Prerequisites
- Your MEWS property is connected to DialogShift through the DialogShift Chatbots integration in the MEWS Marketplace.
- The connection has been set up; this usually takes 12 to 48 hours.
- Terminology: in Mews, a “room type” is a Space category and an individual room is a Space.
Activate the integration
The MEWS connection is started through the MEWS Marketplace. Because there is also a MEWS integration page in the DialogShift app, the hotel can maintain the booking-agent configuration there itself.- Start the DialogShift Chatbots integration in the MEWS Marketplace.
- Wait until the MEWS connection has been set up.
- Maintain the booking-agent configuration in the DialogShift app under Integrations → MEWS.
- Check the enabled categories, rates and content in the DialogShift Availability Analyzer.
Booking agents
Payment links and guest contact
For rates with prepayment or credit-card guarantee, DialogShift creates a MEWS payment request after the booking. On the MEWS integration page, you control:- Payment deadline (hours): how long the guest has to complete payment or card verification.
- Payment link delivery: whether DialogShift forwards the MEWS payment link to the guest or MEWS sends the payment email itself.
- Suppress MEWS booking confirmation: whether MEWS should not send its own booking confirmation email.
- Phone AI guest contact: whether Phone AI asks for the email address or mobile phone number.
- Ensure every booking has an email address: if Phone AI does not ask for an email address, DialogShift can additionally create a relay email address for the booking.
Booking agent configuration
Step 1 — Whitelist the room categories the agent may sell
Why. The agent only quotes rooms you enable. If the list is empty, every Space category in MEWS becomes sellable, including staff rooms, long-stay categories or event spaces. Where. DialogShift: Integrations → MEWS → Room types. Tick every category the agent may sell. Verify. The list loads live from MEWS. If a category is missing, create it in MEWS and reload.Step 2 — Whitelist the rates the agent may sell
Why. Same as Step 1, for rates. If the list is empty, every active rate is sellable. Enable only your public rates (not corporate, group or staff rates). Where. DialogShift: Integrations → MEWS → Rates. Tick the rates to enable. Verify. Rates load live from MEWS; private and inactive rates are shown with a label.Step 3 — Open availability and stay restrictions in MEWS
Why. The agent can only sell what MEWS reports as available. Blocked dates, min-stay rules or closed-to-arrival make the agent correctly answer “no rooms available”. Where (Mews Operations).- Restrictions (min/max stay, closed-to-arrival): Settings → Services → [your bookable service] → Restrictions.
- Per-day availability: Reports → Availability & occupancy report → Adjust.
Step 4 — Add a description for every Space category in every guest language
Why. The agent reads the Description field of the Space category from MEWS. English-only descriptions are translated on the fly; maintaining each language yourself gives you control over the wording. Mews does not auto-translate these fields. Where (Mews Operations). Settings → Services → [bookable service] → Space categories → [category]. Use Add translation, fill in Name, Short name and Description, save. What to include (4–8 sentences): a short pitch, then the hard facts — maximum occupancy, bed configuration, room size, view, floor/location, bathroom, outdoor space, key amenities, accessibility. Verify. Step 7.Step 5 — Add a description for every rate in every guest language
Why. The agent uses the rate Description to explain what’s included, the cancellation policy and any deposit. Maintaining each language gives you control over key terms. Where (Mews Operations). Settings → Services → [bookable service] → Rates → [rate] → Edit. Use Add translation and fill in the Description. What to include (state each explicitly, even when the answer is no): board/meals, cancellation policy (deadline and fees), prepayment/deposit at booking. Verify. Step 7.Step 6 — Upload images for every Space category
Why. The chat agent shows a room carousel. A Space category without images appears without a picture, which hurts conversion. Where (Mews Operations). Same screen as Step 4 (Space categories → [category]), image upload section. Specs: 4–6 images per category, landscape, minimum 1920 × 1080 px, main subject centered. The image uploaded first becomes the hero image in the chat carousel. Verify. Step 7.Step 7 — Verify everything in the DialogShift Availability Analyzer
Why. This is your dry run. The Availability Analyzer queries MEWS exactly like the booking agents and shows the data they will use, per language. Where. DialogShift: Integrations → Availability Analyzer. How. Pick an arrival and departure date, set the number of adults and children, switch through every guest language with the language picker, then click Query Availability. Check per language.- Per room: name reads naturally, description uses your wording, the first image is in place (DialogShift uses only this one), and available units, size and bed configuration are correct.
- Per rate: name reads naturally; description covers board, cancellation and any prepayment.