WBE Documentation

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WBE – FAQ ​

This page contains frequently asked questions about the Web Booking Engine (WBE).
The content is based on common support requests and project communication.

Subdomain & Integration ​

Who sets up the subdomain and how is it connected to the WBE? ​

The subdomain (for example booking.hotel-xy.de) must be created by the hotel or their IT team.
After the DNS configuration is completed, the DNS details are sent to HotelPartner.

HotelPartner then connects the subdomain to the WBE.
The WBE opens in a new browser tab and is not embedded directly into the main website.

Can room or offer parameters be passed from the website to the WBE? ​

Yes.
Room or offer parameters can be passed via URL so that the guest is directed directly to the desired room or offer.

Examples and documentation for URL parameters are available in the integration documentation.

In most cases this happens because the hotel has not yet been activated in the system.

Please check:

  • The correct hotel ID
  • Whether the hotel has been activated by HotelPartner

If the problem persists, contact the technical support team.

Does the WBE need to be embedded into the website? ​

No.

The new WBE opens in a separate tab or window.
A classic script integration into the website is not required.

Can a test page be provided for integration? ​

Yes.

It is recommended to create a non-public test page where the WBE integration can be tested before going live.

Who is responsible for linking the WBE on the website? ​

The website webmaster or agency is responsible for linking the booking engine (e.g. buttons linking to the booking subdomain).

Design & Styling ​

Who defines the design of the WBE? ​

The design (colors, CSS, fonts) is defined by the customer or their web designer.

The WBE supports white labeling, meaning it can be adapted visually to match the hotel's corporate design.

How can colors and fonts be customized? ​

Customization is available in the Documentation → Styling section.

A live preview tool allows testing the styling configuration before applying changes.

Can the button color be customized independently? ​

Currently this is not directly supported.

Button colors are linked to the primary color configuration.
Custom changes may require coordination with the frontend team.

Can the calendar colors be customized? ​

No.

Calendar colors cannot currently be changed individually.

Only certain hover elements can be modified.

Partially.

Footer links and cookie banner links sometimes share the same base color.

Changing them may also affect hover styles in other components such as the calendar.

What happens if the WBE stylesheet affects the website design? ​

In rare cases the WBE stylesheet may override global CSS classes.

If that happens the frontend team should isolate the styling to avoid conflicts.

White Label & Domain Configuration ​

How does White Label configuration work? ​

White labeling allows the WBE to run under a custom subdomain such as: booking.hotelname.com

The domain is configured via a CNAME record pointing to: wbe.res-online.net

Why is wbe.res-online still visible? ​

Usually this means the subdomain has not been configured correctly.

The webmaster must configure the correct DNS entry.

What if the hosting provider requires an IP address? ​

An IP address is not required.

The configuration should use a CNAME record, not an A record.

Mail Configuration ​

How can emails be sent using the hotel's domain? ​

Email configuration can be set in Mail Configuration.

Recommended setup: wbemail.hoteldomain.com

Required DNS records:

  • DKIM
  • SPF
  • MX

These must match the expected values shown in the documentation.

Why is the mail configuration status "unverified"? ​

This means the DNS configuration does not match the expected values.

Check:

  • DNS propagation
  • correct DKIM / SPF / MX entries
  • correct hostname configuration

Content & Images ​

Where does the WBE retrieve images from? ​

Images are taken from the Content section in the Intranet.

Available image types:

  • Main pictures
  • Seasonal images (summer / winter)

How can images be changed? ​

Images can be updated via the Content section in the Intranet.

If necessary, the content team can assist with updates.

What image size should be used for sliders? ​

There is no strict requirement.

The ideal image size depends on the layout configuration used in the booking engine.

How is the favicon configured? ​

The favicon is automatically taken from the hotel's website once the hotel website URL is registered in the system.

Widgets ​

What is the Quickstarter Widget? ​

The Quickstarter widget is a preconfigured widget that allows fast integration of the WBE on subpages.

Advantages:

  • fast integration
  • minimal configuration
  • predefined design

What is the Room Price Widget? ​

The Room Price Widget displays the best available price for rooms or packages across a selected date range.

Supported placeholders include:

{PRICE} {NAME}

Can multiple widgets be used on the same page? ​

Yes.

For example:

  • Quickstarter widget on subpages
  • Room Price Widget on the homepage

What if the widget appears broken or incorrectly positioned? ​

In most cases this is due to:

  • incorrect embedding
  • CSS conflicts
  • layout issues

Check the documentation for the correct integration example.

API & Advanced Integration ​

Can the Quickstarter widget be customized? ​

Customization is limited.

If full control over the UI is required, using the API is recommended.

API documentation:

https://api.res-online.net/api/doc

What if the widget uses Shadow DOM and cannot be styled? ​

In that case using the API integration is recommended.

API integration allows complete control over the frontend implementation.

Tracking & Analytics ​

Which tracking tools are supported? ​

The WBE supports integration with:

  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Ads
  • HiJiffy
  • The Hotels Network
  • Facebook / Meta Pixel
  • Checkeffect
  • Quicktext
  • MyHotelShop
  • Cendyn
  • Alveni

What if tracking does not work? ​

Check:

  • GTM configuration
  • Google Analytics integration
  • cookie consent acceptance

Tracking scripts are usually managed via Google Tag Manager.

What is the difference between GHA and GTM? ​

GHA (Google Hotel Ads)
A distribution channel for hotel pricing and availability on Google.

GTM (Google Tag Manager)
A container system used to manage tracking scripts such as Google Analytics.

How can tracking tools such as Sojern be integrated? ​

Tracking tools should be integrated via Google Tag Manager.

GTM acts as a container for external tracking providers.

Tracking & Privacy ​

The WBE cookie banner sets all tracking events to decline by default.

Tracking only becomes active once the user accepts cookies.

Currently this is not supported.

Because the WBE opens as a separate page, it requires its own cookie banner.

Can server-side tracking be implemented independently of GTM? ​

Currently this is not officially supported.

Tracking scripts should be integrated through GTM.

Technical Integration ​

Can GET parameters be passed directly to the booking flow? ​

Yes.

Example: https://wbe.res-online.net/zeitgeist?arrival=2025-06-02&departure=2025-06-03&language=de

Supported parameters include:

  • arrival
  • departure
  • language
  • occupancy
  • code

How can Quickstarter loading time be improved? ​

The widget script can be loaded earlier in the <head> section.

However some delay may still occur because the widget loads content dynamically.

What if JavaScript is blocked? ​

Check:

  • domain permissions
  • CSP settings
  • CORS configuration

Can the WBE be integrated as /booking/ using mod_proxy? ​

This is not officially supported but may be tested.

The WBE is intended to run as a redirect rather than an embedded path.

Accessibility ​

Is the WBE accessible? ​

Accessibility improvements are currently being implemented.

The goal is full compliance with accessibility regulations (WCAG) by June 2025.

Language & Localization ​

How is the language of the WBE controlled? ​

Language can be controlled using the URL parameter: language=de language=en

Alternatively, the browser language may be used.

Google Hotel Ads ​

Who manages Google Hotel Ads campaigns? ​

HotelPartner provides the technical connection as a certified connectivity partner.

However the hotel itself manages the Google Hotel Ads campaigns.

Can hotels access the HotelPartner Google account? ​

No.

HotelPartner uses a master account.
Hotels access performance data through their own Google accounts.

Miscellaneous ​

Can HotelPartner manage the Google Hotel Center connection? ​

No.

This must be managed directly by the hotel.

Should the WBE open in a new tab? ​

Yes.

Opening the booking engine in a new tab is recommended so users can easily return to the hotel website.