Hotel booking confirmation: what to expect and key details you need

Accurate information in a booking confirmation

Accurate information included in a booking confirmation can significantly ease later communication with the guest. It is a crucial collection of necessary details for the guest and, most importantly, guarantees their stay while serving as its confirmation.

Who benefits from booking confirmations?

A booking confirmation is a vital element in the reservation process that benefits both parties. Guests gain certainty and peace of mind, knowing their accommodation is secured, while the hotel can better manage its resources and maintain a high standard of service. As a result, both visitors and hotel managers can enjoy smooth cooperation, operating within the boundaries set by the reservation. For the guest, reservation details are invaluable as they provide important information about the stay (check-in, check-out, rules during the stay, cancellation policy). For the hotel, early reservations enable better occupancy management and preparation to serve the expected number of guests.

For the guest, the booking confirmation reassures them that they have a reserved place in the hotel and don’t have to worry about availability upon arrival. The confirmation itself contains all the details of the reservation, such as the dates of stay, room type, prices, and any additional services. This helps avoid misunderstandings and errors. In case of any issues related to the reservation, the confirmation serves as proof, which can be used to resolve potential disputes with the hotel.

Booking confirmations help hotels manage room availability efficiently, preventing overbooking and allowing for better resource planning. Whether the hotel faces higher or lower occupancy, it helps in making decisions related to pricing policies and implementing a direct booking strategy. Having the confirmation allows the hotel to prepare the room according to the guest’s wishes and plan for other services (e.g., airport transfers, special dietary requests). A booking confirmation, especially when linked to a prepayment or credit card guarantee, reduces the risk of guest no-shows, allowing the hotel to manage its resources more stably and boost direct bookings.

Comprehensive information and booking rules

The booking confirmation is a critical element in the reservation process, ensuring clarity and certainty about the accommodation for both guests and the hotel. The guest must provide basic information, choose the room and stay period, enter payment details, and accept the hotel’s policies. Once these conditions are met, the hotel sends the booking confirmation, which includes all the details of the stay. The conditions for receiving a confirmation may vary depending on the hotel’s policies (especially regarding the type of reservation), but some basic requirements are typically necessary to receive it:

• Making a reservation: Booking through the hotel’s reservation system or a booking platform, by phone, or via email.
• Providing personal and contact information.
• Choosing the stay period and room type, specifying the arrival and departure dates, and selecting the specific room type from the available offers.
• Providing payment information, which varies depending on the type of reservation. Most often, the hotel requests credit/debit card details as a reservation guarantee; in some cases, prepayment or full upfront payment may be required.
• Accepting the hotel’s policies, agreeing to the cancellation terms and any associated fees, and accepting the hotel’s general conditions and rules.

In the case of prepayment, it’s worth using the online payment option provided by professional reservation systems. Guests won’t need to manually fill out transfer details, and the hotel will immediately receive payment confirmation. Similarly, the confirmation email can contain various tools that make it easier for the guest to navigate to specific areas of the hotel’s website or the additional services booking system. These are solutions many guests appreciate, as they eliminate the need to search for this information themselves, enhancing the personalised guest experience.

What should a booking confirmation include?

A well-prepared booking confirmation is part of professional guest service, building trust and a positive image for the hotel. It also has a very practical dimension: the more detailed the information it contains, the less likely there will be discrepancies between the hotel’s and the guest’s expectations. By informing guests about various elements and booking rules, potential conflicts can be avoided. Therefore, the hotel booking confirmation should be:

• Clear.
• Detailed.
• Complete – containing all the necessary information to avoid misunderstandings.

After a proper booking confirmation, the guest should receive a confirmation that includes:

• Basic details: Reservation number, full hotel name, contact details (address, phone number, email address), guest’s name, their email address, and phone number.
• Reservation and stay details: Check-in and check-out dates, room type with a detailed description (including room amenities), total cost of stay (including accommodation fees, taxes, and any additional services), payment method, and prepayment amount (if applicable).
• Additional information: Cancellation terms, including refund policies and deadlines for free cancellations; information on additional services booked (e.g., airport transfers, tours, spa services) and options for booking more services; confirmation of any special guest requests (e.g., baby cot, special diet).
• Practical instructions: Standard check-in and check-out times, as well as any options for early check-in or late check-out (including fees, if applicable), a map and directions to the hotel, and the contact phone number for the reception in case of questions or assistance before arrival.

The booking confirmation email often contains information that can also be found on the hotel’s website. However, it’s important to include this information in the email, as guests often treat the booking confirmation as the primary source of information about their stay. It’s essential to ensure that it serves this purpose effectively, contributing to guest loyalty.

How to use booking confirmations? Hotel email marketing

In the case of online reservations or bookings through platforms, booking confirmations are often generated automatically and sent via email. Profitroom products allow for the automation of such processes while also using guest communications as part of the hotel’s marketing and promotional strategy. By integrating the booking platform, guest database, and effective marketing tools (including those for managing hotel pricing policies), you can significantly improve the results of direct bookings, which are the most profitable for any hotel. Tools like Booking Engine 360 and Marketing Automation can streamline the work of the reception desk and make it more efficient.

For phone or email reservations, the hotel sends a confirmation after manually processing the reservation by staff. In this case, it’s worth using the opportunities provided by email marketing and marketing automation. This way, reception staff won’t have to send confirmations individually to each guest, which can be challenging, especially during peak seasons.

In both cases, it’s beneficial to use the booking confirmation as one of the messages that maintain continuous communication with the guest (from initial interest in the offer to the end of the stay and sharing offers for future visits). It’s good to ensure that guests consent to such extended communication and maintain a consistent, clear, and visually appealing communication style, thereby supporting your direct booking strategy.

A booking confirmation serves practical purposes in communication between the hotel and the guest, but it’s also one of the tools for building the hotel’s information and promotional strategy.