Overview
ProhostAI centralizes all booking management across platforms, letting you handle modifications, cancellations, and special requests from one dashboard.
Reservation stages
Status meanings:
- Inquiry - Guest has reached out but hasn't booked yet
- Pending - Awaiting host approval (respond within 24h on Airbnb)
- Confirmed - Approved and paid, guest will arrive
- Currently hosting - Guest checked in, stay in progress (a derived display state for confirmed reservations between check-in and check-out)
- Checked-out - Guest departed, time to review
- Cancelled - Cancelled by host or guest, dates reopened
Approving bookings
Step 1: Review and approve
When a new inquiry arrives:
- Open reservation in Calendar or Inbox
- Review guest profile, number of guests, special requests, and reviews from other hosts
- Check calendar for conflicts
To Approve: Click Approve Booking → System sends confirmation and adds to calendar
To Decline: Click Decline → Select reason → Optional message to guest
⚠️ Warning: Airbnb penalizes hosts who decline too many requests. Only accept bookings you can fulfill.
Pre-approval (for custom pricing): Send special offer → Guest has 24h to accept
Modifications
Common requests:
- Change dates
- Add/remove guests
- Early check-in / late checkout
Step 1: How to modify
Date changes:
- Reservation details → Modify Dates
- Enter new check-in/check-out → System recalculates pricing
- Send alteration → Guest must accept → Syncs to platform
Guest count: Open the reservation → Edit Number of Guests → Confirm with the guest. If your platform charges extra-guest fees, those are calculated by the OTA's pricing rules, not by ProhostAI.
⚠️ Warning: Verify property can accommodate new guest count and doesn't exceed local regulations.
Early check-in / Late checkout:
- Check cleaner availability and same-day bookings
- If approved: Update reservation times so check-in instructions send correctly
- If not available: Offer luggage drop-off
Cancellations
Guest cancels:
- Refund issued automatically per the cancellation policy on the listing (set on the OTA, e.g., Airbnb's Flexible, Firm, Strict tiers)
- Dates reopen on calendar
- Review reason and potentially reach out
Host cancels (emergencies only): Reservation details → Cancel Booking → Select reason → Full refund to guest → Dates reopen
⚠️ Warning: Host cancellations hurt your ranking and may incur fees. Only cancel if absolutely necessary.
Partial cancellations: Shorten stay by creating date modification → Refund price difference → Process through platform resolution center
Special requests
Pets: Check policy → If allowed: confirm + apply fee → Update notes
Special occasions: Note occasion → Consider welcome amenity → Personalize message
Extra supplies: Add to cleaner checklist → Confirm with guest
Meet for check-in: Evaluate need → If needed: schedule yourself or co-host → Update instructions
Dietary restrictions: Note if you provide snacks → Share restaurant recommendations
Best practices
Respond quickly - Reply within 1 hour; platforms reward fast response times; use AI Replies
Be proactive - Send check-in instructions early; follow up to ensure smooth arrival; address small issues early
Document everything - Photos before/after stays; save all communication; helps with disputes
Set clear expectations - Share house rules; confirm times; clarify what's included; reduces misunderstandings
Stay professional - Even with difficult guests; facts over emotions; your responses may be public
What's next?
Enhance your reservation management:
- Calendar Management - Master your calendar and availability
- Using AI-Powered Replies - Respond to guests faster with AI assistance
- Setting Up AI Autopilot - Auto-handle inquiries and approval flows
✅ Success: Great reservation management is about attention to detail, clear communication, and quick responses. The little things make all the difference!