A method of making a hotel reservation includes receiving a reservation
request from a booking source, wherein the reservation request is based
on an allocation to the booking source from a hotel and wherein the
reservation request is price-blind; transmitting the reservation request
to the hotel; receiving a confirmation from the hotel; and transmitting
the confirmation to the booking source. The booking source can be a
consolidator, a travel agent, a tour operator, a Global Distribution
System or a wholesaler. The method also includes connecting to the hotel
using a web service to transmit the reservation to the hotel. If the
reservation request exceeds the allocation, the hotel has an option of
accepting the reservation request or declining the reservation request.
The method also includes receiving polling inquiries from the booking
source prior to transmitting the hotel's confirmation to the booking
source. The confirmation from the hotel can be received using a web
service. The confirmation can be transmitted to the booking source using
a web service. The reservation request can include a "special request."
The method can also include translating parameters of the reservation
request from a format of the booking source to a format of the hotel.