Define rental periods and price

Once you have entered the basic details of your rental location(or appointment) you can then add specific price periods and vary the base price. As we know, prices can change depending on a day of the week or for a fixed period of time. Let's see how to set up special prices depending on the day, for a longer period or to let people know that your rental is closed for booking during a certain period.

Key terms and definitions

Periods - Define different prices applicable to the rental, for different times of the year, and to define blackout dates when bookings won't be possible.

Seasonal pricing - A consecutive number of days during which the price may vary. A lodging in the mountains could, for example, be rented more expensive in high season. You can create as many periods as you like.

Booking blackout dates - Consecutive days during which it is not possible to book the rental (or appointment) on your website. A message will indicate that your property or service is closed. For example, a college could thus set a period of closure of the computer room during the school holidays.

Special day pricing - A day whose price varies the same every week. For example, a hotel might choose different prices on Friday nights or on Saturday nights (nights on weekends being generally more expensive).

To define the periods

Be sure that you are in Add-ons > Booking > Rentals. Edit the rental that you want to define the periods. Then click on the menu titled Periods(3).

You will be taken to a dashboard in which you can add periods and define the special prices - be it seasonal pricing, seasonal pricing, or special day pricing.

To add a new period click on the orange button titled New Period

Define seasonal pricing period

To add a period, go to Add-ons > Booking > Rentals click Edit location, and then click Periods.

When you click to add a New period you will be prompted to fill in a Name (This name will appear on the site availability calendar), add a start date and an end date. Enter the price change, either as a percentage or as a value.

You have nothing to calculate. You will find the final price after the increase or decrease in the list of pricing periods.

The special period will be listed for your site visitors to consult and to book.

Define the blackout dates

As mentioned above a blackout period refers to when you do not allow users to book your location. To add a blackout period, go to Add-ons > Booking > Rentals click Edit location, and then click Periods.

When you click to add a New period you will be prompted to fill in a Name (This name will appear on the site availability calendar), check the blackout period box and add a start date and an end date. The end date means that it will be possible to book your rental the next day.

These periods may not overlap with your seasonal bookings.

You can add as many blackout periods as you like.

Add special day pricing

This involves varying the base price for a given day of the week. This price may vary upwards or downwards, as a percentage (%) or as a value (€). To decrease the price, use a negative number: example: -20% or - 50 €, inversely to increase the price through an absolute number: 20% or 50 €.

Scroll down to Special Days. Select the Special Day check box and enter a price change and a label. You will not need to calculate the price, just put in the variation and the price will be calculated automatically.

This can be done by defining the percentage or price change that you wish to occur. You will find the final price after the increase or decrease in the table of Special Days.

Be sure to save all changes.

Conclusion

If you have configured special pricing periods and special days, these price changes will be added to the price calculated with special periods. For example create a reservation system for a hotel, the establishment offers higher rates on weekends (Friday night and Saturday evening) and during the Christmas market (period from 15 November to 15 January).

To see examples of setting pricing periods, consult the case studies.

Book a hotel room

Here is an example of the booking add-on used to create a hotel booking system that requires down payment and price varying depending on booking period.

Set up booking at your hair sa

Follow along this case study to ensure that your professional website is set up to allow booking by appointments.

Reserve a cottage for the week

This case study shows you how to set up the booking add-on to encourage visitors to book your rental, add additional and options, and allow down payment online.