Getting started

This page walks you through the key steps to begin developing your integration with the Mews Connector API. Whether you're exploring the demo environment, preparing for certification, or validating your first request, this guide covers the tools, environments and concepts you'll need.

Ready to try a test call? Jump to Step 2: Make your first API call.

What you’ll need

Before making your first request, make sure you're familiar with the following:

• Authentication tokens Every API request requires:

  • ClientToken: Identifies your application. Issued by Mews.

  • AccessToken: Identifies the enterprise or property you're connecting to. Issued by the property.

  • Client: A short string naming your application.

• Mews environments Mews provides two environments:

  • Demo environment – for development and testing.

    • Net pricing and Gross pricing variants simulate different tax regimes used by properties in different jurisdictions.

  • Production environment – used by live properties after certification.

• Mews Operations You can optionally log into the UI of Mews Operations (used by hotel staff) to understand how API data maps to the product.

• Demo credentials Mews provides shared tokens and login details for test properties. These are suitable for early development, but subject to rate limits.

Want to know more? For full details, see Authentication and Environments.

Step 1: Set up your environment

To begin testing:

1. Choose a demo property from the list in Demo environments.

   • Use either the Net pricing or Gross pricing variant depending on your target markets.

2. Note the tokens for that property:

   • ClientToken

   • AccessToken

3. (Optional) Log in to Mews Operations using the provided email and password to explore the UI and sample data.

You’ll use these credentials to make authenticated API requests.

Step 2: Make your first API call

Let’s start by calling Get configuration, which returns details about the test property — a useful check that your setup is working.

• Endpoint URL

https://api.mews-demo.com/api/connector/v1/configuration/get

• Request body

{
  "ClientToken": "E0D439EE522F44368DC78E1BFB03710C-D24FB11DBE31D4621C4817E028D9E1D",
  "AccessToken": "7059D2C25BF64EA681ACAB3A00B859CC-D91BFF2B1E3047A3E0DEC1D57BE1382",
  "Client": "NameOfYourCompanyOrApplication"
}

• Expected response If successful, the API will return HTTP status code 200 - OK along with property details in the message body:

{
  "NowUtc": "2021-05-05T11:39:29Z",
  "Enterprise": {
    "Id": "c65ea6e9-2340-42f4-9136-ab3a00b6da22",
    "Name": "Connector API Hotel (Net Pricing) TEST",
    "TimeZoneIdentifier": "America/New_York",
    "LegalEnvironmentCode": "US-DC",
    "AccommodationEnvironmentCode": "US",
    ...
  },
  "PaymentCardStorage": {
    "PublicKey": "1100016827"
  }
}

Requests and responses: For more on request formatting and response codes, see Requests and Responses respectively.

Step 3: Learn the API essentials

Time and data serialization

• All dates and times are in UTC.

• Dates, durations and other data types follow specific serialization rules.

Pagination

• Some operations (like Get all reservations) use pagination to handle large result sets.

Rate limits

• Shared demo credentials may return 429 - Too many requests response code if multiple developers are testing the same property.

• Use a different demo property if limits are reached.

Error handling

• Check the response code and details to diagnose issues.
• Always validate required fields and timezones in your request payloads.

Best practices: For additional tips on how to get the most out of your integration, see our best practices.

Next steps

Now that you've made a successful call, here’s where to go next:

• Usage guidelines – How to structure requests, handle authentication, best practices, and more.
• API Operations – Full list of API Operations.
• API Events – How to receive near-real-time event notifications.
• Concepts – Deeper insights into selected Mews concepts.
• Use cases – Guidance on using the API for common scenarios.
• Certification – What’s required before going live.
• Mews Glossary for Open API users – Terminology for terms like enterprise, customer, and resource.