How Direct Booking works
Before you start: Start with a saved Airbnb listing verified through the extension or iCal. Keep the Airbnb Bridge extension connected for the host workspace and approvals. Guests can use your booking page without it.
Screenshots use sample data. Select any image to enlarge it.
Create your booking page
Open Direct Booking, find the property, and choose a unique subdomain: 3–63 letters, numbers or hyphens. Add your Zelle email or phone, check the URL preview, and select Create.
Use Open Booking Site to review the guest page. The displayed booking link and printable QR card let you share it with guests.
Check the booking URL and Zelle recipient before selecting Create. Save the price and policies
Under Booking price and policies, enter the host name, cleaning and other mandatory fees, tax rate, refundable deposit, and cancellation/refund policy. Include a deposit policy if you charge a deposit.
Confirm that all mandatory charges are included, then select Save booking price and policies. Amounts are in USD. New requests require these settings and a Zelle recipient.
Save all charges and policies before accepting guest requests. Example · a guest’s itemized total - Accommodation · 3 nights
- $600
- Cleaning fee
- $100
- Tax · illustrative 10%
- $70
- Refundable deposit
- $200
- Total payment
- $970
This example applies tax to accommodation plus mandatory fees, excluding the deposit. Enter the rate that applies to your property.
The guest reviews and requests
The guest chooses dates and selects Review price. They review the full price and property policies, accept the agreement, and select Request to book.
A request needs host approval. No payment is due yet, and pending requests do not hold the dates. Both you and the guest receive an email. Quotes expire after 15 minutes; changed prices or policies require another review.
The guest reviews the full price and terms before requesting a stay. Approve and secure the dates
Open the request from the host email or Notifications. Review dates, guest details and accepted terms, then choose Approve request or Decline request.
Approval checks fresh Airbnb availability, holds the dates in Signal-Panda, and attempts to block them on Airbnb. Wait for the Airbnb block to be verified before asking the guest to pay. If it fails, use Open Airbnb calendar to check or block the dates, then Verify / retry Airbnb calendar block.
Review the request before choosing Approve request or Decline request. Example · a three-night stay - Check-in / checkout
- October 9 / October 12
- Nights to block
- October 9, 10 and 11
- After approval
- Awaiting payment
Checkout day is not a booked night. Approval alone does not confirm the stay.
Record payment and confirm
After the Airbnb block is verified, the guest receives payment instructions. Check that you received the full amount, tick the payment acknowledgment, then select Record payment and confirm stay. The guest receives final confirmation.
Signal-Panda records your confirmation; it does not collect or transfer the Zelle payment. Use Retry unsent booking emails if a saved request reports a delivery problem.
Once the calendar block is verified, acknowledge payment received to confirm the stay.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t a guest request dates?
Check verification, availability, the Zelle recipient, and saved price/policy settings. A missing current price also blocks requests. Booking pauses while the property is marked long-term rented.
Why is payment confirmation disabled?
The Airbnb block must be verified first. Return to the request, resolve the calendar issue, and retry verification. Record payment only after you actually receive it.
Does an unpaid approved hold expire?
No. Approved holds have no automatic expiry or self-service cancellation/release workflow yet. Contact support if a hold needs attention.