Downpayment policy
A downpayment policy is how much a guest pays to hold a booking, and what happens to it if they cancel or do not arrive.
Worked example
- A 30% downpayment on a ₱11,400 three-night booking is ₱3,420.
- Retained on a no-show, it covers roughly one of the three lost nights.
- At 50% it covers one and a half — and turns away some guests who will not pay it. That trade is the policy.
Why it matters
In a market where most bookings arrive by chat and no card is taken, the downpayment is the only thing standing between you and a no-show. It is also the most common source of guest disputes.
A policy that is written down and applied consistently is worth more than a strict one applied unevenly.
Whatever the number, write down what happens on a cancellation and apply it the same way every time. Most downpayment disputes are not about the amount; they are about a rule the guest was told once, verbally, in a chat thread.
In MangoHost
Set once in Payments — your downpayment rule, accepted methods and the QR guests pay to — and carried on the booking, with the cancellation terms recorded alongside it.
Bookings & calendar →Related terms
MangoHost gives Philippine properties these numbers without a month-end spreadsheet. Book a 30-minute walkthrough and see them on your own rooms.