Take bookings online

Online booking is on once a service schedule exists; guests just need your link.

1. 1To turn it on: set up your services (Admin Settings › Services & booking rules › Service schedules), then share your booking link (below) or put it on your website.
2. 2To stop it for a date or a range of dates: Admin Settings › Services & booking rules › Booking rules › Closed dates, add the dates and choose Online booking only, then Save changes. Staff can still book.
3. 3To stop certain times every week: Booking rules › Recurring online schedule, pick the weekday and set those times to Paused.
4. 4To stop a time tonight only: ⋯ › Service adjustments and switch Online off.

• There's no single on/off switch for online booking.

Share it in emails, social media or Google.

1. 1Open Admin Settings (main menu › shield icon, admin PIN; on a phone More › Admin Settings) and go to Venue profile › Guest booking links.
2. 2In Reservation portal, click the copy button inside the box.

The link is copied (the icon turns into a tick).

Embed the booking form in Squarespace, WordPress, Wix and the like.

1. 1Open Admin Settings (main menu › shield icon, admin PIN; on a phone More › Admin Settings) and go to Venue profile › Guest booking links.
2. 2Choose a Widget style: Full form, Compact widget (a small box with a Claim my table button) or Optimised widgets (resizes itself).
3. 3For Compact widget, set the Button color.
4. 4Click the eye button to preview, then copy the Iframe code (or the Embed link).
5. 5Paste it into your website builder's Embed, Code or HTML block.

• If your builder won't show the embed link, use the iframe code.
• Payments open in a new tab, because Stripe can't run inside the embedded form.

For example a link for Friday at 7 for 4 people.

1. 1Copy your booking link.
2. 2Add ?date=2026-11-14&time=19:00&partySize=4 to the end (date as YYYY-MM-DD, time in 24-hour).

Logo, banner, description and booking policy.

1. 1Open Admin Settings › Venue profile › Booking page.
2. 2Upload a Logo or Banner image (they save straight away).
3. 3Edit Description and Booking policy, then click Save venue.

• The booking policy is the box guests must tick before booking.

Let guests see and book your special events.

1. 1Copy your booking link and add /events to the end.
2. 2Each event also has its own page; see Events and promotions.

What your guests go through, step by step.

1. 1They choose Party size, Date and Time, then tap a time under Available times (crossed-out times are full or closed).
2. 2They fill in First name, Last name, Phone, Email, and optionally Occasion, Allergies and Guest notes.
3. 3They choose how to get updates (push or text; email is always sent) and tick your booking policy.
4. 4They tap Complete booking request.

They see You're booked (or Reservation received if it needs confirming), with View reservation. If a card or deposit is needed, they go to a secure payment page first.

Guests can manage their own booking.

1. 1The guest opens View reservation, or the link in their confirmation email or text.
2. 2To change it they tap Change reservation, pick a new party size, date or time, and tap Save changes.
3. 3To cancel they tap Cancel reservation, then Yes, cancel reservation.

• Online changes stop inside your online cutoff, for table-locked bookings, and after the date. Guests see a message asking them to call.
• Guests can't change their name, contact details or notes online; change those for them in the booking.

When a time is full, guests can ask to be told if a table opens up.

1. 1Turn it on first: Admin Settings › Services & booking rules › Booking rules › Online availability waitlist.
2. 2When times are full, the guest taps Join the availability waitlist, chooses Service, From, Until and Minimum notice, and sends it.

Hostbook keeps checking and reserves the first matching table, then asks the guest to confirm. Staff see the requests on the waitlist.

Guests say a time is missing or crossed out.

1. 1Check the date isn't closed (Admin Settings › Services & booking rules › Booking rules › Closed dates) and is within Max advance days.
2. 2Check the party size fits the service's Online min party and Online max party.
3. 3Check the time is between First booking and Last seating on the Service schedules tab.
4. 4For tonight, check the time isn't paused in Service adjustments, or past the Online booking cutoff.
5. 5Check the Max covers per 30 min cap isn't already reached, and that a table that takes online bookings is free for the whole dining time.

• Tables with Block online reservations, held or blocked tables, and event blocks don't count as free online.

Stop online bookings for a busy slot.

1. 1Open ⋯ › Service adjustments (phone: More › Service adjustments).
2. 2Switch Online off for the time.

Keep a table for staff to assign.

1. 1Open Application Settings › Rooms & floorplan and select the table.
2. 2Tick Block online reservations.

Guests can't book it online; hosts still can.

Cutoff, pacing, party size limits, how far ahead and closed dates.

1. 1Open Admin Settings › Services & booking rules › Booking rules.
2. 2See Settings › Booking rules and online limits for each one.