As of early November, Google is now enforcing a major update to its Meta Price Accuracy Policy to clean up the hotel metasearch space. The message is clear: if the rate isn’t bookable and clearly shown and available on the booking website, it doesn’t belong.
The new rules require that the rate displayed on Google must match the most prominent, visible, and bookable price on your landing or booking page, no hidden fees, buried rates, or fine-print surprises. All mandatory taxes and fees must be included in the total price upfront. If not, your ads and free booking links may be penalized, pushed down, or removed entirely.
Google is also banning indirect listings from ineligible or suspended partners and tightening the leash on meta-on-meta redirects, which should reduce rogue OTA activity and create a fairer playing field.
But let’s be clear: it won’t solve rate parity violations or stop gray-market OTAs from undercutting with discounted wholesale inventory. For this, hotels need to take action at the source, which as most revenue managers know, is no easy task. The process to stop bad actors remains the same: tightening distribution contracts, cutting off bad actors, and using rate integrity tools to monitor and enforce compliance.
If you’ve been playing it straight, this is a win. If you’ve been using “rates starting from” that are not actually bookable or do not include fees, it’s time to clean up your feeds.
Bottom Line: If the rate you show isn’t bookable, you won’t be showing up at all.
