You can set up a deposit for each direct booking rate. Go to Direct booking > Direct booking rates.
About reservation deposits for Direct booking
Direct booking allows you to collect partial or full payments at the time of booking through reservation deposits.
When configured, your booking engine will display a message indicating that a deposit is required. If you have an integrated payment gateway (such as SiteMinder Pay), the deposit will be collected automatically.
Align your deposits with the cancellation penalty for each direct booking rate. Offer both flexible and non-refundable rates to help capture more bookings and maximise your revenue.
Note:
Deposits for your booking engine should be consistent with the deposits set for your connected channels (OTAs). Set up deposits for OTA bookings via the channel's extranet.
To set up a security deposit for your booking engine (such as a deposit for any damages), you can add the policy into your property’s Terms, conditions and privacy policy. Go to Property Settings > Policies > Terms, conditions and privacy policy.
Set up a reservation deposit for a direct booking rate
To set up a reservation deposit for each direct booking rate, follow these steps:
Go to Direct booking > Direct booking rates.
Click on the direct booking rate you want to add a deposit for, then click Edit.
Scroll down to the Additional direct booking controls section and click on the Deposit toggle.
Select a Deposit type:
Full amount
First night
Fixed amount
Percentage
Enter the amount if setting a fixed amount or percentage
Set the rate’s Reservation policy settings. Select Pre-payment details needed to secure booking in order to collect payment details from the guest at time of booking.
Click Save.
Note:
Make sure to set up the payment methods your property accepts for direct bookings in Payments > Accepted payments. Accepted payments need to be configured to allow guests to book via your booking engine.
If setting a fixed amount deposit in a dollar value, make sure it is always less than your base rate/rate for the minimum length of stay, so that the deposit amount does not exceed a reservation amount.
How deposits display on your booking engine
Your booking engine will display different messages based on the deposit type selected:
No deposit: "Book now, pay later" displayed in green as a value add
Full amount deposit: "Pay today" indicating full payment required at booking
First night deposit: "One-night deposit required" displayed
Fixed amount or percentage: The specific amount will be shown
Guests will see the deposit amount in both the booking summary during booking and in their confirmation e-mail.
Process deposits for direct booking rates
With an integrated payment gateway:
The guest's card will be validated
The deposit will be taken automatically at the time of booking
Without an integrated payment gateway:
You will need to manually process the deposit
The guest will still see the deposit requirement during booking
If you have SiteMinder Pay, note that you cannot use both Automated payments and Deposits for a direct booking rate.
Key Things to Remember
Make deposits for your booking engine consistent with those set for OTAs
For security deposits (e.g., for damages), add this to your property's Terms, conditions and privacy policy
Set up the payment methods your property accepts in Payments > Accepted payments
Fixed amount deposits should be less than your base rate to avoid exceeding the reservation amount