diff --git a/backend/src/routes/publicWidget.ts b/backend/src/routes/publicWidget.ts
index 3125068..77f8717 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/publicWidget.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/publicWidget.ts
@@ -144,10 +144,18 @@ const publicWidget: FastifyPluginAsync = async (fastify) => {
       return reply.code(400).send({ error: 'roomId or categoryId required' })
     }
 
-    // If categoryId given, find first available room in category
+    // If categoryId given, find a room in category using hotel's assignment strategy
     if (categoryId && !roomId) {
-      const { rows: available } = await db.query(
-        `SELECT id FROM rooms
+      // Read assignment strategy
+      const { rows: stratRows } = await db.query(
+        `SELECT value FROM hotel_settings WHERE hotel_id = $1 AND key = 'assignment_strategy'`,
+        [hotel.id],
+      )
+      const strategy: string = stratRows[0]?.value?.replace(/"/g, '') ?? 'sequential'
+
+      // Get all available rooms in category
+      const { rows: candRows } = await db.query(
+        `SELECT id, sort_order, number FROM rooms
           WHERE hotel_id = $1 AND category_id = $2 AND status = 'available'
             AND id NOT IN (
               SELECT room_id FROM bookings
@@ -155,11 +163,50 @@ const publicWidget: FastifyPluginAsync = async (fastify) => {
                  AND status NOT IN ('cancelled','no_show','checked_out')
                  AND check_in < $4 AND check_out > $3
             )
-          ORDER BY sort_order, number LIMIT 1`,
+          ORDER BY sort_order, number`,
         [hotel.id, categoryId, checkIn, checkOut],
       )
-      if (!available[0]) return reply.code(409).send({ error: 'No rooms available in this category for selected dates' })
-      roomId = available[0].id
+      if (!candRows.length) return reply.code(409).send({ error: 'No rooms available in this category for selected dates' })
+
+      let chosenId: string = candRows[0].id
+
+      if (strategy === 'spread' || strategy === 'together') {
+        // Get sort_orders of currently occupied rooms (same dates, any category)
+        const { rows: occupiedRows } = await db.query(
+          `SELECT r.sort_order FROM rooms r
+            JOIN bookings b ON b.room_id = r.id
+            WHERE b.hotel_id = $1
+              AND b.status NOT IN ('cancelled','no_show','checked_out')
+              AND b.check_in < $3 AND b.check_out > $2`,
+          [hotel.id, checkIn, checkOut],
+        )
+        const occupiedOrders = occupiedRows.map((r: any) => Number(r.sort_order))
+
+        if (occupiedOrders.length === 0) {
+          // No occupied rooms — for spread pick the middle one, for together pick first
+          chosenId = strategy === 'spread'
+            ? candRows[Math.floor(candRows.length / 2)].id
+            : candRows[0].id
+        } else {
+          // Score each candidate by min distance to occupied rooms
+          const scored = candRows.map((r: any) => {
+            const order = Number(r.sort_order)
+            const minDist = Math.min(...occupiedOrders.map((o: number) => Math.abs(o - order)))
+            return { id: r.id, minDist }
+          })
+          if (strategy === 'spread') {
+            // Pick room furthest from any occupied room
+            scored.sort((a, b) => b.minDist - a.minDist)
+          } else {
+            // together: pick room closest to occupied rooms
+            scored.sort((a, b) => a.minDist - b.minDist)
+          }
+          chosenId = scored[0].id
+        }
+      }
+      // sequential / manual / fallback: already set to candRows[0].id
+
+      roomId = chosenId
     }
 
     // Check availability for specific room
diff --git a/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx b/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
index 918ba36..cc12357 100644
--- a/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
         if (s.auto_cancel_noshow_hours) setAutoCancelNoShowHours(Number(s.auto_cancel_noshow_hours))
         setAutoCheckout(Boolean(s.auto_checkout_enabled))
         if (s.auto_checkout_hours) setAutoCheckoutHours(Number(s.auto_checkout_hours))
+        if (s.assignment_strategy) setAssignmentStrategy(s.assignment_strategy as any)
         setSmtp({
           host:      String(s.smtp_host      ?? ''),
           port:      String(s.smtp_port      ?? '587'),
@@ -269,6 +270,13 @@ export function SettingsPage() {
         console.error('Failed to save hotel settings', err)
       }
     }
+    if (section === 'booking') {
+      try {
+        await api.hotelSettings.update(slug, { assignment_strategy: assignmentStrategy })
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error('Failed to save booking settings', err)
+      }
+    }
     if (section === 'notify') {
       try {
         await api.hotelSettings.update(slug, {