Matching
Finding options is easy. Knowing which one is right is hard.
The job
Traveller
Job: Know this place is right for me
I don't just want availability. I want confidence that this venue fits my occasion, my people, my vibe.
Venue
Job: Get guests who'll love what we offer
We want guests who appreciate what we do. Mismatched guests mean complaints, refunds, bad reviews.
What's broken today
Current systems match on features, not fit. A venue with "free WiFi" and "parking" might technically match a search, but that tells you nothing about whether it's right for your anniversary or your team offsite.
For travellers:
- Venues describe what they have, not who they're for
- No signal for "this place will feel right"
- Wrong bookings discovered only after arrival
For venues:
- No way to say "we're not right for X"
- Attract guests who won't appreciate the experience
- Negative reviews from guests who were never the right fit
What changes with agents
Agents can process nuance that search boxes can't. They understand that "intimate" and "buzzy" describe different vibes, that "dog-friendly" matters more when you're travelling with a nervous rescue.
From features to character: Instead of listing amenities, venues describe their vibe—the feeling of being there. Essence (what makes them distinctive), atmosphere, energy level, formality. This gives agents something to match against.
From "yes we have that" to "we're perfect for / not right for":
Strong fit says who you're great for. Weak fit says who you're not for. A boutique hotel declaring fit.weak: nightlife prevents hen party bookings before they happen.
From attributes to answers: Pre-computed responses to common questions let agents respond instantly. "Can I bring my dog to breakfast?" has an answer in the venue's Echo, with evidence to back it up.
How the specs answer this
| Spec | What it does |
|---|---|
Bookable.fit.strong | What the venue is good for |
Bookable.fit.weak | What the venue is NOT good for |
Venue.vibe | Essence, atmosphere, energy, formality |
Venue.attributes | Factual characteristics for filtering |
Bookable.answers | Pre-computed responses to common questions |
Why weak fit matters
Most systems only describe what venues are good for. The specs require declaring what venues are not good for.
This prevents:
- Bad recommendations before they happen
- Book-then-complain-then-refund cycles
- Guests who won't appreciate what you offer
A venue declaring fit.weak: nightlife signals to agents not to recommend it for hen parties—before anyone books and is disappointed.