Guides for motel and hotel operators
The questions we are asked again and again when motels and hotels move onto a new system, written up so you can act on them.
How to check in late guests at a motel with no one on the desk
Five ways motels let guests in after hours — key safe, phone, door code, kiosk and remote unlock — what each costs you in time and risk, and how to set up arrivals so nobody has to wait up.
What is a channel manager, and does a small motel need one?
A channel manager keeps your rates and availability the same on Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda and every other site, and brings their bookings into your PMS. How it works, what to check, and when a small property needs one.
GST and BAS for motels: what your PMS should give your accountant
How GST applies to motel accommodation — including the 28-day rule for long stays — which BAS labels room revenue goes to, what a valid tax invoice needs, and the reports a PMS should produce. General information, not tax advice.
Taking phone bookings without writing card numbers down
Why card numbers on paper and stored CVVs are a risk for motels, what the card industry’s rules say, and how payment links and a card vault let you take phone bookings and guarantees without handling the card.
Switching motel PMS: a step-by-step checklist
What to gather, how to move future bookings and OTA connections without double bookings, what to check on changeover day, and what to do in the first week after switching property management systems.