Google Tests AI Overviews Below Hotel Panels

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Google AI Overviews placed below a hotel knowledge panel on a search results screen

By NewSunSEO October 8, 2026

Hotel searches in Google are gaining a new layout option: an AI Overview placed under the hotel knowledge panel rather than above it. The shift moves Google’s generative summary out of the prime top-of-page slot and into the bottom-right area, giving the structured hotel card the first look. Early screenshots show the AI Overview as a smaller, secondary block beneath the panel that surfaces photos, pricing, and booking links.

What is changing in the hotel results layout?

The current default places the AI Overview at the top of the search results page, followed by the hotel knowledge panel with images, reviews, prices, and a booking module. In the new test, the order is reversed. The knowledge panel stays near the top with its rich visual content, and the AI Overview appears as a supplementary block underneath it.

The change is limited to hotel-related searches, where a knowledge panel is typically triggered. General searches without a panel still show AI Overviews in the usual top position. Google is not announcing the test publicly; the new placement has only appeared in a small number of queries so far.

Why might Google move AI Overviews below hotel panels?

Hotel queries are commercial by nature. Users searching for a specific property usually want a price comparison, a map, reviews, and a quick path to a booking site. An AI Overview at the top of the page can push those direct answers and links further down, adding an extra layer between the searcher and the action they came to take.

Placing the AI Overview below the knowledge panel keeps the most actionable content visible first. It also reduces the chance that a generated summary about a hotel will sit above the hotel’s own listing card, which is generally more useful for users ready to book.

How does this fit with other AI Overview tests?

This is one of several placement experiments Google has been running with AI Overviews in local and commercial contexts. Recent tests have also adjusted how AI Overviews appear inside local panels, where the company is exploring different ways to blend generative answers with map results, local business listings, and review snippets. The hotel-panel test is part of that broader effort to figure out where AI Overviews add value and where they get in the way.

For hotels and travel marketers, the practical effect is that visibility for the knowledge panel itself, the map pin, photos, prices, and reviews, is taking priority over the AI Overview. Brands that depend on AI Overview citations for hotel-related queries may see less real estate when this layout ships.

What should travel marketers watch for?

The test is a signal that Google is willing to demote AI Overviews when the underlying search has a strong, well-defined result type like a hotel knowledge panel. Marketers running hotel SEO should keep an eye on a few signals:

Knowledge panel completeness. Pricing, availability, photos, reviews, and direct booking links all need to be accurate and up to date, because the panel is what users see first.
Hotel structured data. Schema markup for hotels, including name, address, price range, and amenity data, feeds the knowledge panel and improves the chance it surfaces the right fields.
AI Overview citations. Track whether AI Overviews are appearing above or below the panel, and which sources are cited, to understand how the layout affects referral traffic.
Local pack behavior. AI Overviews inside local panels are being tested in parallel, so changes in placement can show up in nearby searches first.

Is this a confirmed rollout?

No. As with most Google layout tests, the new placement is limited to a subset of users and queries, and Google has not announced a timeline for expanding or retiring it. The screenshots that surfaced show a clearly different arrangement from the standard layout, but the test could end without a wider rollout, ship as a default, or be replaced by yet another variation. Anyone tracking hotel search results should treat the change as a test, not a finished product, and keep checking whether AI Overviews show up above or below the panel for their target queries.

FAQ

What is the new AI Overview test for hotel searches?

Google is testing a layout where the AI Overview appears under the hotel knowledge panel in a bottom-right area, instead of at the top of the search results page.

Does this affect all Google searches?

No. The new placement has only been spotted on hotel-related searches, where a hotel knowledge panel is shown. General searches still place the AI Overview at the top of the page.

Why is Google moving AI Overviews below hotel panels?

Hotel searches usually have a strong, structured result with pricing, photos, and booking options. Placing the AI Overview underneath keeps those direct answers and booking paths visible first and reduces the chance that a generated summary sits above the hotel’s own panel.

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