Newly listed on Booking.com

Wow, that’s crazy! I have never heard of this! I can’t imagine taking my valuable vacation time doing this - I’d rather just check-in and get going on the fun time!

Hi. I just listed on booking.com and received my first booking today. The first question from the guest “Is the underground pool heated?” We live in Canada. The booking is for April. I have replied that the hot tub is heated but pool opens end of May. I appreciate all the feedback on the site. I will inform the guest that if this is a problem they are welcome to cancel and receive full refund. ( although I still need to figure out which platform to use to process credit cards). So many issues addressed in this thread thank you so much for sharing. As a new user my past 4 month experience with Air has been very good. My guests have been great but I am only averaging a week booking a month so I thought I’d try some other sites. Everyone from VRBO who has inquired wants to have a wedding event at our home EVEN THOUGH THE LISTING STATES STRICTLY NO PARTIES OR EVENTS. It’s been such a time waster entertaining vrbo inquiries. I am going to try to change my booking.com setting to bank transfer option based on all the feedback offered on this thread. I hope that won’t throw future vacationers off that they can’t pay by credit card? …

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You can try stripe for credit card processing.

For bank transfer options as you are not normallly allowed pre payment (new user) how will you do? (some hosts have no problems to requests bank transfer as pre payment with booking.com)

HMM… I was just hoping I would be allowed to simply change to bank transfer option. If not, I’ll just have to suck up the extra 3% charge (which would of bought a lot of new towels). I will try stripe if this booking goes through.
My first and so far only reservation did in fact only book our home because of the pool and has told me he would like to cancel. Which is fine with me as I realize all the lovely pictures of the pool on the listing and then not having it open is very misleading.

It’s been over 10 hours since his message to cancel but he hasn’t done it yet? I’ve let him know to do it within 24hours as he’s booked during the Easter long weekend so I’d like it freed up on my calendar asap.
I am afraid that if I cancel I will still be charged something from booking.com (based on some comments on this thread that is my understanding. ) If he doesn’t cancel in 24 hours I will call him directly in Australia or call booking.com to find out my options.
I have a feeling he’s keeping his booking and still shopping. I offered him free passes to our local indoor pool less than 1 mile away. Or the option of having mine heated for $250. (which is my conservative cost for 10days in chilly April.

I have enjoyed your posts sylvain. Thank you.

You can do that client card is wrong so client as 24 hours to update or you can cancel or you click cancel and chosing client requesting cancelation(client will have to validate the cancelation).
What is your cancelation policy on booking.com ?
If you have an account long enought you can ask for prepayment on booking.com

My policy is strict 30% non refundable due upon booking. I have since changed it to 24 hour free cancellation. This way I can touch base with the guest first and make sure they are clear on some house rules and know their expectations.

I called booking.com. If the credit card does not go through the guest can have an option to then bank transfer within 24 hours.

It is 6am in Australia, I will wait and give the guest a few hours to cancel if not I will hit the credit card not valid button to be able to cancel him myself and free up my calendar.

I will also try stripe for credit card acceptance. I was able to see this guests profile on Facebook through a name search so he seems legit. As long as his credit card matches his name I feel it should all work via credit card if he chooses to continue with the listing. Even without the pool he’s getting great value for his buck. We are not in a popular tourist area so my goal is to rent ten nights out of a month on average.

You can also charge 30% on the client credit card as you have 30% non refundable upon booking-

it’s very easy to charge the credit card on stripe.(payment, new payment)

You need to check always the card as some will not write correctly the card number, it can be also that they have no money on the card.

I will call stripe now. I wonder if they will require a CVC number from the credit card? I’ll ask them as I do have aCC number and expiry date if my guest does not cancel.

Don’t call them

You need to do on stripe (dashboard ) yourself. They will never proceed your client card on phone.

Yes you need the CVC.
It’s very to do yourself, open a stripe accound and payments, new payment on the dashboard.
Very easy
edit: you can also have use an app on the telephon call pay now with stripe

I just declined the Australian guest via the invalid credit card option. I tried to call them before proceeding with the booking and the phone number is OUT OF SERVICE. Well that doesn’t make me very comfortable. They hadn’t provided the CVC on the booking so already booking.com is not off to a good start in my books.

I am also having issues right now with a local guest who booked for 4 (told me was for 4 out of town guests) , lied and had a bday party at the house with caterers etc and refuses to pay any extra guest fee. This was my only VRBO guest so far. I was able to charge and keep a 160 dollar amount from the damage deposit, but she is disputing saying that is extortion…

I have 5 star reviews from my guests on airbnb so for me the AIRBNB platform has so far been the best by far in terms of quality guests. I don’t have the instant book setting though. This may be a contributing factor to the quality

You need to call booking to get them to activate the CVC option so guests will need to give the CVC.

For us we have excellent review on booking.com and air bnb and get 80% clients from booking.com

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Ok. Done. Cvc also now activated by agent who also manually cleared my
calendar to expedite the process whereby the guest would have otherwise had
more time for alternate payment.

I’ll give booking .com a try. I think it could work if I’m able to reach
out to the guest and have some communication prior to booking. Thanks for
the help.

I saw a big difference before I had the CVC activated. One information, the CVC it’s only possible to see the first time you will click on client card detail (so save the information) and it’s possible to see client card details for few days after they book (don’t know how long)

I am finally been able to understand how to make pre autorization on clients card. It’s so easy.

How do you do it? New to booking and can’t make head or tail of it!

On stripe want you make a new payment you have to unlock capture the charge (after clicking more option).
You have a pre autorization for 7 days.

I listed on booking.com. As a new user I cannot collect any monies prior to their arrival but I did try and pre-authorize their CC. Out of 8 booking, ALL came back as Non-sufficient funds. Am I to assume they use a debit card? Either way, I had to go through the trouble of emailing everyone and then cancelling. Not sure about this

When I first started renting my apartment 5 years ago I only needed Airbnb, but due to the aggressive marketing from Airbnb towards new hosts, it’s been necessary to advertise my properties on multiple holiday rental sites such as booking.com or Tripadvisor. When it comes to Booking.com, I’m advertising on their homestay section, which is more suited for private people renting their homes.

It’s very easy to attract guests from booking.com, but they provide no protection and you’ll have to collect the payment yourself. This is why its important to have a good insurance protecting you from potential damage or theft by guests.

Furthermore, you should upload a rental agreement or make your guests sign it before they check in, saying for example that guests are responsible for any damage etc.

Like some of the people answering above I’m also using stripe and it works good for me. If you cannot pre-authorise the payment, contact booking and they will try to reach out to the guest. If the guest still doesn’t provide a valid card, you’re allowed to cancel the booking with no penalties (but remember always to contact booking before you cancel).

You can click on card details non valid on the admin part of booking.com. The client has 24 hours to submit new card or you can cancel with no penalties the card. I have sometimes clients that have cards not working and they are usually submitting new valid card.

Is the sum for the booking very important?, if yes you can also explain with a message to the client that you need to pre autorize the card so he needs to have the amount available on the card. (I am usually pre autorization the first night of client stay)

Thanks, I have been doing that. But meanwhile my dates are booked and I have a lot more work to do especially remembering to go back and cancel. Out of 8 reservations, only one offered a new credit card. Never hear peep out of the other 7.

Marcy