Completing a Test Reservation
This article explains the steps for conducting a test booking on the various OTA’s.
Overview
A test reservation is the best way to thoroughly check that your Boost connection to any OTA (online travel agency) is properly configured. Test reservations usually take place during Boost channel implementations or when working with our Support team to test that your connection is functioning properly.
Important Note: This article provides general instructions that do not necessarily include all relevant details for all OTAs/scenarios. Please make sure you are fully aware of the OTA’s reservation policies and of the cancellation policy you have set on the listing you are testing to ensure that you will receive a full refund upon cancellation. Contact your SIS or https://support.bluetent.com/ with any questions.
Instructions
IMPORTANT NOTE
If the cancellation policy you have set on the OTA you are testing doesn’t allow for full refunds, you may want to temporarily change that policy for the listing you are testing (just long enough to conduct a test reservation) or ask SIS/Support how else to receive a full refund.
Have a credit card ready: Most OTA’s do not accept test credit cards so you will need to have a real credit card to conduct a test booking.
Note the cancellation Policy you have set for the particular OTA you are testing. Make sure that the reservation dates are far enough in the future to ensure that you will be eligible for a full refund once you cancel.
Place the reservation from a guest (personal) account: Make sure to place this booking from a guest account, not your host account that you manage your vacation rentals in.
Q/A your listing while placing the reservation: Pay attention to the information showing on your live listing and the check-out process in general and take notes on anything you’d like to review with your Bluetent Rep (SIS or Support). Pay special attention to the cancellation policy notes listed, and that rent, tax, fees are all correct.
Review this reservation in your Property Management Software to ensure that everything adds up correctly and feeds into your PM software as it should. Note any questions to review with your Bluetent rep.
Cancel the test reservation: Once you have reviewed the test booking, remember to cancel it so that you can receive your refund and reopen the dates on the calendar. Also, remember to cancel from the guest account so that your host/admin account is not penalized for cancelling.
OTA Specific Reminders
Good To Know: HomeToGo conducts test reservations with new clients during their onboarding process so a test booking will not be conducted with a Bluetent representative.
OTA | Airbnb | Booking.com | Vrbo | HomeToGo | Google VR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Credit Cards | Real Credit Card Required | Real Credit Card Required | Real Credit Card Required | Test Reservation Completed by HTG onboarding rep. | Test Cards Accepted when reservation is placed within the Boost Interface |
Reservation Cancellation | Cancel from Guest Side -This ensures that ABB Host Status is not affected. | Cancel from Guest Side. Host’s Cannot Cancel Reservations on BDC | Client can cancel from the Guest side or from their PM software. | Test Reservation Canceled by HTG onboarding rep. | Client must cancel from their PM Software. |
Other Notes | If reservation was made on a listing with a Super Strict cancellation policy, a BT rep must contact ABB for client to receive a full refund. |
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| If a no refund policy is being used - Change this prior to placing a test booking with HTG. Reminder to place ask HTG to place the test booking far enough in the future to avoid a cancellation fee |
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