Managing changes to an Airbnb reservation (Pro users)

Pro users: You can manage alterations to Airbnb reservations in Guesty, or directly in Airbnb. Use this article to understand where to make changes to a reservation, how to create and approve alteration requests, and how to make internal changes that will be reflected only in Guesty.

You can make changes to an Airbnb reservation directly in Guesty:

• Approve or decline a guest's alteration request.
• To apply changes to a reservation, ask the guest to send you a reservation alteration request. Alternatively, create an alteration request and send it to the guest and Airbnb for approval.
• You can also change a reservation solely in Guesty. Use this option for your internal operation purposes, and only if the change doesn't affect your guest's stay, such as updating the guest's details or switching its assigned room with another room of the same type (and the same price). This internal alteration won’t be synced to Airbnb. If changes are made in Airbnb afterward, they will override any internal changes.
• Cancel a reservation

You cannot create an alteration request to change the reservation total price via Guesty. You can change the total price via Airbnb.

Customizing the total reservation price in Airbnb will be considered a special offer. Ensure to include in the adjusted price all the relevant fees.

Send an alteration request to Airbnb and the guest

When creating an alteration request in Guesty, the request will be sent to the guest and Airbnb for approval. The relevant listing must be activated.

The following alteration types can be requested (only):

• Change the reservation dates
• Change the number of guests
• Move the reservation to another listing

The reservation price will be recalculated automatically based on your changes. You cannot adjust the total reservation price via Guesty. 

Learn more about each of these alteration types below.

Change the reservation dates

You can create an alteration request for the dates of the reservation.

For a reservation in a Confirmed status, changing the number of nights will impact the added costs, but will not affect the original reservation price. The rates for the added nights will be calculated according to the current price per night (also, the changed number of nights may make the listing available for applied discounts). However, the price per night for the original nights will remain the same. Any taxes will change - if they are calculated per night (rather than per stay or per guest). If you subtract nights from a reservation, the remaining nights will be kept at the same price.

For example:  A reservation was confirmed for two nights at a rate of $30 per night. The price per night was since optimized by a pricing tool and is now $32. If you add a night to the reservation, the price per night for the original two nights will remain $30. The price of the added night will be $32.  Taxes charged per night will be calculated according to the original price for the first two nights, and according to the adjusted price for the added night. Fees and taxes charged per stay or per guest will not be affected.

Change the number of guests

You can create an alteration request for the number of guests in the reservation.

For a reservation in a Confirmed status, changing the number of guests will not affect the original reservation price ( i.e., the price per night will remain the same). An extra person fee may apply (if it is set). Also, taxes charged per guest will be recalculated according to the updated number of guests.

For example: A listing’s occupancy is four, and an extra person fee of $25 is set to apply for additional guests beyond two. A reservation was confirmed for two guests for two nights at a rate of $30 per night. If you add a third guest to the reservation, the price per night remains $30. An extra fee of $25 will be applied. Other taxes calculated per guest will be charged according to the updated number of guests. Fees and taxes set to apply per stay or per night will not be affected.

Move the reservation to another listing

Affect on the reservation price

For a reservation in a Confirmed status, moving the reservation to another listing will not affect the original reservation price. The price per night will remain unchanged, even if the new listing has a price per night that is lower or higher than the original listing. Also, fees and taxes will remain the same, and won't change according to the new listing’s pricing.

Available listings for reassignment 

• You can only move the reservation to a listing under the same Airbnb account.
• When assigning a new listing to the reservation, you’ll be able to choose a listing if it is available on the relevant dates, or if the dates are under a "flexible" block, which can be overridden.
• You won't be able to move a reservation to a listing if its currency is different than the currency of the original listing. You can change the listing's currency if needed. If you’re unable to assign a listing, check our troubleshooting article here.

Relocate a reservation mid-stay

There is no option to relocate an ongoing reservation to another listing if the new listing has been occupied during the past days of the reservation. To overcome this, you can split the reservation. We recommend shortening the dates of the current reservation, ending it on the day of the split, and creating a new reservation for the second listing, starting from the day of the split until the end of the stay.

Switching between sub-units of a multi-unit

• When a multi-unit is booked, the reservation can be automatically or manually assigned to one of its sub-units. To maximize your occupancy, by default, reservations can be received for a multi-unit regardless of having a single sub-unit to host the entire guest stay. For example, if the stay can be allotted between different sub-units, each vacant to host a segment of the reservation, the reservation can be booked. In case there is no sub-unit vacant to host the entire stay, the reservation will be received but remain unassigned. You'll have to assign it manually. You may also need to rearrange the existing reservations within the sub-units to accommodate the new reservation.  
• To switch reservations between sub-units, start by unassigning a reservation from its sub-unit, creating a vacancy on your calendar. You can then assign another reservation to the vacant sub-unit, and replace it with the unassigned reservation.

Create an alteration request

Follow the instructions below to create an alteration request via the reservation page.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Operations mode.
3. Click Reservations.
4. Click the relevant reservation.
5. Click  at the top right side of the “Summary” field.
6. Select Request edit.
7. In the pop-up, change the desired fields. Then, click Next.
8. In the next screen, review the updated reservation price breakdown.
9. Click Request edit from Airbnb.
10. Refresh the page.

A summary of the alteration request will be displayed on the reservation page, under the  “Summary” field. However, there will be no notification in the Guesty Inbox until the guest approves or rejects the request.

The alteration request will also be recorded in the reservation log, at the bottom of the reservation page. Use the log to check if the request was made by the host or the guest.

Cancel or change a pending alteration request

There can only be one active alteration request per reservation. Therefore, to change an existing alteration request you sent, you must first cancel the existing request. Then, create a new alteration request. Follow the steps below.

Step by step:

1. Follow steps 1-4 above to access the reservation page.
2. Click located at the top right side of the “Summary” field.
3. Click Cancel request to edit.
4. Click Confirm in the pop-up.
5. Repeat steps 5-10 above to create a new alteration request.

The cancellation of the previous alteration request will be recorded in the reservation log. The new alteration request will also be added to the log.

The alteration request was declined by Airbnb

Refer to this article. 

Approve or decline an alteration request from your guest

Airbnb guests can send you alteration requests. you will receive a notification in the thread with the guest in the Guesty Inbox. You can either approve or decline the alteration request, and the change will be reflected both in Guesty and Airbnb.

Refresh the page after approving or declining a request. It may take a few moments for the request to be updated. 

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click .
3. Locate the relevant guest's thread.
4. In the right-side widget, click Approve or Decline. Alternatively, use the “Click here” hyperlink in the notification to approve or decline the request in the Airbnb platform.
5. Refresh the page.

   

The guest’s request and the approval or decline of the request will be recorded in the reservation log.

Change a reservation only in Guesty

You can make changes to an Airbnb reservation that will reflect in Guesty only. These alterations won’t sync to Airbnb. Use this type of alteration for your internal tracking and documentation only.

If you make additional changes to the reservation via Airbnb, they will override your Guesty alterations, since changes made in Guesty don’t sync with Airbnb.

To be able to make an internal change, the listing must be activated. There is no option to change the reservation dates internally. You can send an alteration request for the guest's approval instead.

If you move a reservation from listing A to listing B internally, listing B's calendar will get blocked in all channels, including Airbnb. However, listing A will remain blocked in Airbnb (since the update didn't sync from Guesty to Airbnb). This may cause disruptions in syncing updates to the reservation from Airbnb and in receiving future messages from the guest, including the guest’s payment details. Also, you can only move internally the reservation to a listing under the same Airbnb account.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Operations mode.
3. Click Reservations.
4. Click the relevant reservation.
5. Click next to "Summary" and select Edit Reservation.
6. Apply the relevant changes to the reservation. Then, click Save.

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