# Google Hotels

Search Google Hotels for hotel prices, ratings, and availability using browser automation.

- Repository: https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden (868 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-19
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add taracodlabs/aiden --skill google-hotels -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add taracodlabs/aiden --skill google-hotels -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add taracodlabs/aiden --skill google-hotels -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add taracodlabs/aiden --skill google-hotels -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Search Google Hotels for hotel prices, ratings, and availability using browser automation. Use when user asks to search hotels, find accommodation, compare hotel prices, check availability, or look up places to stay. Triggers include "search hotels", "find hotels", "hotels in", "where to stay", "accommodation", "hotel prices", "cheapest hotel", "best hotel", "places to stay", "hotel near", "book a hotel", "hotel ratings".

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Google Hotels Search

Search Google Hotels via agent-browser to find hotel prices, ratings, amenities, and availability.

## When to Use

- User asks to search, find, or compare hotels or accommodation
- User wants hotel prices in a city, neighborhood, or near a landmark
- User asks about hotel availability for specific dates
- User wants the best-rated or cheapest hotel in an area

## When NOT to Use

- **Booking**: This skill searches only, never complete a purchase
- **Vacation rentals / Airbnb**: Google Hotels shows hotels, not rentals
- **Flights**: Use the google-flights skill
- **Historical prices**: Google Hotels shows current prices only
- **NEVER leave Google Hotels during search**, do not navigate to Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, or any OTA as a search workaround. Exception: after results, you MAY visit a hotel's own website for direct booking/promo checks.

## Session Convention

Always use `--session hotels` for isolation.

## URL Fast Path (Preferred)

Build a URL with location and dates encoded. Loads results in 3 commands.

### Encoding Dates in the URL

Google Hotels uses a protobuf-encoded `ts` parameter. Use this bash function to generate it:

```bash
hotel_ts() {
  local ci_y=$1 ci_m=$2 ci_d=$3 co_y=$4 co_m=$5 co_d=$6 nights=$7
  local cyl=$(printf '%02x' $(( ($ci_y & 0x7f) | 0x80 )))
  local cyh=$(printf '%02x' $(($ci_y >> 7)))
  local col=$(printf '%02x' $(( ($co_y & 0x7f) | 0x80 )))
  local coh=$(printf '%02x' $(($co_y >> 7)))
  echo -n "08011a200a021a00121a12140a0708${cyl}${cyh}10$(printf '%02x' $ci_m)18$(printf '%02x' $ci_d)120708${col}${coh}10$(printf '%02x' $co_m)18$(printf '%02x' $co_d)18$(printf '%02x' $nights)32020801" \
    | xxd -r -p | base64 | tr -d '\n='
}
# hotel_ts CHECKIN_YEAR MONTH DAY CHECKOUT_YEAR MONTH DAY NIGHTS
# hotel_ts 2026 3 15 2026 3 20 5  → CAEaIAoCGgASGhIUCgcI6g8QAxgPEgcI6g8QAxgUGAUyAggB
```

Years 2025-2030, months 1-12, days 1-31, nights 1-127.

### Example: Hotels in Bangkok, March 15-20

The rest: https://github.com/taracodlabs/aiden/blob/HEAD/skills/installed/google-hotels/SKILL.md