Property Details – Serviced

Here we describe how to enter details about your B&B, hotel etc; the number of rooms and the facilities in each.

Room Type

Select the room type that best describes the room, eg “Double/Twin”.
Give the room a name or description. If you only have a few rooms, it is probably best to give each a unique name, eg Blackbird, Robin etc. However, if you have a large number of rooms, it is best to use a generic descriuption eg “Standard double en-suite” and later to enter the number of rooms of that type that you have.
Select the room facilities.
Repeat this for each room or room type that you have.

Room Details

Give a brief description of each room or room type.
Select the room facilities from the list available.
If you have facilities that are not in the standard list, add your own.

As you usually have similar facilities in all rooms, there is a tool to copy from one room to all which make the task much easier.

Availability

Rates

The first impression of the Rates page is that it is very busy and complicated however once the principles are understood it is straightforward and quick to set up a variety of rates. Start by viewing the video and then set up the basic nightly rate.

You will find that the rates calendar has one row for each of your rooms or room types.

Enterself-catering propertyinto the curent date.
Starting from the day where the rate is entered, select the period for which those rate apply. Click into the cell, hold down the left mouse button and drag. This will open the rate field in every cell.
Return to the cell where you entered the rate and click “a” immediately below (“a” for all). This will copy the nightly rate into every day in your selected period.
If you charge a different nightly rate at the weekend, enter the rate for each room on the first date where the rate applies. Select the period for which the rate applies (by clicking and dragging). Return to the cell where you entered the rates and click “d” immediately below (“d” for day). This will copy the weekend rate to every weekend in your selected range.
If you charge a different rate at certain times of the year, repeat the above process for each.

If you have both serviced and self-catering property, you should note that the method for entering the rates is different.

Close Outs

There are times when you don’t want to let a property, eg you may be closed for refurbishment. Such period can be defined by selecting the Close Out page where closed periods are shown in pink (available rooms are green and let rooms are blue).

To close any one day, just click in a green cell to change it to pink. Clicking a pink cell will change it to green, ie a click simply toggles the cell between green and pink.

To close a whole period, click in cell hold down the the mouse button and drag.

Units Available

In most cases where you only have a few rooms or you have given each room a unique name you will not need to use this page. However, if you have a number of identical rooms, eg “ensuite double room” or “superior double” , this is where you define the number of each available. Once you have defined the number you shouldn’t need to access this page again.

You will find that when a room is booked the number changes, eg from 1 to 0. If you take bookings by phone or email, rather than via FreetoBook, you should not use this page to show the booking; instead you should use the Diary and the number will be automatically decremented.

Minimum Stays

You may wish to set a minimum stay period at busy times of the year or at weekends. This can be done on a room by room basis using the Minimum Stay Calendar. It works in the same manner as the rates calendar, ie select the period for which the minimum stay applies and the use the “a” or “d” to set the number.

Single Occupancy

The Ways to Sell page can be used to define rules for single occupancy or perhaps for accommodating a family in a double room. You can similarly define other rules for non-standard occupancy. The fee can be a discount or surcharge either as a flat rate or as a percentage of the normal rate.

Special Offers

The Special page allows the following type of offers to be easily created.

Free nights when staying for a particular period, eg “Four nights for the price of three”.
Discounts for those booking well in advance or alternatively for last minute bookings.