What is a Booking Request?
A booking request on RestauRent is an inquiry to reserve your venue for a private event or large party. Unlike platforms like OpenTable, where small dining reservations are instantly confirmed, RestauRent’s booking requests start with a "Need to Review" status, giving venues the chance to review the inquiry before confirming or declining. This process ensures that both the venue and the booker can communicate and agree on event details before finalizing the reservation.
Information Provided To Venues In A Booking Request
When a booker submits a request, they will need to provide the following information:
Name
Phone Number
Email
Event Date
Start and End Time
Event Type
Number of Guests
Budget (Optional)
Event Description
Stage of Booking Process: How far along the booking is (e.g., initial inquiry, ready to book).
Requested Amenities (Optional)
Food Restrictions (Optional)
Type of Request: Private event, semi-private, or large reservation
Specific Room (Optional)
Receiving and Viewing Booking Requests
When a new booking request is made, all users associated with your venue listing will receive an email notification from hello@restaurent.com with the subject line "New Booking Request." This email provides a summary of the request and includes a link to easily review the full details in your RestauRent account.
All users associated with the venue listing will also receive an SMS notification for new bookings if they have opted into SMS notifications. For more information on managing notifications, please follow this link.
To view and manage a booking request in your RestauRent account:
From the Email Notification: Click the View Booking button in the email to directly access the booking details.
From Your RestauRent Account:
Log into your account.
Click on Booking Requests on the left-hand side menu.
This will take you to your recent bookings page where you can review all incoming requests.
Click View Details to see full information about a specific booking request.
Navigating the View Details Page for Booking Request
The View Details page is your control center for managing individual booking requests. From this page, you can:
Update the Status: Update the booking status to reflect its current stage. When you update the status of a booking, the booker will be notified of status changes. Booking status options include 1. Need To Review 2. In Contact 3. Approved 4. Declined
Message Booker: Directly communicate with the booker and attach documents if needed.
Edit the Request: Update any detail of the booking, such as event title, making it more identifiable in your calendar. Learn more about your RestauRent calendar.
Delete the Request: Remove the booking request if it's no longer relevant or a duplicate.
Booking Statuses and How to Update Them
By default, booking requests are initially set to "Need to Review". Here are the statuses you can change as you manage the booking:
Need to Review
In Contact
Approved
Declined
In Contact
When you respond to a booking request you should update the status to "In Contact". A booking can remain in this status until you have determined weather or not you will be approving or declining the booking request.
Approving or Declining Booking Requests
Approve a Booking Request: You can approve the booking if the requested date is available, after discussing with the booker or securing payment.
Decline a Booking Request: If you need to decline a request due to a date conflict, consider reaching out to the booker first to explore whether they’re flexible with their event date. However, you may decline any booking if you feel it isn’t the right fit for your venue.
Either way, we always encourage you to communicate with the Booker via the messenger.
Message a Booker
You can contact a booker directly from the View Details page by clicking the Message Booker button, which enables you to send messages and attach any pertinent documents. Effective communication is crucial for securing bookings, we recommend reaching out to the booker as soon as you see the booking request.
You can communicate with a booker via phone, text message, or email if you prefer. However, we highly recommend using the RestauRent messenger whenever possible to keep all event-related communication organized in one place. This way, if you ever need support from the RestauRent team, we’ll have the full context to assist you more effectively.
Editing a Booking Request
To edit a booking request, click the Edit the Request button on the View Details page. This allows you to update any information and add a title to the event, enhancing its visibility and management in your calendar.
Continue to Calendar