Managing cancellation fees and policies

Set the cancellation policy in Agoda. Policies set in Guesty don't sync to this channel.

Airbnb supports standalone cancellation policies only.

• Publish: Set the cancellation policy when you publish a listing to Airbnb. 

• Import: Policies created in Airbnb sync to Guesty automatically during the import process.

• Link: When you link an existing listing between platforms, Guesty syncs the policy set in Airbnb. 

Limitations

• Date-specific cancellation policies: Configure date-specific (dynamic) cancellation policies directly in Airbnb. If you connect a listing to Guesty with dynamic cancellation policy settings, Guesty respects these configurations and wo'nt override them.
• Long-term cancellation policies: Long-term cancellation policies aren't supported in Guesty. If you configure a long-term cancellation policy in Airbnb, it will be overridden by your settings in Guesty. 
• Rate plans: Rate plans aren't supported in Airbnb. 

Airbnb policy changes (effective October 1, 2025)

Airbnb implemented global updates to cancellation policies. Reservations booked before October 1, 2025 remain unchanged.

Key changes include:

• "Strict" policy retired: Replaced with "Firm" for existing listings, unless you opted out.
• New "Limited" policy: Full refund if canceled at least 14 days before check-in.
• Updated grace period: 24 hours for trips shorter than 28 days and booked more than 7 days in advance.
• Italy-specific option: Hosts in Italy can offer discounted base prices when selecting a non-refundable policy.

Cancellation policy comparison

All standard cancellation policies for stays of 27 or fewer consecutive nights include a 24-hour grace period. This allows guests to cancel for a full refund, including taxes, for up to 24 hours after reservation confirmation, as long as the booking occurs at least seven days before check-in.

The table below describes how standard cancellation policies apply to shorter stays.

Non-refundable discount

You can offer a non-refundable discount for stays of fewer than 28 nights in addition to your standard cancellation policy. This allows guests to book at a discounted rate that is not subject to your standard cancellation policy. If they cancel, they will not receive a refund.

The non-refundable option is still subject to the 24-hour cancellation period that applies to all bookings for shorter stays, with the exception of certain non-refundable hotel listings.

Eligibility and rules

• You can't add a non-refundable discount if you use a Super strict 30, Super strict 60, or Luxe policy.
• The discount applies to reservations made no more than 60 days before the check-in date, and up until the cancellation policy comes into effect. For example, 14 days or less before check-in for a Strict policy.
• Non-refundable discounts apply on top of any additional price reductions set for the listing.

Back to the top

To publish a property or link a listing, you must set a cancellation policy or rate plan. Guesty settings override any existing plans on Booking.com during the linking process.

This includes the Guesty Booking Engine, Guesty websites, Google Vacation Rentals, and the Guesty Booking Engine API.

Set a rate plan or cancellation policy per property for these direct integrations. This must be done in addition to configuring the integration itself. Every listing must have a policy to be sellable and bookable on the channels.

Default policy

If you don’t set a policy or a rate plan, Guesty automatically applies a fully refundable policy to all direct booking reservations. This includes no cancellation fee or a minimum notice period before check-in. To use a different policy, inform your guests of the terms and manually add any cancellation fees to the guest folio (invoice).

Date-based policy display

You can set multiple rate plans with different cancellation policies for each listing. Terms shown to guests change based on their selected dates.

Back to the top

Configure a cancellation policy or a rate plan when linking Expedia listings to Guesty.

Set your listing's cancellation policy via Glamping Hub. 

Select a cancellation policy when connecting your HVMB account and listings to Guesty. The cancellation policy you set in Guesty will override the one configured in HVMB.

Set a cancellation policy when connecting a Misterb&b account to Guesty.

Set a cancellation policy via Rentals United.

To link your property between Guesty and any of these channels, you must set up a rate plan in both platforms. Once linked, you'll manage your listing directly through the channel's extranet. Rate plans can be configured during the linking process (the process applies to all channels listed above).

Configure a default policy during the initial account connection.

Step by step:

1. Connect your Vrbo account to Guesty.
2. Log in to your Vrbo account and navigate to "Account settings".
3. Locate the "Account Cancellation Policy" section.

4. Select one of the built-in Vrbo policies that suits your needs.

   This default policy automatically applies to all new listings to ensure consistency across your account.

   Cancellation policy	Description
   Relaxed	7-14 days before check-in
   Moderate	14-30 days before check-in
   Firm	30-60 days before check-in
   Strict	60  days before check-in
   Custom	Select the number of days and the respective redounf amount in precentage

Once connected, only make changes to the policy on individual listings.

Set a cancellation policy when publishing new listings

During the publishing process, you have two options when setting your cancellation policy:

• Use the default policy 

  Ideal for standardizing policies across multiple listings, this automatically applies the default cancellation policy in your account to the listing.

• Apply a custom policy 

  Ideal for special circumstances, seasonal rules, or premium listings.

  Select Custom cancellation policy when publishing to allocate a unique policy. Define up to three refund tiers using the following parameters:

  • Days before check-in: Set the timeframe for each tier.

  • Refund amount (%): Specify the percentage refunded if the guest cancels within that timeframe.

    Example policy:

    Days before check-in	Refund amount
    14+	94%
    2+	46%
    0+	0% The guest receives no refund upon cancellation

  Guesty automatically syncs a custom cancellation policy with Vrbo once saved; however, it displays as “Not Selected” on the reservation page in Guesty.
  

Back to the top

Set a cancellation policy when connecting your channel’s account to Guesty. The cancellation policy you configured in Guesty overrides the one in the channel.

Follow the steps below to prepare your CSV file.

Step by step:

1. Download the cancellation policy template.
2. Enter the Guesty property ID in the "_id" column.
3. Select the appropriate value in the "cancellationPolicy" column.
4. Select the penalty in the "cancellationPenalty" column. Leave this column blank if the policy is "Free" or "Non-refundable".
5. Enter the penalty amount in the "customPenalty" column if the policy is "Custom".
6. Save the completed data file as a CSV file.

Follow the steps below to submit your data file to our support team.

Step by step:

1. Create a support ticket for Guesty.
2. Select Guesty Feature as the "Ticket Topic".
3. Select Property settings & reports as the "Guesty Feature".
4. Enter the subject line: API Bulk Request: Update Cancellation policy.

5. Copy the template below and paste it into the body of your ticket.

   Hi Guesty CX, Please update the cancellation policy for the listings provided in the attached file. Account Name/ID: [Insert Account Name or ID] Apply to: [Indicate ALL listings OR Active listings only] Apply to which channel: [Indicate ALL channels OR specific channel only] Special instructions or previous ticket with the same request: Thank you!

6. Fill in the bracketed information.
7. Attach your prepared CSV file.
8. Click Submit.