📌 This article answers the following questions:
- How do I set up a cancellation policy in elloha?
- What is the difference between ‘cancellable with a fee’, ‘non-cancellable’ and ‘cancellable free of charge’?
- How do I set multiple cancellation deadlines with different rates?
- How do I handle no-shows in my cancellation terms?
Why is this essential for your business?
Nowadays, flexibility is one of the top criteria for travellers when making a booking. By tailoring your terms to suit your offers, you can increase your occupancy rate:
Reassure your customers: An offer that allows free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival encourages them to book earlier.
Protect your cash flow: Promotional offers can have stricter terms to safeguard your revenue.
Simplify your administration: elloha automatically calculates the fees due in the event of a cancellation.
What your customers will see
Your cancellation terms are displayed directly at the time of booking, in the offer summary.
They let your customers know clearly within what timeframe they can cancel and what fees may apply.
Follow the step-by-step guide
Step 1: Access the cancellation policies
In the menu on the left-hand side of your screen, click on Pricing, then on Cancellation Policy.
This takes you to a dedicated section where you can create, edit and organise your various cancellation terms.
Step 2: Set up your new policy
This is where you define the level of flexibility you offer your customers.
Click on ‘Add a new cancellation policy’, then give it a clear name (for example: ‘High Season Cancellation’) so you can find it easily in your settings.
Step 3: Choose the cancellation type
Choose the Cancellation Type that matches your strategy:
Cancelable with fees: Your guests can cancel their booking, but fees apply depending on the timeframes set.
Non-cancellable (100% fee): No refund is possible in the event of cancellation.
Cancelable without fee (0% cancellation fee): Guests can cancel free of charge at any time.
The choice depends on your business strategy and the level of flexibility you wish to offer.
Step 4: Add or remove deadlines
To structure your cancellation policy, you can set out several tiers of conditions based on the time remaining before arrival.
Click on ‘Add a cancellation deadline’ to create a new deadline, then assign a fee rate to it.
For example, you could offer:
0% fee up to 7 days before arrival
50% fee between 7 days and 2 days before arrival
100% fee less than 48 hours before arrival
If necessary, you can also delete a deadline by clicking on the corresponding bin icon.
These different levels allow you to tailor your terms and conditions and strike the right balance between flexibility for your guests and securing your bookings.
⚠️ Please note: Make sure you fill in all the fields on a row (deadline and percentage) before clicking the “+” button. An incomplete row may prevent your changes from being saved.
Step 5: Adjust the No-Show policy
A ‘No-Show’ occurs when a guest does not arrive on their scheduled arrival date.
By default, this situation generally results in a 100 per cent cancellation fee.
However, you can adjust this rate in line with your policy, directly in the field provided for this purpose.
📌 Good to know: Adjusting the no-show rate can be useful depending on your business. Some establishments prefer to keep it at 100 per cent, whilst others opt for greater flexibility to build customer loyalty.
Step 6: Create multiple policies if necessary
You have the option to create multiple cancellation policies.
This may be useful if:
you offer different types of deals,
you have specific promotions,
you wish to tailor your terms and conditions to your services (accommodation, activities, options, etc.).
Each policy can then be linked to a specific rate.
💡 Tip: During peak season, don’t hesitate to tighten your terms and conditions slightly to avoid last-minute cancellations, which are harder to rebook.
Step 7: Link your policy to your rates
Once your cancellation policy is set up, it’s important to link it to your pricing plans.
It is this step that allows you to actually apply your cancellation terms to your online listings.
📌Good to know: To find out how to set up your rates and link your policies to them, see our article on creating a rate plan.
Finally, you’ll need to add the cancellation policy to your rate plans.
Now that you’ve set your cancellation policy, move on to configuring your taxes.
Key points
Full visibility: Your terms and conditions appear clearly in the booking flow, on the PDF voucher sent to the customer and on your payment management screen.
Mixed strategy: You can sell the same room at three different prices with three levels of flexibility.
Professionalism: Clear terms and conditions drastically reduce disputes and requests for clarification via email.