Google Maps API - Multiple keywords in place searches

Question

Is it possible search multiple individual keywords in one place search request using Google Maps JavaScript API v3?

In the Google Places API documentation it states that multiple keywords can be used https://developers.google.com/places/training/additional-places-features

?keyword=theater+gym

but this does not work in the JavaScript API. I tried:

function performSearch() {
  var request = {
    location: map.center,
    radius: '500',
    keyword: 'theater+gym+tacos',
    rankBy: 'distance'
  };
  service.radarSearch(request, callback);
}

...and does not return places for each keyword. Does anyone have an idea how to search multiple keywords?

Note: I'm trying to search multiple individual keywords in one request not a phrase with spaces.

Answer 1

I had the same problem as I tried to figure out how to use multiple keywords with one request. At first the answer of @netoale helped me, but this is no longer possible. After some general problems with Google I asked in the support and one of the employees wrote me that it is possible to link several keywords with a simple "|".

As an example:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=lat,lng&key=API_KEY&keyword=theater|castle|park&rankby=distance

Works for me now.

Answer 2

It looks like the answer is "no" (at least at the present time, you could request an enhancement on the issue tracker.

A work around would be to send three separate queries, one for each keyword. Should be OK for 3 keywords, at some point you will run into the query rate limit.

  var request = {
    location: pyrmont,
    radius: 500,
    keyword: 'theater'
  };
  infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();
  var service = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
  service.nearbySearch(request, callback);
  var request2 = {
    location: pyrmont,
    radius: 500,
    keyword: 'gym'
  };
  var service2 = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
  service2.nearbySearch(request2, callback);
  var request3 = {
    location: pyrmont,
    radius: 500,
    keyword: 'tacos'
  };
  var service3 = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
  service3.nearbySearch(request2, callback);

proof of concept

code snippet:

var map;
var infowindow;

function initialize() {
  var pyrmont = new google.maps.LatLng(-33.8665433, 151.1956316);

  map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map-canvas'), {
    mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP,
    center: pyrmont,
    zoom: 15
  });

  var request = {
    location: pyrmont,
    radius: 500,
    keyword: 'theater'
  };
  infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();
  var service = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
  service.nearbySearch(request, callback);
  var request2 = {
    location: pyrmont,
    radius: 500,
    keyword: 'gym'
  };
  var service2 = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
  service2.nearbySearch(request2, callback);
  var request3 = {
    location: pyrmont,
    radius: 500,
    keyword: 'tacos'
  };
  var service3 = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
  service3.nearbySearch(request2, callback);
}

function callback(results, status) {
  if (status == google.maps.places.PlacesServiceStatus.OK) {
    for (var i = 0; i < results.length; i++) {
      createMarker(results[i]);
    }
  } else alert("Places request failed: " + status);
}

function createMarker(place) {
  var placeLoc = place.geometry.location;
  var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
    map: map,
    position: place.geometry.location
  });

  google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'click', function() {
    infowindow.setContent(place.name);
    infowindow.open(map, this);
  });
}

google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initialize);

html,
body,
#map-canvas {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  margin: 0px;
  padding: 0px
}

<script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=AIzaSyCkUOdZ5y7hMm0yrcCQoCvLwzdM6M8s5qk&libraries=places"></script>
<div id="map-canvas"></div>