Booking Website: Common Questions

Here are the most common questions and issues users face with the Hostaway Booking Engine, along with their solutions.

1. Why is the calendar not appearing on my Booking Website?

Question: Why is the booking calendar, which shows the availability of my listings, not appearing on my Booking Website or Booking Engine?

Answer: This issue is often related to browser settings, especially when using a VPN. Chrome, for instance, has a network pop-up that can interfere with the calendar loading.

• If you see a pop-up from your browser asking for permission to connect, select "Allow." The calendar should then load correctly.
• If you select "Block," the calendar will not load.
• If you don't see a pop-up, your browser settings might be configured to block these requests by default. Check your browser's site settings to ensure it's not blocking content from the Booking Engine.

2. Why isn't my listing appearing on the Booking Engine?

Question: I've set up my Booking Engine, but one or more of my listings are not showing up.

Answer: This usually happens if the listing is not published correctly.

Solution:

1. Go to Booking Engine > Listings.
2. Ensure the desired listing is selected and click "Publish."
3. Check your Booking Engine in an incognito window.
4. If the issue persists, go to Channel Manager, find the listing, and check for a red triangle error. If you see one, go to the listing editor, make a small change (like adding a space), and click "Save." This will force a refresh.

3. Why is the "Book Now" button grayed out on the payment page?

Question: When a guest tries to complete a booking, the "Book Now" button is grayed out and cannot be clicked.

Answer: This is a security measure. The payment page of the Booking Engine cannot be embedded or "masked" within another website using an iframe.

Solution: Ensure that you are not embedding the payment page in another website. If you are using a custom domain, it must be properly redirected, not masked. Follow the official guide for redirecting your domain.

4. How can I add an FAQ page to my Booking Engine website?

Question: I want to add a page with frequently asked questions to my direct booking website.

Answer: Yes, you can create custom pages in the Hostaway website builder.

Solution:

1. In your Hostaway dashboard, go to Booking Engine > Website Builder.
2. Navigate to the Pages editor.
3. Create a new custom page and title it "FAQ" or "Frequently Asked Questions."
4. Add your questions and answers to this page. Once published, it will appear in the navigation menu of your website.

5. Why is my custom domain showing a "Not Secure" warning or a 404 error?

Question: I have set up my custom domain, but it's showing a "Not Secure" warning or a 404 error page.

Answer: This is common during the initial setup and is usually due to two reasons:

• SSL Certificate Generation: The "Not Secure" warning appears because the SSL certificate has not been generated yet. This process is automatic but can take up to 48 hours after you configure your DNS settings.
• DNS Propagation: A 404 error can occur if the DNS changes have not fully propagated across the internet, which can also take up to 48 hours.

Solution:

1. Wait: Allow up to 48 hours for the SSL certificate to be issued and for DNS to propagate.
2. Check DNS Records: Ensure you have only one A record and the correct CNAME record in your domain provider's settings. Extra or incorrect records can cause conflicts.
3. Use Incognito Mode: Test the URL in an incognito/private browser window to avoid browser cache issues.

6. Can I white-label the Booking Engine to remove Hostaway branding?

Question: I want my Booking Engine to only show my company's branding, not Hostaway's.

Answer: Yes, the Booking Engine can be white-labeled. When enabled, your company logo (set in Settings > Edit Profile) will appear in the header and footer instead of the Hostaway branding. This is a default setting for new accounts.

7. Why are the prices on my Booking Engine not matching what I've set?

Question: The availability or pricing on my direct booking website is incorrect.

Answer: This can be caused by several factors, often related to the connection with an OTA if you are using one to manage rates.

Solution:

• Check Rate Plans: Ensure you have active rate plans for the dates being searched.
• Verify Availability: Make sure your calendar has rooms available to sell for the selected dates.
• Currency Mismatch: Confirm that the currency in Hostaway matches the currency in your connected channels (like Booking.com).
• Minimum Rate: Some channels have a minimum rate requirement (e.g., €5.00/USD). Ensure your rates meet this threshold.

8. How do I add new languages to my Booking Engine?

Question: I want to offer my Booking Engine in multiple languages.

Answer: You can add supported languages like German, Spanish, French, and Italian.

Solution:

1. Go to Booking Engine > Settings > Basic.
2. Open the Language settings and toggle on the languages you want to enable.
3. Important: Hostaway does not automatically translate your custom descriptions. It is recommended to add languages as the final step before publishing. If you add content after adding a language, you may need to remove and re-add the language to sync the new text.

9. Why isn't a guest receiving a confirmation email after booking?

Question: A guest made a booking through my website but did not receive a confirmation email.

Answer: This typically happens when auto-payments are not configured for the Booking Engine.

Solution:

1. Go to Guest Payments > Auto-payments.
2. Click "Add auto-payment" and create a rule for the "Booking Engine" and/or "Hostaway Direct" channels.
3. Once an automated payment is successfully processed, the confirmation email will be sent.

10. Why is the map on my WordPress plugin showing "for development purposes only"?

Question: I'm using the WordPress plugin, and the integrated map displays a "for development purposes only" message.

Answer: This is a Google Maps API issue. It requires you to have a credit card on file with your Google Cloud account to use the Maps API on a live website.

11. Does the Booking Engine round prices when a discount is applied?

Question: I applied a discount, and the price shown on the listing page appears to be rounded.

Answer: Yes, the Booking Engine may round the displayed price on the listing page for simplicity, similar to how platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com function. However, the full, unrounded price will be displayed and charged correctly at the final checkout step.