Can hosts cancel a booking on Booking.com?

Yes, as a host you can cancel a booking on Booking.com – but only when certain issues arise, such as no-shows, payment issues, double bookings or if a guest asks you to.

As a host you probably know that Booking.com makes it simple for the guest to cancel. Sure, they may lose money by doing so, particularly if they made a non-refundable booking, but ultimately it’s a task that a guest can complete in a few quick clicks.

Cancelling is a little trickier for hosts, because Booking.com wants to avoid as many host cancellations as possible. That’s why the platform only allows you to do so in specific circumstances.

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Say goodbye to double bookings and subsequent cancellations. Little Hotelier seamlessly connects to 450+ OTAs, places every reservation in a single calendar, and automatically blocks off rooms and dates as bookings are made.

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Why is it important to know exactly how to cancel a reservation on Booking.com?

As a host, succeeding on Booking.com is about playing by the platform’s rules. If you don’t do things by the book, you risk being pushed down the results page, or worse, being kicked off the platform.

Knowing how to cancel a reservation is also important for the reputation of your hotel. It minimises guest confusion and guards against the guest having a bad experience, such as paying for a stay that they never attended.

how to cancel a booking on Booking.com

How to cancel a booking on Booking.com: A step-by-step guide for hosts

Can you cancel a booking on Booking.com as a host? Yes, but this power must be used responsibly. You can activate a cancellation request by:

  1. Logging in to the Booking.com Extranet
  2. Clicking ‘Reservations’
  3. Selecting the booking you want to cancel 
  4. Clicking the ‘Request to cancel reservation’ button
  5. Selecting the reason to cancel
  6. Clicking ‘Send’

It should be noted that this is simply a cancellation request that is sent to the guest for approval. If you don’t have a good reason for the cancellation, the guest can refuse it, sending you back to square one.

There are however a few other reasons that allow you to cancel a booking as a host. Learn how to cancel Booking.com reservations without seeking guest approval by following the links below:

Commonly asked questions on cancelling Booking.com reservations

How late can you cancel a booking on Booking.com?

As a host can you cancel Booking.com within 24 hours? There’s no specific time limit for host cancellations, as a no-show can form a legitimate reason for cancelling a booking. Most guests, meanwhile, can cancel their reservations for free up until a day or two before check-in (unless the booking is non-refundable). 

Can you cancel a Booking.com reservation free of charge?

If you’re a host and you have a legitimate reason to cancel a booking, and you process the cancellation through the Booking.com Extranet or Pulse app, that cancellation will be free of charge.

Is it possible to cancel a non-refundable Booking.com reservation?

As a host it is possible for you to cancel a non-refundable Booking.com reservation at your guest’s request, and while you are not obliged to do so, it is up to you whether you choose to refund that booking or not.

Wondering how to cancel a non-refundable booking on Booking.com? Simply follow the instructions in the section above.

How do you know if a booking on Booking.com was cancelled?

If a guest cancels a booking, Booking.com will alert you to the cancellation straight away. If you’ve created a cancellation request, you’ll be alerted as soon as the guest has accepted it. You can review the status of bookings and cancellations in the Booking.com Extranet.

What happens after I cancel a booking on Booking.com?

After the cancellation is processed, your room will automatically reopen for the chosen dates. And if you’re a Little Hotelier user, your property management system will automatically reopen the room across all your OTA listings, metasearch platforms and other booking channels.

Tips to prevent guests from cancelling a booking on Booking.com

The best type of booking cancellation is no cancellation at all. So how do you stop cancellations from happening? The answer is with a bit of help from technology:

  • Avoid double bookings: With Little Hotelier’s channel manager automatically blocking out dates across all listings as soon as a new reservation comes in, you can say goodbye to double bookings. 
  • Take bookings direct: When you take bookings through Booking.com, you’re forced to play by the platform’s rules. Little Hotelier’s booking engine allows you to take bookings through your website, giving you total control over the process and your cancellation policies.
  • Ensure listing accuracy: If your listing information isn’t up to date, you guests might cancel because they feel misled. Again, the channel manager can help, by letting you update info across all your listings in a matter of clicks.

Reduce the likelihood of cancelled bookings and increase revenue with Little Hotelier

Cancellations are never fun, and they’re often expensive. Little Hotelier can help you avoid them. Our channel manager connects seamlessly with Booking.com (and 450+ other OTAs), and comes complete with full cancellation integration. When you or a guest cancels, everything is automatically updated.

  • Customisable cancellation policies: Little Hotelier lets you create and customise cancellation policies that align with Booking.com’s rules and your needs.
  • Efficient cancellation management: Enjoy seamless cancellation management – quick and easy processing, automatically updated room availability, and efficient guest communication.
  • Analytics and reporting: Gain a deeper understanding of cancellation patterns with Little Hotelier Insights, which offers analytics and reporting features that can help you to inform and refine your cancellation policy, identify peak cancellation periods, and come up with ways to minimise revenue loss from cancellations.

More control. More revenue. More support. Little Hotelier can seriously enhance your guest experience, and can deliver up to 46% in bookings and an ROI of up to 63x!

 

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By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).