How Booking.com Works Differently in India
If you're used to MakeMyTrip or Goibibo where the OTA collects money from the guest and settles it to you later, Booking.com works very differently. Understanding this difference is critical — most problems Indian hotels face on Booking.com stem from not understanding the pay-at-hotel (postpaid) model.
Booking.com Payment Flow (India)
Guest books on Booking.com
→
No payment collected online
→
Guest arrives at hotel
→
Hotel collects payment directly
→
Booking.com invoices commission monthly
The Pay-at-Hotel (Postpaid) Model
For most Indian hotels on Booking.com, the default payment model is pay-at-property. This means:
- The guest does NOT pay Booking.com: Unlike MakeMyTrip where the guest pays online, Booking.com only facilitates the reservation
- You collect the full room charge: The guest pays you directly at check-in or checkout — cash, card, or UPI
- Booking.com invoices you: At the end of the month, Booking.com sends you a commission invoice (15-20%) that you pay separately
Key Difference from MakeMyTrip: On MakeMyTrip, the guest pays ₹5,000 to MMT, and MMT sends you ₹4,000 (after 20% commission). On Booking.com, the guest pays you ₹5,000 directly, and you later pay Booking.com ₹1,000 commission on their monthly invoice.
Why This Matters
- Better cash flow: You receive the full payment upfront from the guest, rather than waiting for OTA settlement
- Higher no-show risk: Since the guest hasn't paid anything, the chance of a no-show is higher
- Your responsibility to report: You must tell Booking.com the outcome of every reservation — did the guest show up or not?
No-Show: The #1 Mistake Indian Hotels Make
Critical Warning: If a guest does not arrive at your property, you MUST mark the reservation as a no-show in your Booking.com extranet. Failing to do this is the single biggest reason Indian hotels get their Booking.com accounts suspended or disconnected.
What Happens If You Don't Mark No-Shows
- Booking.com assumes the guest stayed: Since you didn't report otherwise, they bill you the commission
- Invoices pile up: You're charged commission on guests who never showed up and never paid you
- You dispute the invoice: By then it's too late — Booking.com has strict deadlines for no-show reporting
- Account gets flagged: Unpaid invoices and unreported reservations trigger an account review
- Account disconnected: Booking.com suspends your listing until you clear outstanding invoices
We've seen this happen to dozens of Indian hotels. The fix is simple but you have to be consistent.
How to Mark a No-Show on Booking.com
1
Log in to the Extranet
Go to admin.booking.com and log in with your property credentials.
2
Go to Reservations
Click on Reservations in the left menu. Filter by date to find reservations where the check-in date has passed.
3
Open the Reservation
Click on the reservation that didn't show up. You'll see the booking details and guest information.
4
Mark as No-Show
Click the "Report as no-show" button. Booking.com will ask you to confirm. Select the reason and confirm.
5
Deadline: Within 48 Hours
You must report the no-show within 48 hours of the check-in date. After this window, Booking.com may not accept the no-show and you'll be charged commission.
Pro Tip: Make it a daily habit. Every morning, check yesterday's check-in list. Any reservation that didn't arrive should be marked as no-show immediately. Don't wait — the 48-hour window is strict.
No-Show Charges: Can You Charge the Guest?
This depends on your cancellation policy setup:
| Cancellation Policy | Can You Charge for No-Show? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Free Cancellation | Only if guest didn't cancel before deadline | Booking.com provides virtual credit card details for eligible charges |
| Non-Refundable | Yes — full first night or full stay | Charge the virtual credit card provided by Booking.com |
| No credit card on file | No — nothing to charge | Mark as no-show, no commission charged |
In India, most pay-at-hotel bookings don't have a credit card on file, so no-shows are simply a lost reservation. The key is to report them so you're not charged commission on a guest who never came.
Setting Up Your Extranet Properly
When you first list on Booking.com, get these settings right from day one:
1. Room & Rate Setup
- Create all your room types with accurate names, sizes, and max occupancy
- Set up at least two rate plans: Free Cancellation (for advance bookings) and Non-Refundable (at a 10-15% discount)
- Price your non-refundable rate attractively — it reduces no-shows significantly
2. Photos
- Upload minimum 20 high-quality photos
- Include room photos, bathroom, exterior, lobby, dining area, and any unique features
- Booking.com ranks properties with more photos higher in search results
3. Policies
- Check-in/check-out times: Set accurate times (e.g., 2 PM check-in, 11 AM checkout)
- Cancellation policy: Free cancellation until 24-48 hours before check-in is standard
- Children & extra bed policy: Define clearly to avoid disputes
- Pet policy: If applicable
4. Payment Settings
- Confirm your payment model (pay-at-property for most Indian hotels)
- Set up your bank details for any virtual credit card payments
- Review your invoice settings and billing cycle
Booking.com Ranking Factors
Booking.com's algorithm determines where your property appears in search results. Key factors:
| Factor | Impact | How to Improve |
|---|---|---|
| Commission level | High | Higher commission = better visibility. Default is 15%, but you can boost to 18-20% for priority placement |
| Guest review score | High | Aim for 8.0+ rating. Respond to all reviews professionally |
| Conversion rate | High | Better photos, competitive pricing, and good policies increase bookings-per-view |
| Availability | Medium | Keep calendar open and updated. Closing availability hurts ranking |
| Mobile rate | Medium | Offering a 10% mobile discount boosts visibility in app searches |
| Genius program | Medium | Joining Genius gives 10% discount to loyal Booking.com users, but increases your visibility significantly |
Common Problems & Solutions
Problem: Account Disconnected
This usually happens because of unpaid invoices from unreported no-shows.
- Fix: Contact Booking.com partner support, clear outstanding invoices, and commit to marking no-shows going forward
- Prevention: Daily no-show checks, set up a channel manager for real-time sync
Problem: Getting Commission Invoices for No-Shows
If you've been charged commission for guests who never arrived:
- Check if you reported the no-show within the 48-hour window
- If you missed the window, contact partner support with proof (CCTV, guest register showing no check-in)
- For future prevention, mark no-shows the very next morning
Problem: High No-Show Rate
If too many guests are not showing up:
- Add a non-refundable rate at 10-15% discount — guests who choose it are more committed
- Enable online payment if Booking.com offers it for your property
- Send a pre-arrival message through the extranet asking guests to confirm their arrival
- Consider setting a stricter cancellation policy during peak periods
Problem: Low Visibility in Search Results
- Join the Genius program for visibility boost
- Enable mobile rates (10% discount for app bookings)
- Increase commission temporarily during low season using Visibility Booster
- Respond to guest reviews within 24 hours
- Update photos seasonally
Daily Extranet Checklist
Build this into your front desk routine:
- Check yesterday's arrivals: Mark any no-shows immediately
- Review today's arrivals: Prepare for incoming Booking.com guests
- Check messages: Respond to guest inquiries within 24 hours (affects your response rate score)
- Verify availability: Ensure rooms and rates are accurate for the next 90 days
- Review guest feedback: Respond to new reviews
Pro Tip: If you're using a channel manager, your availability and rates sync automatically. But no-show marking and guest communication still need to be done manually in the Booking.com extranet. There's no shortcut for this.
Booking.com vs Other OTAs: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Booking.com | MakeMyTrip |
|---|---|---|
| Payment model (India) | Pay at hotel (postpaid) | Pay OTA (prepaid) |
| Commission payment | Monthly invoice | Deducted from settlement |
| No-show reporting | You must report within 48 hrs | Not required (they track) |
| Cash flow | Better — you get full payment first | Delayed — wait for settlement |
| Guest type | More international travelers | Primarily domestic |
| Commission range | 15-20% | 15-25% |