FAQ

Booking a stay with Boutique is designed to be a straightforward process for both hosts and guests. Here's how it works:

Once a guest chooses your property, they'll submit a booking request and provide at least a deposit payment. If your property follows a Strict cancellation policy or the guest's check-in date is within 60 days, they'll need to provide full payment upfront. You, as the host, can then choose to accept or decline the booking request.

Boutique handles the payment process, including collecting the payment from the guest. Your payout is transferred based on your cancellation policy.

Our support team is available to assist with any issues or questions during the booking process.

To book a Boutique property, you will need to provide a deposit of at least 10%. Hosts set their individual policies, and many require a 50% deposit. The final balance is typically due 60 days before your travel date. For properties with firmer cancellation policies, full payment is required at the time of booking, and we will clearly indicate this. We accept payment through credit card, and you can request bank transfer by contacting support.

The cancellation policy for each property may vary. Please scroll down past the Amenities on the listing to the Additional Information. Click Policies to expand this list and display the cancellation policy.

The service fee is a standard charge that covers essential expenses like secure payment processing and maintaining our platform, but also enables us to provide human-delivered customer support and thorough and thoughtful property vetting. It also includes a complimentary 12-month subscription to PRIOR, a digital travel magazine come to life, full of intel and inspirational content.

Here are some of our top hosts’ key tips for increasing bookings on Boutique:

1. Create an Attractive Listing: Ensure your rates, calendars, and property information are accurate and up-to-date, and provide excellent photos following our photography guidelines.
2. Responsive and Polite Communication: Respond quickly, be concise, and maintain a polite tone. Aim to respond to booking requests within 24 hours. Be welcoming in your communication and avoid overwhelming guests with excessive policies and rules; they can find most information in your welcome packet.
3. Leverage Social Media: Set up an Instagram account for your property to generate interest. Social media makes cross-promotion easy and allows guests to tag their stay, generating more content and visibility for your property.
4. Provide Outstanding Service: Deliver personalized service that leaves a lasting impression. Make guests feel welcome and strive to exceed their expectations by providing a memorable experience from the moment they request your property to after their trip. This can increase the likelihood of repeat visits and word-of-mouth recommendations. Also, don't forget to ask for reviews!

To ensure accurate calendar syncing, you need to provide an iCal link from every website where your property is listed. Once you have these links, go to Properties and select the listing you wish to edit. From there, scroll down on the sidebar menu (beneath your property photo on the left), and click "Calendar Sync."

Each platform has its own process, so here are some links to get you started: Airbnb, Booking, BedandBreakfast, Google, HolidayLettings, Homeaway, iCloud, Tokeet, Tripadvisor, VRBO, & Wix.

To simplify the process, here are the key areas where you can update your listing, along with the relevant guide for each component. You can keep this for future reference!

Basics: Title, Description, & Address, and Photos

Legal: Property Registration Number

Accommodation Details: Amenities and Services, and Rooms and Spaces

Promotions: Promotions

Rates: Listing Currency, Base and Daily Rates, Taxes, Discounts, and Additional Charges, and Rate Calendar

Calendars: Calendar Sync and Rate Calendar

Policies and Rules: Cancellation Policy, Minimum nights and Changeover days, Policies for Events, Photoshoots, Pets and Smoking, Rental Agreement, and Check-in and Check-out

Arrival Information: Directions and Check-in procedures

Split Property into Units: Split Property into Unit

For personalized recommendations, questions, or issues with your booking, our support team is here to help. Reach out via chat, email, or phone, and we'll assist you.

We’re happy to offer our guests price match on their bookings. To submit a price match, simply take a screenshot matching the terms of the competitor booking to ours exactly and send that and a link to the website to our Customer Success team. This must be done prior to booking, except for instant bookings where you’ll have 24 hours to submit.

• To read the full price match terms and conditions click here.
• For an FAQ on our Price Match guarantee click here.

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If you have a home or small hotel with a design point-of-view, we'd love to hear from you. Learn about our vetting process and submit your property on our Hosting page.

If you ever need to cancel or change a reservation, select the booking from your inbox, and in the top right hand corner of the reservation, click “request support.” Answer a few clarifying questions when prompted and our support team will assist from there.
Our team will reach out to the guest and keep you updated as the status changes. This process ensures that all host-requested changes and cancellations are handled through our support team, safeguarding guest satisfaction and preventing miscommunication.

The Boutique commission and payment policy is designed for a seamless booking experience for both hosts and guests. Here's how it works:

• Payment Flow: Boutique handles the payment process from guests and coordinates the payout with the host, adhering to the specified property cancellation policy.
• Commission: Boutique retains a 10% commission from the host's payout. This commission is calculated based on the total nightly rate and any additional fees, such as charges for events, services, or photoshoots.
• Service Fee: Guests are also charged a service fee, which is separate from the host's commission.

The exact numbers for the commission and service fee are displayed prominently in every booking and in your “Payouts” section for clear transparency. For more detailed information on the payment terms, you can refer to our “Host Terms”.

When you find a property you like, click Reserve. You'll be asked to enter your booking information, accept the property policies and terms, and provide your payment. Once the host accepts, you’ll get a confirmation.