTonight Extranet offers robust functionality, a few common challenges might arise:

• Limited Guest Information: HotelTonight’s minimal guest information can make it challenging to tailor services. To address this, consider requesting additional details (like arrival time or specific requests) after booking confirmation.
• Unpredictable Search Algorithm: HotelTonight’s algorithm isn’t fully transparent, meaning rankings may fluctuate. Focusing on competitive rates, engaging visuals, and timely availability updates can help maintain your visibility.
• Balancing Multiple OTA Listings: Managing multiple OTAs can lead to conflicts in availability or pricing. Keeping a close eye on the Extranet ensures that HotelTonight reflects your most current offerings.

Optimize Your HotelTonight Listing with OCUS to Boost Last-Minute Bookings

Optimizing your HotelTonight listing is essential to attracting last-minute bookings and maximizing occupancy. By refining your profile, focusing on high-quality visuals, employing dynamic pricing strategies, maintaining accurate availability, and engaging with guest feedback, you can increase your property’s appeal to spontaneous travelers. 

OCUS helps you achieve this by handling your professional photography and automating image content moderation, enhancement and optimization to make sure your listings are more attractive and competitive than ever before.