We are a small BnB rather than a hostel but we get many bookings from HW and HB. For the most part I like the way it works.
I believe that both of these sites have a policy that payment is due on arrival. I guess we have been flexible when payment is made and while we give the bill when they checkin, many guests seem to make an excuse of not having the cash on them and having to go to the ATM.
We don't like continually hassling guests, so we then just asking them to pay when they checkout. Occasionally guests book a week or so and then say the want to leave early. Again, we have been flexible and just charging the for the nights they stayed.
We get few walkin guests so it is not always easy then filling the rooms. I was thinking of getting more strict about paying in full on arrival and not offering any kind of refund if guests change their mind. I think this is typical of most hotels anyway.
I can imagine guests then getting snotty if they have paid the full amount and want to cut their stay but we don't give them a refund. I have tried finding the policy on Hostelworld's site but can't seem to see it.
How do other places handle this?
12 years
I always get payment on arrival, however if they are staying multiple nights I ask if they are certain they want the nights they have booked, and if they are unsure just get them to pay for the nights they do want definitely. I inform them at the time that any money paid is non refundable. It still has the same problem of them booking a bed that they might not use, but at least I get an idea of their intentions at check in. I don't know HW policy on this.
12 years
We put up a sign in the reception area yesterday explaining payment is required in full at checkin. The guest yesterday however didn't have all of the money, or didn't want to pay all of the money. I wish HW made this clearer on their website.
12 years
HW and HB’s payment policy is simple enough: A 10% payment is due at the time of booking and the remaining balance is due upon arrival. No-shows and late cancellations incur a charge equal to the first night, which is the hostel’s responsibility to collect. That is the extent of their policy or their involvement regarding payments.
In my opinion they should not have any policy at all regarding how payments are handled when plans change after arrival. They would probably agree that it’s not their business or their problem. (You wouldn’t want the booking sites to have their own policies regarding guests who decide to extend their stay, would you?) YOUR policies are the only ones that matter once the guest arrives, which is good because you are the one who has to enforce them.
It used to be possible (and I think it still is?) to add conditions or other information to the confirmation email that guests receive when they make a reservation through the booking sites. You could edit that text or send a standard email or your own for each booking stating:
If someone only wants to pay for part of their reservation when they arrive, then they are choosing to risk forfeiting the other nights, right? Just let them know that you can’t guarantee that the beds will be available later. If someone else comes along and want to reserve those beds, then sell them! If a guest doesn’t want to commit to staying for a particular night, then you don’t have to commit to holding the bed.
In the interest of providing good customer service that is fair to everyone, you could give them 24 hours from the time they arrive to pay their bill in full. That way you don’t have to send them off to an ATM right away, but you still know soon enough how long they intend to stay. You just have to make sure that you track them down and remind them to pay at the end of the grace period.
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