How to Enable Request to Book

The Request to Book feature gives you more control over who stays at your property. Instead of instant bookings, guests will need to send a request first, and you can manually review and approve or decline before their stay is confirmed.

Why use Request to Book?

  • Screen guests before confirming reservations.
  • Add flexibility if you want to personally review each booking.
  • Peace of mind for unique properties, longer stays, or first-time hosts.

How to Set Up a Request to Book Rule

  1. Go to Account SettingsReservation Rules.
  1. Find the Request to Book section.
  1. Click Edit.
  1. Select the listing(s) where you’d like Request to Book to apply.
  1. Click Save.
💡 Once active, guests booking these properties will submit a request that you can review and approve before it’s confirmed.

Managing Booking Requests

  • When a guest submits a request, you’ll get an email notification.
  • You can approve or decline the booking directly from the Reservations tab in your dashboard.

Things to Keep in Mind

  • If Request to Book is enabled, all bookings for that property will require your approval.
  • Guests appreciate a quick response — responding within 24 hours leads to better booking outcomes.
  • You can always edit or remove the rule anytime in your Reservation Rules settings.

Example Use Cases

  • You want to personally vet guests before allowing stays.
  • Your property has unique rules or quirks that may not suit everyone.
  • You prefer extra control over peak season or high-value bookings.

Tip: Many hosts start with Request to Book for peace of mind, and then switch to instant bookings once they’re comfortable and confident with the guest flow.