Deposits, card guarantees and prepayment: choosing a hotel payment policy
Every rate needs an answer to one question: what does the guest pay now? The right answer is different for a flexible rate and a non-refundable one.
A hotel payment policy answers one question per rate: what does the guest pay when they book? The three common answers are nothing now, card guaranteed, a deposit, or the full stay. Each protects the hotel differently and asks a different level of trust from the guest.
The three options
| Policy | Guest pays at booking | Protects against | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card guarantee | Nothing; card is saved | No-shows (a fee can be charged) | Flexible rates, business guests |
| Deposit | A share, e.g. first night or 30% | Late cancellations, no-shows | Leisure stays, peak dates |
| Full prepayment | The whole stay | Almost everything | Non-refundable rates |
Match the policy to the rate, not the hotel
A single policy for the whole hotel is either too strict for flexible guests or too loose for peak weekends. Set it per rate plan:
- Flexible rate → card guarantee, free cancellation until a stated time.
- Standard rate → a deposit, refundable until a stated date.
- Non-refundable rate → full prepayment, at a lower price.
The guest then chooses their own trade-off between price and flexibility, which is fairer and converts better than one rule for everyone.
Say it before they pay
Write the policy in one sentence beside the price, and repeat it in the confirmation email: what is charged now, what is charged later, and when cancellation stops being free. Surprises here become disputes.
Charging later
A card saved at booking lets the hotel charge:
- a no-show fee if the guest does not arrive;
- the balance before arrival, for a deposit rate;
- an amount agreed later, through a payment link sent by email.
Who handles the money
With most modern setups the payment provider collects the money for the hotel, keeps the card details, and pays out to the hotel’s bank. The hotel’s software never stores a full card number.
In Revio
On RevioDirect the hotel sets per rate whether a card guarantee, a deposit or full prepayment is taken. Guests pay the hotel directly through its own Stripe account, connected from RevioCRS in a few minutes on Stripe’s own page. Card fees are Stripe’s, at the hotel’s own Stripe rate; Revio adds none. A no-show fee or a balance is charged to the saved card, payment links collect any amount later, and every online payment appears on the RevioPMS folio by itself.
Questions
Where does the money go when a guest pays online?
In Revio, straight to the hotel. Each hotel connects its own Stripe account, and guests' payments land in the hotel's bank account. Revio never holds the money and adds no fee on the card payment.
Does the hotel see the guest's full card number?
No. The card is stored by the payment provider; the hotel's system keeps a token and the last four digits, which is all it needs to charge a no-show fee or a balance.
Can I charge a no-show fee to a card guarantee?
Yes, if your policy said so when the guest booked and the card was saved for that purpose. State the fee plainly on the booking page and in the confirmation.
Try Revio free for 30 days — all three products, no card.
