Occupancy-based Fees: Rule Setup

Learn how to apply automatic charges for additional people on reservations.

Attention: As of July 2024, the Occupancy-based Fee rule now has a new look and enhanced functionality, including the ability to now assign occupancy fees based on extended stay bookings recurring billing.

Summary:

Explore the Occupancy-based Fees rule, a powerful tool to determine charges for each occupant based on their Age Group. This rule not only offers flexibility in defining fees but also allows exemptions for certain occupants, enabling a comprehensive pricing strategy.

Uses:

Automate Fee Assignments: Automatically assign fees based on the number of occupants (adults and/or children).
Alternative Fee Schedules: Implement alternative fee schedules using Rate Groups for specific stay dates.
Targeted Application: Define site types and stay length requirements for a targeted fee application.
Increased Revenue Opportunities: Set surcharges per occupant in each age category for enhanced revenue.
Optimized Free People Allocation: Utilize the wildcard option to optimize free people allocation across age categories.
Surcharges with Caps: Cap surcharges based on options like per person or per age group.
Extended Stay Occupancy Fees: Further define your fee strategy by assigning occupancy fees based on length of stay.

Want to learn more about managing additional people? Check out these articles:

Rate Groups - Occupancy Surcharges: FAQ (overrides Occupancy-based Fees)
Apply a minimum or maximum occupancy

Setup Instructions:

Step 1: Find the Rule on the Pricing page

Navigate to the Rules page
Click on the Pricing tab
Select the Occupancy-based Fees Rule

Step 2: Complete New Variation Form

On the rule page, click New Variation.
Complete the form.

Occupancy-based Fees

Rule Details
Rule Name	Choose a descriptive name for easy identification.
Expiration Date	Specify when the rule should expire.
Reservation Criteria
Site Types	Define which site types the rule applies to.
Active Date Groups	Assigning a Date Group to Active Dates allows you define when a rule should apply. Note: If left blank, rule will apply to ALL days. If selected, reservation start and end date must be between dates of range for it to apply.
If reservation stay length is	The stay length requirement configurations are defined as follows: Any length Less Than, Equal To, Greater Than, Equal To or Less Than: The reservation rule applies based on the nights entered— "Less Than" for fewer nights (no repeat), "Equal To" for the exact number of nights (with or without repeat), "Greater Than" for more nights (no repeat), and "Equal To or Less Than" for the exact number or fewer nights.
and is booked _ to _ days prior to arrival.	Define the booking window the rule will apply.
Fee Details
Rate Groups	A rate group applies an alternative fee schedule based on the stay dates of a reservation. Click in the rate group field and choose an active rate group from the list to add. Rate groups are configured in the Rate Group section. Note: Rate groups added will override any fees configured in rule for the active date groups on the Rate Group.
Guests without Fee	This specifies the number of free people for each active age category. If the age category is blank, the number of free people should be left at zero.
Wildcard	When the wildcard is selected, the number of guests without a fee can be used by all age categories, allowing them to borrow unused free spots from other age categories.
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun	Use this table to define the daily surcharge per occupant in each age category to be applied after all free occupants have been used.
Charge Frequency	Select one of these options: Charge once for the entire stay (flat rate) - the reservation fee rule will apply as a flat charge for the eligible period. Charge every: Define if the rule should apply a set number of days, weeks, or months. Note: If "Nights" is selected, you will be prompted to define how the charge should applied for stay dates not evenly divided by the charge frequency. Note: If "Months" is selected, you will be prompted to define how the charge should align with reservation recurring billing as either "Start of calendar month" or "Start of Reservation." (see note below)
Maximum Fee Amount	Define if the fee should have a maximum limit by selecting: Fee has no maximum Do not charge guest more than _ per _ (stay, age group, or person)

**Charge Frequency by Months**

If you are using this rule to apply reservation fees to extended stay reservations by selecting the "Months" Charge Frequency, the rule should mirror the Recurring Billing set up as part of the Reservation. Click here to learn more about Recurring Billing.

Most Common FAQ:

Q: Does my admin site require that I have a Occupancy-based Fee rule in place to accept reservations?

You do not have to use this feature to accept reservations. This rule only applies fees based on occupancy levels and your fee strategy.

The only occupancy rule you are required to have in place to accept reservations is the Min/Max Age Groups rule which defines the minimum and maximum occupancy requires for your Site Types. Click here to learn more about the Min/Max Age Groups rule.

Q: Can I apply different fees for adults and children?

Yes, customize charges based on age categories.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of variations I can create?

No, create multiple variations for different scenarios based on things like seasonality,

Q: How does the wildcard option work for free people allocation?

Allows optimal allocation of free occupants.

Q: Can I set surcharges for specific days of the week?

Yes, specify daily surcharges for dynamic pricing.

Q: Is there a function to override occupancy fees based for a specific date range?

Absolutely! With the Pricing Rule: Occupancy Surcharges, you can effortlessly define specific periods to automatically override the fees set up in this rule. This dynamic combination empowers you with a multitude of customization opportunities.

Learn more about this rule: Rate Groups - Occupancy Surcharges: FAQ.