When transitioning to Booking.com, you must adapt your communication style.
Airbnb guests generally expect to chat with the host. They want local recommendations and a personal touch. Booking.com guests view the transaction as booking a hotel. They do not want to become your friend; they want the wifi password, the door code, and zero friction.
To succeed on Booking.com, your messaging must be highly professional, strictly logistical, and almost entirely automated.
The Problem with the Extranet Inbox
If you try to manage messages manually through the Booking.com Extranet or the Pulse mobile app, you will miss messages. Logging in and out of different apps to see if a guest messaged you on Airbnb vs Booking.com is a recipe for a missed 24-hour response window (which hurts your ranking).
You must use a Unified Inbox provided by a Property Management System (PMS) so all your messages from all platforms land in one single thread.
3 Essential Automated Messages for Booking.com
Booking.com guests appreciate efficiency. Set up these three automated messages in your PMS to handle 95% of guest communication.
1. The Instant Confirmation (Setting Expectations)
Booking.com does not require guests to read your "House Rules" before booking. You must send a confirmation message immediately to set the ground rules, especially regarding damage deposits.
Template:
Dear
[Guest First Name],Thank you for booking
[Property Name]. Your reservation is confirmed.Please note our check-in time is after 4:00 PM. This property is fully self-check-in via a secure smart lock. We will send you the access code exactly 48 hours before your arrival.
As a reminder of our policies:
- No smoking
- No parties or unauthorized guests
[Insert Damage Deposit Policy if applicable]We look forward to hosting you!
2. The Logistics Message (48 Hours Prior)
Do not send this a week in advance; they will lose it. Send it exactly 48 hours before check-in. It must be highly scannable on a mobile phone.
Template:
Dear
[Guest First Name],We are preparing the property for your arrival on
[Check-in Date]. Here is the information you need to access the property.📍 Address:
[Full Address]🚗 Parking:[Parking Instructions]🔑 Door Code:[Door Code](Valid anytime after 4:00 PM). 📶 WiFi: Network:[Wifi Name]| Password:[Wifi Password]If you have any immediate issues upon arrival, please reply to this message. Safe travels!
3. The Review Request (The Day After Checkout)
Booking.com reviews are scored out of 10 (not 5 like Airbnb). A 9.0+ average is crucial for ranking. Because Booking.com guests are less accustomed to leaving reviews than Airbnb guests, you must explicitly ask for them.
Template:
Dear
[Guest First Name],Thank you for choosing to stay with us. We hope you had a wonderful trip!
As an independent business, our ranking relies heavily on guest reviews. If you enjoyed the cleanliness and comfort of the property, we would be incredibly grateful if you could take 60 seconds to leave us a 10/10 review on Booking.com.
We hope to welcome you back in the future!
How to Handle the "Special Requests" Box
When booking on Booking.com, guests have a text box to write "Special Requests." Often, they will write things like "We need an early check-in at 10 AM" or "We are bringing our dog" (even if your policy says no pets).
Booking.com treats these as requests, not guarantees. However, you must respond to them.
If a guest requests a 10 AM check-in, and you ignore it, they will arrive at 10 AM, find the door locked, and call Booking.com angry. You must reply explicitly: "We received your request for a 10 AM check-in. Unfortunately, we have a guest checking out that morning, so we cannot accommodate an early check-in. Your door code will activate at 4:00 PM."
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
How much commission does Booking.com charge hosts? Booking.com charges 15% commission on the total booking value, including cleaning fees. Unlike Airbnb's split-fee model, the guest pays no platform fee — the host absorbs the full commission. This means you need to price 10–15% higher on Booking.com to maintain the same net revenue.
How do I get started on Booking.com as a vacation rental host? Create an account on the Booking.com Extranet, add your property details, upload photos, set availability and pricing, and complete verification. The onboarding process typically takes 2–5 business days including property verification.
Can I sync my Booking.com and Airbnb calendars? Yes. Use a channel manager like BookBed to sync calendars automatically via iCal every 60 seconds. You can also manually import iCal feeds between platforms, but the sync interval is slower and you lose centralized management.
About BookBed: Put Booking.com communication on autopilot. BookBed Pro gives you a unified inbox and unlimited automated messaging templates for a flat €29/month. Start your free trial →