When a guest submits a booking request through your Direct site or booking link, you may need to review and either accept or reject it.
This article explains how to review booking requests, when manual review is required, and what happens after you accept or reject a request.
Before You Start
Not all Direct bookings require approval.
Instant Book enabled → Eligible bookings are automatically accepted
Instant Book disabled → All booking requests require your review
Guest verification or risk checks → Some bookings may require manual review before acceptance
Some booking requests may require manual review before they can be accepted. This depends on your settings and the guest’s verification or risk status.
How to Accept or Reject a Booking Request
Go to the Inbox
Open the conversation with the booking request
Click:
Accept, or
Review (if additional checks are required)
If you clicked Review:
Review the booking details, including:
Dates and pricing
Guest details
Verification status (if applicable)
Payment status (if applicable)
Choose to:
Accept booking, or
Reject booking
The booking will be updated immediately based on your action.
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Inbox view in Hospitable showing a Direct booking request with Accept and Review buttons
When You See “Review” Instead of “Accept”
In some cases, you’ll see a Review button instead of Accept.
This happens when the booking requires additional checks before it can be confirmed.
Common reasons include:
Guest verification requires manual review
The booking is flagged for risk screening
Additional guest or payment details need confirmation
After reviewing, you can decide whether to accept or reject the booking.
You must complete the review step before accepting a booking when verification or risk checks are required.
What Happens When You Accept a Booking
When you accept a booking request:
The booking becomes Accepted
The dates are blocked on your calendar
Payment is processed based on your payment terms
Automated messages and tasks are triggered
What Happens When You Reject a Booking
When you reject a booking request:
The booking request is declined
The dates are released on your calendar
The guest cannot proceed with the booking
No payment is captured
Rejecting a booking request immediately invalidates any associated booking or payment link.
Types of Pending Bookings
Not all pending bookings behave the same way:
Booking requests (guest-initiated)
→ Require Accept, Review, or RejectCustom quotes (host-created bookings)
→ Do not require acceptance
→ Are completed when the guest finishes checkout
Custom quotes cannot be accepted or rejected. To make changes, cancel the booking and create a new one.
When to Accept vs Reject
Accept the booking if:
The guest meets your requirements
You are comfortable with the booking details
Reject the booking if:
The guest does not meet your criteria
The dates or details are no longer valid
You prefer not to proceed with the reservation
What Happens If You Take No Action
If you do not respond to a booking request:
The request will expire after the allowed time
The dates will be released on your calendar
The guest will need to submit a new booking request
Key Things to Know
Some bookings are automatically accepted based on your settings
Others require manual approval or review
“Review” appears when verification or risk checks are required
Accepting a booking confirms the reservation and triggers payments
Rejecting a booking declines the request and releases the dates
Custom quotes do not follow the accept/reject flow
Related Articles
Instant Book for Direct
Cancel a Direct Booking
How Direct Bookings Work