When you manually accept a booking on gatewaybnb, you confirm a pending reservation request from a user.
Instead of instant bookings, this manual process gives hosts and marketplace administrators control over who can book a listing.
Steps and outcomes of manual booking approval
The manual booking process changes the reservation status and initiates automated notifications to confirm the booking.
For the host or admin
Receives notification: The process begins when a user submits a “Request to Book.” The host or marketplace admin receives a notification via email and sees the request on their account dashboard, typically under a “Bookings” or “My Bookings” section.
Reviews the request: From their dashboard, the host can view the booking details, including the requested dates and guest information. This allows them to check for any conflicts or issues before making a decision.
Changes the booking status: The host or admin changes the booking’s status from “Pending” to “Published” or “Confirmed”.
Updates the calendar: The booking calendar for that listing is automatically updated to show the newly confirmed dates as unavailable, preventing double-bookings.
Payment confirmation (if applicable): If the website requires payment after a booking is approved, the system may generate and send an invoice to the guest. Once the guest pays, the booking is fully confirmed.
For the guest
Initial status: The user’s booking status shows as “Pending” or “Approval required” after they send their request.
Receives confirmation: Once the host accepts the booking, the guest receives an email notification confirming the reservation.
Initiates payment: If the booking requires payment to be fully confirmed, the guest receives a payment request and a link to complete the transaction.
Final confirmation: The booking is fully confirmed and the calendar is blocked once payment has been completed.
Manages the reservation: The guest can then view the confirmed booking details in their account dashboard.
The alternative: Instant bookings
The manual approval process is an alternative to the “Instant Booking” option. With instant bookings, a reservation is automatically confirmed without requiring the host’s approval, as long as the dates are available. Hosts can switch between these two options based on their preference for managing reservations.