About the service fee

The service fee is a percentage of the total amount of the reservation, excluding taxes and refundable fees paid by the guest.

This fee helps cover the cost of secure transactions, product development, and 24/7 customer service. Additionally, when a guest pays through our site, they are eligible for the Book with Confidence Guarantee.

Note: The service fee amount varies. Generally, the higher the reservation amount, the lower the percentage of the service fee. A value-added tax is charged on top of the service fee, if required by local regulations.

Service fee refunds
Hosts can’t discount or waive the service fee. If a reservation is within the window for a 100% refund as per the property's cancellation policy, the service fee is automatically refunded when the cancellation is confirmed.

Reservation policies

Your reservation details are available in your Account. You can access your account via our website to view reservation information, including:
  • The host's contact information
  • The cancellation policy for your reservation
  • The property’s address
  • The property’s safety features, such as Wi-Fi instructions, access information, and door codes.

Note: Door code/access information is usually available about 3 days before check-in. If it’s getting close to your check-in date and you haven’t received information about how to access the property, please use your account to contact your host.

Cancellation policies

Cancellation policies vary from property to property. For the most up to date information, read the listing’s cancellation policy before you book.

To view a host’s cancellation policy, follow these steps:
  1. Select Policies on a property’s listing page.
  2. Read the information in the Cancellation Policy section.
Note: It’s important to understand that you can be refunded based on the percentage of either:
  • the amount paid to-date; or
  • the total amount payable
All cancellations must be made by 11:59pm in the property’s time zone to fall within the cancellation policy. Though hosts can set their own policies, typically they apply one of the following policies:

14/7-day policy

  • 100% refund if you cancel at least 14 days before check-in
  • 50% refund (minus the service fee) if you cancel at least 7 days before check-in
  • No refund if you cancel less than 7 days before check-in


About guest refunds

Cancellation refunds
Guests can cancel their booking through their traveler account. They'll automatically receive a refund based on the cancellation policy you set up within the Rules & policies section of your account. If you decide to refund more than your cancellation policy allows, you can process the refund in your Reservation manager.

Service fee refunds
If the guest is within the window to receive a 100% refund window and you’ve refunded the full amount, we'll return the service fee.

Damage deposit refunds
We hold the refundable damage deposit for seven or 14 days after check-out, depending on the option you've selected for the property. If damage occurs during a stay, you have seven or 14 days to claim all or a portion of the refundable damage deposit. We'll automatically refund the amount due back to the guest after that time.

Pending eClaims and refunds
If you require both property damage protection and a refundable damage deposit, and there’s a pending eClaim with Generali, we’ll hold the refundable damage deposit until the eClaim is finalized.

You can check the status of your claim through the eClaims system. After a final decision is made on the eClaim, the refundable damage deposit drop-down menu will appear. You will then need to take action to either refund or withhold funds.

Travel and damage protection insurance refunds
If your listing requires guests to purchase damage protection, their premiums are refunded automatically after the cancellation.

If the guest purchased trip protection after booking the trip, they must contact their insurer directly to determine if they’re eligible for a refund.

Bookings charged in different currencies
If a booking was charged in a different currency, the payment and refund totals might vary based on currency exchange rates and bank-issued exchange fees.

About traveler cancellations

Eligible for a 100% refund

A traveler can cancel their booking through their traveler account if they’re eligible for a 100% refund. They’ll receive a refund based on cancellation policy, which is set up in the Rules & Policies section.

Not eligible for a 100% refund

If a traveler isn’t eligible for a 100% refund, they can request to cancel the booking from their account. Travelers can also request to cancel from their account if they booked prior to you having a cancellation policy set up in the Rules & Policies section. After receiving the traveler's cancellation request email, process the cancellation and issue any eligible refund based on cancellation policy.

Impact on Ranking Metrics

Traveler-initiated cancellations or cancellation requests don't impact Ranking Metrics. Partner-initiated cancellations will impact Ranking Metrics regardless of the cancellation reason.

If a traveler contacts to cancel a reservation, direct them to their account to cancel or request to cancel. When a traveler submits a cancellation request, the booking status will show as Cancellation Requested.

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