Frequently asked questions

How does the free trial work?

Signing up for the free trial opens a fully functional account. You may use this account to test the availability calendars and make real or test on-line bookings. A free credit is added generally allowing one months usage. To continue using the system once the credit is consumed you will need to make a payment.

How do I sign up?

Choose a user name and enter your email address. A password will be emailed to you and your account is ready to use.

What does it cost?

Beds24.com has a simple fixed monthly pricing structure based on the number of rooms you are selling. There are no commissions on bookings made through the system or on the number of availability calendars you use. The price is US$3.50 per month plus $0.30 per extra room. So for example a B&B selling 2 rooms would pay $$3.80 per month.

How much commission does Beds24.com charge?

None. Beds24.com does not charge you or your guest any commission on bookings at all.

Are there any other charges?

All other charges are optional and only apply if you use that function. SMS notification messages are charged at $0.20. Instant deposit collections are charged at $0.20 per collection. Credit card collection is free (card details collected but not processed). Using the synchroniser system to automatically update and synchronise inventory among our channel partners costs from $1.00. Payments of less than 12 months will incur a processing charge of $5.00 per payment. Payments of 12 months or more do not incur a processing charge. If you are within the EU and do not supply a business VAT number we have to deduct 19% VAT from your payments.

Why are you so cheap?

We wrote our own software and designed it from the ground up to be easy to use. Most importantly we have automated the entire booking process, keeping our costs and yours to a minimum. By keeping our overheads to a minimum we can keep our prices so low.

What are On Request bookings?

On Request bookings allow you to decide whether to accept or decline each booking. This style of booking suits hosts who are not comfortable with a instant confirmation booking system. Inventory is reserved at the time of booking and is returned if the booking is declined. You may choose this style of booking for last minute or special period bookings.

How do we collect a booking deposit?

The Collect Deposit booking style requires the guest to make a deposit payment at the time of booking. You can set the deposit between 1% and 100% of the total price. This deposit is paid directly into your PayPal account. If a guest submits booking details but does not complete the deposit payment the booking becomes an On Request booking allowing you and the guest to make other arrangements for deposit collection or to cancel the booking.

What if I need help?

We have a context sensitive on-line help system that provides instant help for every setting. If you are stuck, send us a message using the "Contact Support" function in the help section. Customer support is free.

Will I be locked into any contract?

No. There is no minimum payment or sign-up period. You may cancel your account at any time. Credit balances are non refundable.

How do I pay for my account?

We accept payment by credit card or PayPal. You decide how much you would like to pay at any time but remember payments for less than 12 months incur a processing charge.

How do I get started?

Once you have an account and are logged into the control panel do the following.
  • Add a new property and it's details.
  • Add rooms to the property.
  • Add rates for the rooms.
  • Cut and copy the supplied text to your website and your availability calendar will appear. Enter your existing bookings so those dates are removed from your availability. Make a link to your online booking page and accept bookings.

    Can I keep my inventory synchronised amongst my on-line booking services?

    Yes you can. Beds24.com can synchronise with other on-line services so your inventory at all of them is automatically kept up-to-date. When a new booking comes in your inventory is updated at all channels even if you are sleeping. Use multiple distribution channels and no more double bookings!

    Can I enter bookings I take over the telephone or offline?

    Yes - log in and click add new booking, enter the details of the booking and those dates will then be removed from your availability. Alternatively you can go to the calendar view and black out those dates.

    I have a complicated rate structure, can Beds24.com cope with this?

    The Beds24.com rates system can be as powerful or as simple as you require. You may offer a simple per night rate or a complex combination of rates offering different prices for different seasons, length of stay or even different nights of the week. Beds24.com can enforce other rules like a minimum stay period and discounts for longer stays. Rates may be set to allow the booking to start or end only on specific days, i.e. Saturday to Saturday. We believe the Beds24.com rates system can handle just about every possible way of charging for an accommodation, if it can't deal with yours let us know and we will try our best to add it.

    We close for part of the year, how does that work?

    Your rates have a start and end date and are only offered for the period you set. If you have no rates set for certain periods those dates will show as not available. Beds24.com can continue to take online bookings for your future seasons even while you are closed.

    Where can I show my availability calendars?

    You can show the calendars on as many web sites, blogs etc as you like. There is no limit to the number of places you may display your calendars and they will work anywhere that supports HTML and javascript.

    Can I make my own booking form?

    Yes, the appearance of the booking forms and links you put on your own site can be customised as you desire. So long as the variables passed to the Beds24.com server are correct the booking will proceed.

    Can I sell multiple properties?

    Yes. You may define multiple properties in Beds24.com and implement a search form that shows the guest a list of those available. Beds24.com has powerful association functions allowing easy implementation of association or booking agency functions while individual owners have complete control over their rates and inventory.

    Can I receive an SMS text message on my phone?

    Yes, you can select to receive SMS notifications for all, none, only new bookings arriving today, or arriving within a selectable number of days. SMS notifications can be sent to phones on 712 networks in 212 countries so yours is almost certainly covered. There is a charge of $0.20 per SMS sent.

    How do I add a map showing all properties in my marketing association?

    Beds24.com availability calendars work seamlessly with google maps to show the location of properties on a map. Each property can show its availability calendars and other information directly from the map. The maps are free of charge and work with a normal Beds24.com account. Send us an email and we will give you full support to get the maps working on your site.

    How secure is Beds24.com?

    Beds24.com uses a 256 bit SSL security certificate issued by Equifax Secure Global eBusiness to secure and encrypt data transferred over the Internet.

    My question was not answered here, where do I get more help?

    Send us a message or have a look at the user guide and online help once you sign in to your account.