Overview
The Booking Engine Settings page is where property admins configure how the Cloudbeds commission-free Booking Engine behaves for guests — from which filters and fields appear, to how pricing is displayed, to what happens after a guest confirms a reservation.
Note: Settings configured here apply only to the Cloudbeds Booking Engine. They do not affect how your property appears on OTAs or other distribution channels.
Who should read this article: Property admins and users with permission to access Booking Engine settings in Cloudbeds PMS.
Guest impact: None. All settings on this page are admin-only. Guests booking through your Booking Engine are not affected by navigating this page.
What's new: Settings page layout
The Booking Engine Settings page has been reorganized into a tabbed layout to make it faster to find and manage individual settings. All settings from the previous layout are preserved exactly as configured — nothing has been reset or removed.
The page is now structured into six tabs:
| Tab | What you'll find here |
| Filters | Promo code display, guest occupancy filter, amenities filter, accommodation type filter |
| Accommodations | Pricing display, rate plan display, inventory limits, sold-out accommodation behavior |
| Guests | Guest input fields required at booking (name, email, phone, nationality, etc.) |
| Marketing | Marketing and reservation communication opt-in channel settings |
| Confirmation | Add-on display timing, automated confirmation email, post-booking redirect |
| Advanced | Calendar restriction/rate display, map settings, supported languages, Cancel For Any Reason |
If you're used to the previous layout: Use the tab table above to find where a setting moved. Your saved values are intact; only the visual structure has changed.
Access the Booking Engine Settings page
- Open the Account Menu
and select Settings
- Click on the Booking Engine section
- Click on the Settings tab
Settings tabs explained
Each tab groups related settings by function. Select a tab below to see what it controls and how each option affects your Booking Engine.
Filters tab
Use the Filters tab to control what search and filtering options guests see on the Booking Engine — including promo codes, guest counts, amenities, and accommodation types.
Display promo code filter
Toggle Display promo code filter on to show the promo code field in the Booking Engine search panel. When enabled, guests can enter a promo code to access special rate plans and packages.
The promo code field appears directly in the search bar — alongside date and guest selectors — on desktop. On mobile, guests tap Add Code to expand the field.
If a promo code isn't working or isn't visible to guests, check:
- The promo code is active and correctly configured. See: Attach a promo code to a rate plan or package.
- The guest is not on a cached version of the page — ask them to hard-refresh or clear their browser cache.
Guest occupancy filter
Controls how guests filter search results by the number of people in their party. Choose one of three options:
- Total guests (default): A single field where the guest selects the total number of people in their party.
- For adults and children: Two separate fields — one for adults, one for children. Use this if your Booking Engine pricing or availability varies by age group.
- No: The guest selector is hidden entirely. Guests will not be asked how many people are traveling.
Set default number of adults to 2: When enabled, the Booking Engine opens with 2 adults pre-selected. When disabled, the system defaults to 1 adult to maximize the number of accommodations shown in search results.
Learn more about how occupancy filter logic works in: Cloudbeds Booking Engine Plus Filters Logic and Guest Steppers.
Display amenities filter
Toggle on Display amenities filter to let guests filter available accommodations by amenity. The amenities shown are pulled from your Accommodation Amenities settings.
Display accommodation type filter
Toggle on Display accommodation type filter to let guests filter available accommodations by room or unit type.
Accommodations tab
Use the Accommodations tab to control how rooms and pricing appear on your Booking Engine, and to set inventory and booking limits.
Display price
Choose how prices appear on accommodation cards:
- Lowest nightly rate: Shows the lowest per-night price. Best for properties that want to lead with the most competitive-looking number.
- Total price for stay (default): Shows the nightly price multiplied by the number of nights selected. Best for transparency when guests have already picked their dates.
Toggle Include taxes and fees in price to display the final all-inclusive price on accommodation cards rather than showing taxes and fees separately at checkout.
Display rate plans
Controls how rate plans are shown on accommodation cards:
- Collapsed (default): Shows the base or lowest rate with a "View offers" drawer guests can expand to see additional rate plans.
- Expanded (show all): All base rates and rate plans are displayed by default, without requiring the drawer to be opened.
The "View offers / Hide offers" drawer color is automatically generated from your Primary color and cannot be changed independently. If the drawer color does not match your header color exactly, update the Primary color under Booking Engine → Appearance.
Base rate image: You can upload an image that appears next to all base rates on all accommodation types. Accepted formats: JPG and PNG, max 2 MB.
Sold-out accommodations
Toggle Sold-out accommodations on to show fully booked room types in your Booking Engine in grayscale with a "None Available" badge. Use this when you want guests to see your full inventory range, even when some types are unavailable.
This setting applies only to rooms with no sellable inventory remaining — not to rooms that have been manually blocked.
Limit inventory (Allotment)
Toggle on Limit inventory to control how many rooms of each type can be sold through the Booking Engine, independently of your total inventory.
When enabled, a table appears showing each accommodation type, its total inventory, and a Sellable inventory field you can edit:
- Setting sellable inventory to 0 removes that room type from the Booking Engine entirely. It will still be bookable through other channels.
- Setting it to a number lower than total inventory means the Booking Engine stops showing availability for that type once that many units have been sold.
This setting applies to Base Rates only and affects only the Booking Engine. To limit inventory on OTAs, use the Availability Matrix and reduce the Amount Allotted for Sale.
Limit inventory per booking
Toggle on Limit inventory per booking to cap how many rooms of the same type a single guest can book in one reservation. Set the per-type limit in the table that appears when this setting is enabled.
Allow guests to book specific accommodations
With this option enabled, guests can select and book individual rooms within a room type, rather than just the type as a whole.
Customize the name, description, and images for each individual room on the Accommodation Types page by choosing the room type and scrolling down to (Optional) Accommodation naming and Organization. Check How to sell individual accommodations on your Booking Engine for more details.
Cloudbeds provides a single Booking Engine per property. It is not possible to create separate booking-engine URLs for each room or unit. When this feature is enabled, guests can choose an individual room, but all bookings still happen within the same Booking Engine link.
Guests tab
Use the Guests tab to configure which fields guests are required or prompted to complete during the booking process. These settings only apply to bookings made through the Booking Engine.
Always-required fields
The following fields are always required and cannot be toggled off:
- First name
- Last name
Optional guest input fields
The following fields can be toggled on or off. When toggled on, they appear in the booking form:
- Require phone number: Makes the phone number field mandatory. Recommended for properties using SMS-based guest communication.
- Nationality: Prompts guests to select their country of origin.
- Gender: Guests can select Male or Female. Note: even for gender-specific dorm rooms, the system will still allow guests to select any gender and complete the booking.
- Guest Tax ID: Useful for properties in countries where a personal tax ID is required at check-in or for government invoice integrations. Enabling this makes the field optional (not required) on the Booking Engine.
- Company name: For business travelers. Enabling this makes the field optional. Useful for properties that submit government invoices with the guest's company name.
- Company Tax ID: For business travelers whose companies require a tax ID on invoices. Enabling this makes the field optional.
- Estimated time of arrival: Prompts guests to enter their expected arrival time. When enabled, you can choose between 12-hour and 24-hour format, and block specific arrival hours if needed.
- Require terms and conditions acceptance: Guests must check a box confirming they accept your property's terms before completing the booking. Edit your terms and conditions in Settings → Property → Policies.
Automated SMS Compliance for Guest Experience: If you use Cloudbeds Guest Experience and Booking Engine Plus, SMS compliance language is automatically included in your Terms and Conditions modal when a guest provides their phone number. This is separate from the Marketing Opt-In setting, which covers promotional content only.
Marketing tab
Use the Marketing tab to configure whether guests can opt in to marketing or reservation communications from your property during the booking process, and which channels are offered.
See Marketing Opt-In (for properties with GDPR enabled) to know more about this feature. To enable GDPR, click here.
Marketing communications opt-in
Select which channels guests can opt in to for marketing communications (promotional offers, campaigns, etc.):
- Email — selected by default
- SMS
- Phone
Both the guest and the property can opt a guest out of marketing, but only the guest can opt in to marketing content. When GDPR is enabled for the first time, all emails are set to non-marketing type by default.
Reservation communications opt-in
Select which channels guests can opt in to for operational reservation communications (booking confirmations, check-in instructions, etc.):
- Email — selected and locked on by default for reservation communications
- SMS
- Phone
Confirmation tab
Use the Confirmation tab to control what happens immediately after a guest completes a booking — including add-on display timing, confirmation emails, and post-booking redirects.
Display add-ons
Choose whether property add-ons (extras, upsells) are shown to guests before or after the confirmation page:
- Before confirmation (default): Add-ons appear before the guest finalizes payment. If selected, the add-on will be included in the guest's deposit.
- After confirmation: Add-ons appear on the confirmation page, after the booking is complete.
Learn more about add-ons: Add-Ons FAQ.
Send automated confirmation email
When enabled, a confirmation email is automatically sent to the guest as soon as they complete the booking form. The email uses your Confirmation Email template — edit it in Settings → Email → Templates.
Redirect on confirmation page
When enabled, guests are automatically redirected to a URL of your choice after the confirmation page loads.
-
Redirect URL: Enter the full URL (e.g.,
https://yourhotelwebsite.com/thank-you). Facebook URLs are not supported. - Redirect delay: Minimum 15 seconds. The guest will see the confirmation page for at least this long before being redirected.
Use this to send guests to your website, a post-booking survey, or a loyalty program sign-up page after completing their reservation.
Advanced tab
Use the Advanced tab for calendar display settings, map configuration, supported language options, and cancellation policy controls.
Display restrictions on availability calendar
When enabled, the Booking Engine date picker shows visual indicators and tooltips for booking restrictions, including:
- CTA (Closed to Arrival)
- CTD (Closed to Departure)
- Min LOS (Minimum Length of Stay)
- Max LOS (Maximum Length of Stay)
These indicators help guests understand at a glance which dates are unavailable or restricted before they try to book.
For a detailed walkthrough, see Booking Engine Plus — Calendar Restriction Indicators and Tooltips.
Display rates on availability calendar
When enabled, the lowest nightly rate for each date appears directly on the calendar date picker, making it easy for guests to compare pricing without selecting dates first.
This feature applies to Base Rates only (not rate plans) and displays prices in your property's default currency. It is enabled by default.
Display property map
When enabled, a map of your property's location appears at the bottom of the Booking Engine page. Toggle off to hide it.
Use Google Maps for property map: Replace the default map embed with a Google Maps embed. Paste the src URL from a Google Maps embed iframe — it must begin with https://www.google.com/maps/embed.
Display Cancel For Any Reason
Use this setting to control whether Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is offered to eligible guests during checkout.
- Enabled (default): Eligible guests may see the CFAR option during checkout.
- Disabled: CFAR will not be offered on the Booking Engine for this property, even if the property is otherwise eligible.
This setting is visible and editable only to Super Admins and users with permission to view credit card details. Users without these permissions cannot view or edit it.
For more details, see Cancel for Any Reason — Everything you need to know.
Supported languages
Select which languages guests can choose from when visiting your Booking Engine. The language selector appears in the top-right corner of the Booking Engine. The available language list is updated regularly as new languages are added.
All currently selected languages remain active after the Settings page update — no reconfiguration needed.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the Booking Engine Settings page — including the updated layout, URL customization, and troubleshooting.
Did the Settings page update reset any of my configurations?
No. All settings are preserved exactly as you left them. This update is a visual and structural reorganization of the Settings page only. If a setting appears to have changed, treat it as unexpected behavior and contact Support.
I can't find a setting I used before. Where did it go?
Use the tab table at the top of this article to locate settings by category. The page is now organized into six tabs: Filters, Accommodations, Guests, Marketing, Confirmation, and Advanced.
If you're still unable to find a specific setting, contact Support.
I enabled a filter toggle (like amenities or accommodation type) but nothing changed on my Booking Engine. Why?
Some settings visible in the new layout correspond to features that are being released in phases and may not yet be fully functional for all properties. If a toggle doesn't appear to take effect, contact Support with your property ID.
I'm having trouble saving settings after the update. What should I check?
Save behavior is unchanged. Start with standard troubleshooting:
- Clear your browser cache and try again in an incognito/private window.
- Verify you have the correct user permissions to edit Booking Engine settings.
- Check your plan tier — some settings may not be available for all Cloudbeds packages.
If the issue persists, contact Support and include your property ID and a description of the issue.
How do I change the first day of the week on the Booking Engine calendar?
The Booking Engine availability calendar and date pickers reflect the Start week on day selected in your property's system preferences. This setting is managed centrally under Account → Settings → System → Preferences in the Miscellaneous Preferences section.
Because this is a property-wide preference, any change here applies automatically to both the PMS and Booking Engine calendars.
For a detailed overview, see Choose Your Calendar Start Day in Cloudbeds PMS Settings.
What should I do if the Booking Engine calendar displays the wrong start day?
If the Booking Engine calendar does not match the preference selected in System Preferences, follow these steps:
- Verify the Start week on selection is saved correctly in Settings → System → Preferences.
- Perform a hard refresh of the Booking Engine page or clear your browser cache to ensure the updated layout is loaded.
If the problem persists, contact the Support Team with your property ID and a screenshot.
Can I remove or customize default check-in and check-out dates on the Booking Engine?
The Cloudbeds Booking Engine does not automatically add check-in or check-out dates to your Booking Engine URL, and there is no setting to remove or configure "default dates."
When you share the standard Booking Engine link, the URL looks like:
- https://hotels.cloudbeds.com/reservation/<your-property-code>
When a guest opens this link, the system may append a currency parameter:
- https://hotels.cloudbeds.com/reservation/<your-property-code>?currency=usd
No checkin or checkout values are added automatically. Guests choose their stay dates directly on the Booking Engine.
How to create a customized Booking Engine link with dates and filters
- Open your Booking Engine and use the calendar date picker to select the desired check-in and check-out dates.
- Click Filters (if available), set the number of guests, and click Apply.
- (Optional) Click Promo Code to enter a promo or group code, then click Apply.
- After the page reloads with your selections, copy the full URL from your browser's address bar.
The copied link will include parameters such as checkin, checkout, guests, and (if used) your promo/group code — for example:
https://hotels.cloudbeds.com/reservation/<your-property-code>?currency=usd&checkin=2026-01-29&checkout=2026-01-31&guests=2
This behavior only occurs when you share a URL that already contains these parameters. The Booking Engine will not add specific dates to the link on its own.
What other options do I have to generate special Booking Engine URLs?
Besides the standard link or a customized URL with dates and filters, Cloudbeds offers additional ways to create special-purpose Booking Engine URLs for groups, specific room types, or targeted rate plans.
Group Allotment Block URLs (Groups Add-On)
From the Groups module, you can generate a unique Booking Engine URL for each Definite Allotment Block. Guests who use this link will see only the rooms and dates allocated to that block. See Manage Group Allotment Blocks for setup instructions.
Advanced parameters for room types, rate plans, and promos
Build advanced Booking Engine URLs using parameters such as room_type, checkin, checkout, guests, adults, kids, rate_plan, and promo. These let you:
- Send guests directly to a specific room type.
- Show only a particular rate plan or base-rates-only view for the selected room.
- Apply a promo code automatically so guests see the related promotional rate plan.
- Pre-fill all stay details and redirect guests straight to the confirmation/checkout page.
For the full list of supported parameters, see How to redirect your guests to a particular room type and/or rate plan in Cloudbeds PMS.
How can I offer a Group Booking Engine link for multiple properties?
The standard Cloudbeds Booking Engine displays availability for one property only. If your business manages two or more properties under an Organization, you automatically have access to the Group Booking Engine (GBE), which consolidates all properties in one link.
Need a Group Booking Engine? First, your properties must belong to an Organization. If you haven't set one up yet, learn more about Organizations here. Once active, follow Where can I customize the Group Booking Engine and How to add the Group Booking Engine to your website.
Where is the promo code field located on the Booking Engine page?
The promo code field is accessible directly in the Search Panel, positioned alongside the date and guest selectors.
Desktop: The promo code field is integrated directly into the horizontal search panel, allowing guests to apply discounts immediately without navigating into secondary menus.
Mobile: Guests tap Add Code within the mobile search panel. The field condenses into a small tag icon during active scrolling and expands again when the guest scrolls back up.
After a guest enters and applies a promo code, the button displays the applied code instead of the default label (e.g., entering "LOYAL" updates the button to show "Loyal").
Why is the promo code not working or visible?
If the promo code field is not visible or not working as expected, check the following:
- Clear your browser cache and refresh the page, especially on mobile devices.
- Confirm the promo code is correctly configured, active, and meets all conditions (dates, room types, restrictions). See: Attach a promo code to a rate plan or package.
If the issue persists, contact Cloudbeds Support and include details and screenshots if possible.
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