Standard Rate
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      What Does “Release Period” Mean?

      The release period is how far in advance you can book a room — from same-day to several days before arrival

      Release period is the minimum number of days between the booking being made and the earliest arrival date. It allows you to restrict the sale of your rooms prior to guest arrival for a set number of days.

      Hostelworld Inbox allows you to set two different release periods based on the rate type: Standard and Non-Refundable.

      How to Update Your Release Period

      To update your release period settings in Hostelworld Inbox:

      1. Go to Property Setup

      2. Select Microsite Content

      3. Click on Availability Policies

      4. Set your Standard and Non-Refundable release periods

      • Standard Release Period (0–7 days)

        • Recommended setting: 0 days (Anytime)

          • This allows guests to book until 24:00 (local time) on the day of arrival.

          • Setting your release to 0 ensures you don’t miss out on valuable last-minute bookings.

        • If you cannot process same-day bookings after a certain time:

          • Close same-day availability at that specific hour, or

          • Set your release period to at least 1 day.

        Best Practice Tip: Keep your release set to 0 whenever possible to maximize occupancy and capture last-minute demand.

        Non-Refundable Release Period (0–21 days)

        • If you offer a Non-Refundable rate with a discount (e.g., X%), you may choose to set a longer release period.

        • This ensures that discounted non-refundable deals are only available to guests who book further in advance.

        Best Practice Tip: Use longer release periods for discounted Non-Refundable rates to protect revenue and encourage early bookings.