Choose how guests book
2 min read
Not every host wants the same front door. Some want the calendar to fill itself at midnight while they sleep. Others want to look at every stay before saying yes. Stayblox supports both, and you can change your mind any time in Settings under Bookings.
The four booking modes
Your website can take bookings in one of four ways. You can switch bookings off entirely, which is handy while you are still writing descriptions and testing prices. You can accept booking requests, where guests send you their dates and you approve or decline. You can run requests with an availability check, so guests can only ask for dates that are actually free. Or you can turn on instant booking with payment, where the guest pays by card and the booking confirms on the spot.
Why instant booking usually wins
A guest comparing three places at 11pm books the one that says yes immediately. With instant booking the guest pays through the free first-party Stripe app, gets an instant confirmation, and Stayblox takes 0% commission on it. There is no waiting window where they keep browsing. For most hosts this converts best, simply because it removes every excuse to book somewhere else.
The trade-off is control. You are agreeing to host anyone who meets your booking rules, so check your minimum stays and guest limits before you switch it on.
When requests earn their keep
Requests suit hosts who want a say before a stay is confirmed. Perhaps your place shares a wall with your own home, or you hold out for long stays in summer. A request shows you the dates and guest details before anything is committed. Be honest with yourself about the cost though. Some guests will not wait for an answer, and every hour of silence is an hour they spend booking elsewhere.
Requests with an availability check are the sensible middle. Guests still ask, but never for dates you have already sold.
Decide who sees your prices
Pricing visibility is a separate setting. Show prices to everyone, hide them, or show them only to logged-in guests. Most hosts should show them. A guest who cannot find a price usually assumes it is high and moves on. Hiding prices makes sense mainly if you quote each stay individually.