Today’s travellers expect flexibility and clarity when booking a stay. They don’t just want to see rates for one date, they want to explore options, compare prices, and adjust plans if needed. The new Flexible Dates – Grid View in SwiftBook makes this possible.
With a clear, calendar-style display of up to 10 days of rates, guests get a complete picture of your availability while you get more chances to convert lookers into bookers.
What is Flexible Dates – Grid View?
Think of it as a smart calendar. Instead of showing only the rates for the dates guests initially searched, the Grid View presents up to 10 days of rates across different rooms and packages.
If the guest’s first choice is not available, they are automatically shown nearby dates with availability. No dead ends. No “Sorry, no rooms available.” Just a smoother journey that keeps them engaged with your property.
Why Hoteliers Should Care
Here are some of the key benefits, explained with real-life scenarios:
1. More chances to convert guests
Imagine a family searching for a long weekend stay in your property. They pick Friday – Sunday, but those dates are fully booked. Without Grid View, the guest may leave your website and go to an OTA or a competitor.
With Grid View, they are instantly shown that rooms are available starting Sunday or the next weekend. Instead of losing the booking, you’ve just redirected it to another date.
2. Price transparency builds trust
Guests often check multiple platforms to compare rates. With the calendar-style view, they can see how your prices vary across dates and packages. For example, they may notice that weekday rates are lower than weekend rates and adjust their plans accordingly.
By giving this transparency upfront, you’re building trust, and reducing the risk of rate-shopping elsewhere.
3. Upsell opportunities made easier
When multiple packages and rooms are visible side by side, upselling becomes natural. A guest searching for the “Standard Room” may notice that the “Deluxe with Breakfast” package is only a small price difference for certain dates.
This side-by-side comparison nudges them toward better-value options, boosting your revenue without extra effort.
4. Smooth guest experience
Nobody likes extra steps. If the searched dates are not available, Grid View automatically redirects the guest to Flexible Dates. This ensures the booking journey continues instead of hitting a frustrating dead end.
Key Features at a Glance
- View up to 10 days of rates before and after the searched dates.
- Compare rooms and packages at one glance.
- No availability? Guests are redirected to the Flexible Dates view.
- Default view remains BAR, with the option to switch to Flexible Dates.
- Room/package display sequence follows your priority setup.
- STAAH widget users: Flexible Dates is included automatically.
- Custom widget users: Flexible Dates option is automatically available in the booking engine.
- The Adult/Child search & checkout fields are hidden when Flexible Dates is selected (to keep the display simple).
Example: How It Works in Action
Let’s say a solo traveller is searching for a two-night stay from 15-17 October at your hotel. Unfortunately, those dates are fully booked.
- Without Grid View → The system shows “no availability,” and the guest leaves.
- With Grid View → The system automatically suggests nearby available dates, like 17-19 October, along with room and package options.
Instead of losing the guest, you’ve captured them for an alternate stay.
How to Get Started
The good news is that no extra configuration is required. By default, the view remains BAR, and guests can switch to Flexible Dates.
However, if you want to make this feature your default display, you can easily set it through:
Booking Engine Permissions / Configuration → Default Flexible Dates View
Why should you have it?
In an era where guests demand flexibility and transparency, the Flexible Dates – Grid View is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a competitive advantage. By giving your guests more options and fewer dead ends, you increase conversions, build trust, and increase the probability of revenue opportunities.
For hoteliers, it’s simple: more bookings, happier guests, and smarter upsells, all from one powerful new view.
