New let first bookings via Trip Advisor

[cambills]

Hi I'm new to this forum and I am about to open my new holiday let, a barn attached to my farmhouse that sleeps 6. I've had my website created by a friend and she has attached me to the booking system via Trip Advisor. We start end of this month and I suddenly have 3 short break bookings which is great. I have loads of questions but my first is this- all I have for the booking is a name and party number. Do you tend to ask for a list of all the guests coming or not? My property is dog friendly and I'm going to charge extra for dogs payable on arrival so I wonder if I shouldn't double check that before arrival too? At the moment my response to bookings is the standard one from TA so I'm wondering whether to amend that to cover these sort of things? What do you all do? Thanks

[Hells Bells]

I would prepare an attachment to the TA standard email which asks for the booking form to be completed and returned with full details of guests (Names, Address and email of lead guest, mobile number etc)and whether they have dogs with them.

[PW in Polemi]

... and whether they have dogs with them.

and how many and what sort of dog - do you also accept puppies who may still be in the chew everything stage?

Our contract lists the names of each member of the party, age if a child (we don't accept young children) and stipulates that only those listed in the contract are allowed to stay.

[cambills]

Thanks helpful tips from both of you. I will combine the advice and try to attach something to the TA letter asking for details. I will decide on the puppy issue if it comes up. To be honest I'd rather have puppies than toddlers but at the moment I don't want to say no young children as I need to get bookings in

[Cymraes]

TA are now making it really hard to contact guests by withholding all their details until the full balance has been paid.

I have a booking but I have no idea of any of the details and they won't release contact details until the full amount has been paid. I've tried sending my booking form through as an attachment but the guest has replied via TA and the attachment seems to have been stripped away . I've asked it to be resent but I'm not sure they have picked up my coded instructions to avoid returning it through TA.

[Jenster]

I always ask for the lead guest address and the names (and ages of under 18s) of everyone staying as a message within the TA system. I can then enter the details into my booking records myself. Seems easier than setting up a booking form, and no issues with attachments, links etc. I would never let a guest stay without these details - I need to know who's in there in case of fire, and the lead guest name and address is the way to identify them should there be any 'issues' (eg damage claims). My terms and conditions state that this info is required or the booking will be cancelled and I have not had any problems with this system yet.

Edited to add: I don't take dogs but if I did I would also ask about dogs the same way, via the TA messaging system

[nealh]

. I've asked it to be resent but I'm not sure they have picked up my coded instructions to avoid returning it through TA.

We had this recently too... a police officer wanted to book direct with us rather than through TA. Despite what I thought were obvious clues - "I know you want to stay at Cyprus Country Holidays to get in touch" for example - they just didn't get it. I dread to think what the crime solving rate must be in their police force if they can't work out simple clues that are fed to them on a plate! For us it makes no difference in cash terms if they book direct or through TA - we end up with the same amount - so I just ended up sending them a TA quote/booking form.

I am not so sure people are as switched on to searching properties so they can book direct as we think they are!