Request to Book (RTB) is a booking mode that lets you review and approve guest inquiries before a reservation is confirmed. Instead of an automatic booking, the guest submits a request that you evaluate first. All requests must be managed and answered within app.wander.com.
RTB is useful when you want to:
Review guest details before committing to a stay.
Check that a request meets your house rules.
Handle peak dates or special circumstances with more flexibility.
Build a connection with new guests before confirming.
Expiration and Notifications
Time is of the essence when managing guest inquiries. Here is how the expiration window and notification system work:
72-Hour Window: Once a guest submits a request, you have 72 hours to approve or decline it before the request expires automatically.
Email Notifications: As soon as a request is submitted, Wander sends an email notification to the host.
Daily Reminders: To ensure no booking is missed, you will receive follow-up email reminders every 24 hours until the request is either acted upon or expires.
Request to Book vs. Instant Book
Feature | Request to Book | Instant Book |
Guest submits a request | Yes | Yes |
Automatic confirmation | No | Yes |
Host approval required | Yes | No |
Response Deadline | 72 Hours | N/A |
Best for | Premium properties, guest vetting | Maximizing booking volume |
How to set up Request to Book
This setting must be applied to each listing individually.
Log in at app.wander.com.
Click Listings in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select the property you want to configure.
Find the Listing Settings section.
Under Booking Type, select Request to Book.
Repeat for each listing in your portfolio.
How to process an incoming request
All requests must be processed directly through the Wander dashboard.
Go to Reservations, then click the Requests tab.
Select a pending request to open the Reservation Drawer.
Review the guest details and requested dates.
Choose Approve or Decline.
If you approve: The guest is charged and the booking is confirmed. You can include an optional message.
If you decline: You can include a reason for the guest.
Best practices for Request to Book
Respond within 24 hours: While you have 72 hours before expiration, guests often contact multiple hosts at once. A fast response prevents them from booking elsewhere.
State requirements clearly: Mention in your listing description that bookings require approval so guests know what to expect.
Monitor your dashboard: Check app.wander.com regularly to ensure you don’t miss the 72-hour window.
Communicate: Use the built-in messaging tools to clarify details or ask questions before clicking approve.
Auditing invoices and fees
You can view a full financial breakdown for any booking to reconcile with your property management system (PMS).
Select the Reservations tab.
Select the Reservation you would like to view, a menu will open on the right side of the screen.
Select the Payment tab and view the financials.
Each invoice shows:
Subtotal: Nightly rate multiplied by the number of nights.
Fees: Cleaning fees, pet fees, and any other additional charges.
Taxes: All applicable occupancy and local taxes.
Platform Fees: A breakdown of the 3% Wander fee and the 2.85% Stripe processing fee.
Totals: The full amount charged to the guest and the amount currently paid.
Note: If you notice a discrepancy in taxes or fees, contact [email protected] right away.