Free Booking Calendar – Try BedBooking!

If you ask accommodation owners about one essential tool for running their business, they’ll undoubtedly mention a booking calendar – an absolute must-have in the hospitality industry. It holds all the information necessary for efficiently organizing both personal and property operations. However, like any business, managing accommodations involves numerous costs and taxes, so it’s natural for guesthouse or agritourism owners to seek free tools. While there are many solutions on the market, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Traditional Paper Calendar – Why It’s Time to Move On?

The paper booking calendar was once the only solution, but today it has been largely replaced by technological advancements. Despite this, many hosts continue to rely solely on this traditional method, perhaps unaware of the risks involved. While keeping records on paper might seem like a free booking calendar solution, its benefits end there. The list of disadvantages, however, is much longer.

First – security. A paper calendar exists in a single copy with no backups, meaning its loss could have severe consequences. Beyond losing control over upcoming reservations—which could paralyze the operation of an entire property—a paper calendar contains personal data of guests, often protected under GDPR. Misplacing it or having it fall into the wrong hands could also lead to legal issues. Additionally, its physical format makes it difficult to carry everywhere, complicating the process of accepting bookings.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is a completely free tool from Google, available to everyone since 2006. It is simple to use and highly intuitive, making it suitable even for beginners. Its advantages undoubtedly include the fact that it can be accessed on mobile devices running iOS or Android, as well as on desktop computers. It is certainly an excellent solution for anyone looking to manage their time efficiently—this being the product’s primary purpose. While it can be used as a free booking calendar, it was not designed for this purpose. Therefore, it lacks features dedicated to accommodation management, such as room allocation, synchronization with booking platforms, or guest registry logs. In summary: Google Calendar is a fantastic tool for time management but is not the best choice for running a business in the tourism industry.

Calendar in Excel

This program likely needs no introduction. As part of Microsoft’s Office suite, Excel allows for the creation of personalized spreadsheets with a wide range of applications. While Excel is not a free tool, most businesses already use a licensed Office package, making it a viable option as a free room booking calendar in such cases. One undeniable advantage is the ability to customize the spreadsheet to meet the specific requirements of your accommodation. This includes room management, space for guest registry notes, and the ability to create cloud backups, reducing the risk of data loss. However, creating a functional booking calendar in Excel requires familiarity with the program, which is not the easiest to master. It is also important to keep in mind that this calendar will never be as transparent as solutions dedicated to accommodation facilities.

Free Website Plugin

Several free solutions are available on the market in the form of easy-to-install plugins for websites. To use them, you must have a website for your accommodation business. If your site is built on WordPress, one popular plugin is Sagenda. It offers the benefits of a free online booking calendar, including managing reservations and enabling online bookings for your guests. Sagenda and similar plugins are certainly worth considering. However, it’s important to note that these tools are designed for a wide range of businesses requiring appointment bookings, such as hair salons, sports facilities, or medical clinics. While their versatility may seem like an advantage, they lack many features specific to the hospitality industry. As a result, they may not be sufficient as a standalone tool for fully organizing operations at an accommodation property.

BedBooking Reservation Calendar

This solution was created specifically for owners of various types of accommodations. Whether you rent cottages, apartments, rooms, or manage agritourism or glamping properties, BedBooking is suitable for all these formats. The reservation calendar is available in a free version for up to 6 reservations per month. Unlimited access starts at just 14.25 USD per month, making it a potentially worthwhile investment considering the time it can save. One notable advantage is that you can test the full-featured product entirely for free. BedBooking offers a free trial for 30 days, during which you can cancel without obligation or begin a subscription. During the trial period, you’ll have access to all features, available on both mobile and desktop devices. Automatic synchronization with booking platforms protects your property from the risk of overbooking. Free features available during the 30-day trial include a room reservation calendar, simple setup for integration with your website, and the ability to sell bookings through social media platforms. The application also helps organize your property’s operations, including tasks like housekeeping coordination and invoice management. Additionally, BedBooking supports the growth of your business. In just a few clicks, you can generate reports and financial results for specific periods, allowing you to analyze your efforts to improve your accommodation property.