This is a legitimate concern, as fraud has been a known issue in the short-term rental industry.

To address this, we offer two key solutions:

1. Property Verification: gatewaybnb verifies properties physically to ensure that both the property and its ownership are legitimate. This provides peace of mind, knowing the property you’re booking is confirmed and authenticated.
2. Escrow Services: When you book a short-term rental, you can opt to use our escrow service. In this system, your payment is held in a secure escrow account managed by gatewaybnb. The funds are only released to the host once both you and the host agree on the timing. Typically, this could be after you’ve checked in, or 24 hours after check-in. If no concern is raised by the 24-hour mark, our system automatically releases the payment to the host.

This process ensures that both guests and hosts are protected, creating a safer and more reliable experience for everyone.

The post Introducing safety via escrow appeared first on gatewaybnb.

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.

The post Hosts & Guests – Manually Accepting Bookings appeared first on gatewaybnb.

Step 1: Create an account by registering on our website. All you need is a valid email address, a password of your choice and a mobile number.

Step 2: Once you register, you will get an activation mail, click on the activation mail and you are on.

Step 3: Create a listing by using the button on top of the homepage, ‘List A Property’.

Enter all the details of your property, upload the images that you want displayed (only 10 images allowed at this point in time). Set the rates, fill in all the details and submit the listing. The system will ask you to select a plan, currently there is only one plan, and it is free. All renewals are free too.

Once your listing is approved, you will get an email at your registered email address. Your listing is then live.

You can then go to the calendar of the property, block dates on which you already have bookings, change the rates for particular dates, and start accepting bookings directly from the guests.

Simple.

The post How to list on gatewaybnb.com? appeared first on gatewaybnb.

• Zero commissions for both hosts and guests.
• Direct Communication between host and guests.
• Guests know the exact location, taking out the guess work imposed by other portals.
• Direct payments.
• Full control over your listing.

So, when they pay no commission to us, then the chances of them using gatewaybnb.com as compared to any other similar short term rental portal are high. They save money, you save money. There is direct communication between you and the guest and all payments come to you directly, without any cut.

Typically, the guest will save anywhere between 15 to 35% on his stay, which he pays to other competing short term rental platforms like airbnb, VRBO, etc.

Watch this video to understand more.

The post Why should I list with gatewaybnb.com? appeared first on gatewaybnb.