Set up your hotel in Kwipps, step by step

Your hotel's console is at console.kwipps.com. Until you choose a plan it runs as a preview with every tool switched on, so you can set everything up and try it before you pay. Work through these steps in order; each one takes a few minutes.

Sign in to the console

1. 1Open console.kwipps.com and sign in with the email address (or account code) and the password from your welcome email.
2. 2The first time, you are asked to choose your own password. See How do I sign in, and what if I forget my password?.

Check your hotel's details

1. 1Go to Console › Settings › Name and address and check the name, street, postcode and town. The postcode and town also go on your invoices, and the Swiss QR-bill needs them.
2. 2Under Console › Settings › How people reach you, check the telephone number and the public email address guests write to.
3. 3Press Save under each section you change.

Add your room types and rooms

A room type is what guests book ("Double with lake view"); a room is the door behind it ("12"). See What is the difference between a room type and a room?

1. 1Go to Console › Rooms › Add a room type. A name and a price per night are enough to start; add the beds, how many adults and children it sleeps, one line for the website and a photograph when you have them.
2. 2Press Save room types.
3. 3Under Console › Rooms › The rooms, press Add a room once for every room of that type, give each its number or name, and press Save rooms.

Set your prices

1. 1The price per night on each room type is its base price, every night of the year.
2. 2To charge more in summer or at weekends, use Console › Rates › Change several days at once. See How do I change prices for several days at once?
3. 3If you want a non-refundable rate or one with breakfast, add it under Console › Rates › Add a rate plan and press Save rate plans. With no rate plan, every stay is flexible and paid at the hotel.
4. 4Breakfast, parking or a cot you charge for go under Console › Rates › Extras.

Write your policies

1. 1Go to Console › Policies. Fill in Arrival and departure (check-in and check-out times, how far ahead guests can book, the longest stay online).
2. 2Under Confirming and paying, choose whether website bookings are confirmed at once, the deposit, and until when cancellation is free. See How do I set a deposit and the cancellation rule?
3. 3Under Taxes, set the tourist tax per person per night and, if you are VAT registered, tick VAT registered and add your VAT number.
4. 4Under For arriving guests, write how to get in, the Wi-Fi and your house rules — they are emailed the day before arrival.
5. 5Under Where bookings are sent, and the bill, give the email address new bookings go to and the Phone under the booking form. The booking form is never shown without a telephone number.
6. 6Press Save policies.

Take a test stay at the desk

1. 1Go to Console › Stays › New stay. Choose tomorrow's date, a room type and a room, and use your own name and email address.
2. 2Press Take the stay. It appears on the calendar at once, confirmed.
3. 3Tap it to open it. The stay shows the dates and the room, The guest the details and the registration form, The bill the nights and the tourist tax. With a real guest, this is where you press Check in and Check out.
4. 4When you are done, press Cancel stay. You receive the cancellation email a guest would receive.

Switch bookings on for your website

1. 1In Console › Policies, tick Taking bookings on your website and press Save policies.
2. 2Kwipps puts the booking form on your website: a date bar on your home page, a booking link in the menu, and your own booking page. If your website has changes you have not published, the form waits in the draft — open the editor and press Publish.
3. 3Now book a stay on your own website, as a guest would, with your email address. You receive the request by email with a Confirm and a Decline link; it also waits under Console › Today › Requests waiting. See How do I confirm or decline a booking request?

Go live

1. 1When you are happy, choose a plan and your own address at my.kwipps.com. See Go live with your own domain.
2. 2Card deposits start only once a plan is chosen: a preview never takes real money.