Note:
For Direct bookings, guests can cancel or change certain details for their reservations themselves if the reservation is outside your cancellation penalty window, and you have enabled cancellations.
Reservations made through your connected channels (OTAs) have to be modified via the channel directly.
Direct booking: when can guests cancel or change their reservation?
Sometimes your guests may need to cancel or change their direct booking reservation. If a guests books via your SiteMinder Direct booking engine, and needs to cancel or modify their reservation (for example to change the check-out date, or their contact details), they can make changes themselves (via their booking confirmation e-mail) if:
The reservation is outside of the cancellation penalty window (they are allowed to cancel/modify).
Your cancellation settings are set to “Allow guest cancellation” for both Property cancellation settings and Room cancellation settings.
If your cancellation settings are set to “Allow guest cancellation” for both Property cancellation settings and Room cancellation settings, your guests will see the cancel or modify option in their reservation confirmation e-mails: “Cancel your booking” and “Modify your reservation”. When guests click on one, a confirmation page will appear, and if there are penalties where full or partial payments are required, the message “A cancellation fee may apply” will be shown on the page.
If you don’t tick the “Allow guest cancellation” setting for both the Property cancellation settings and Room cancellation settings, your guests will be unable to self serve and will need to contact you directly to request cancellations or modifications.
To set up your cancellation policies and cancellation settings (Allow guest cancellation) for Direct booking, go to Direct booking > Configuration > Cancellation settings.
What reservation details can guests change?
For direct bookings, guests can modify the following details, if it is outside of the cancellation penalty window, and your cancellation settings are set to “Allow guest cancellation” for both Property cancellation settings and Room cancellation settings.
Check-in and check-out dates — as long as the same room is available.
Number of guests — if the room fits all occupants.
Personal details — including first name, last name, address, e-mail address and phone number.
Arrival time — if applicable.
Personal requests — if applicable.
Any custom fields.
What reservation details cannot be changed?
Guests cannot modify their direct booking reservation themselves for the following changes:
Change room types.
Change rate plans.
Change credit card details.
Change an applied promo code.
Modify a reservation that contains an extra.
Change a reservation that has been booked on the same day a guest is checking in.