Split-Leg bookings may occur when NightsBridge has availability across two or more rooms, within the same room type. This best way to maximise the availability of a room type, allowing you to accommodate and accept more bookings - improving both your occupancy and revenue.
Based on the Online Calendar below:
- A potential booker searches availability at your property for arrival, 31 May and departure, 05 June.
Although you don't have availability for 5 consecutive nights across one physical room - rooms 1, 2, 3 or 9 - you do have availability across the room type, Double Room.
- NightsBridge will note that you have the availability and accept the booking.
In the imaged calendar example, the availability noted is highlighted in blue blocks on the calendar - the availability crosses two rooms within the same room type.
In addition notice how, although there is no one room available for all 5 nights, yet the room type availability count (highlighted in yellow) shows a minimum of 1 room available over the respective dates.
Along with the standard booking confirmation email, you will receive an email informing you of the split-leg booking.
This email will mention that:
- you have received a multi-day booking, and that
- it couldn't be entered into your system properly
The email will also confirm that you have the availability within the specific, only spread across more than one room.
Notification email example
Here is an example of the email sent to the property for each split-leg booking.
Depending on the version of NightsBridge you're currently using, a split-leg bookings may appear as a double booking.
In this case, you are still able to 'shuffle' (or reallocate rooms to) your existing arrival bookings in order to allocate a room to the split-leg booking.
When accessing you calendar, a pop-up message will alert you to the split-leg booking.
- Select 'Yes' to be directed to the Split-leg / Double bookings page.
On the 'Split-leg / Double Booking' page:
- Scroll right and note the 'Split-leg' category
- Click on the booking to be directed to the Booking Details for the booking.
When accessing the Recent Bookings tab via Quick View, split-leg bookings are easily identified by the pink banner.
How to handle a split-leg booking
Move the arrival bookings around to allocate a room to the split-leg booking.
1. Check which bookings in your calendar can be moved to another room (of the same room type) to free up the required availability in one room.
- In the imaged example, we can move the booking for Fran Westwood to Room 2
Room 2 is also sold within the Double Room room type so Fran will be in the same quality room - This will free up the available nights in one room within the Double Room room type
2. Reallocate the room
Click on the booking to change the room allocation.
If needed, guidance is available in our tutorial 'How to move a booking to another room'.
- In the imaged example, the booking for Fran Westwood has been moved to Room 2
- 5 nights of consecutive availability is now available in Room 3
3. Allocate the freed-up room to the split-leg booking
Allocate the newly available room to the split-leg booking.
If needed, guidance is available in our tutorial 'How to move a booking to another room'.
- In our imaged example, the original split-leg booking for Serena Bhakta - that could not be place on the calendar by the system - is now accommodated in Room 3.
💡 You may need a temporary off-line room
If you're unable to reallocate arrival rooms due to clashing or overlapping dates - or you don't have a vacant room on NightsBridge for the required dates - creating a temporary offline room will provide additional space to reallocate arrival rooms.
Bookings can then temporarily be allocated to this offline room while arrival rooms are reallocated to clean up the availability.
- This option is available if you are confident to complete the process on your own, otherwise, please contact NightsBridge Support for assistance.
This option will require the guest to change rooms during their stay.
To help manage the guests expectation, we recommend that you:
- contact the guest to advise them that they will need to move to a different room during the stay.
- Here is an example of a typical message:
During your stay, for your last 2 nights, we will need to move you to a different room. Our apologies!
We will assist with moving you on the day and limit the inconvenience as best we can.
We felt it important to let you know ahead of time.
- Here is an example of a typical message:
- Guests usually have no issue with moving rooms if you're able to do the physical moving as well.
- It is important that the guest knows about the move before arrival though.
We're here to help!
If you need any additional guidance on the topic, please contact NightsBridge Support.
Don't want split-leg bookings?
We do not recommend restructuring your NightsBridge Setup to avoid split-leg bookings. This will defeat the designed benefit of maximum availability to maximise revenue. A restructure will also require additional changes to all your connected channels. In addition, most booking channels will not accept multiple rooms with the same room type name as this will cause booker confusion - and confusion leads to less confirmed bookings.
Best Practice
Cleaning the grid
Referred to as "cleaning the grid", this practice is simply:
- reviewing the arrivals your online calendar and
- moving the room allocations of future bookings around to free up consecutive available nights within the same physical rooms
This is best done according to you booking window - that way you're cleaning up room-specific availability in advance, reducing the occurrence of split-leg bookings.
- Many large properties and brands consider this a common practice and it is often a task assigned to Front Office staff.
That said, if you're certain that split-leg bookings are not for you, reach out to NightsBridge Support for guidance with your options.