The practical fixes

There are a few approaches that actually work for accepting payments:

1. Move away from manual transfers.

Bank transfers seem simple, but they create endless reconciliation headaches. Someone sends money, you have to check your statement, confirm who it came from, and manually mark the booking as paid. If the guest cancels, refunds are just as painful.

Using payment links is easier. You can send a link over WhatsApp or email for a deposit, and the guest can pay instantly by card or local method.

Tab is one way to do this – it generates branded payment links that automatically handle currency conversion and confirmations.

2. Keep everything connected to your property system.

The biggest time sink for staff is re-entering payment data. If your payments and reservations are in different places, you’ll always be matching numbers.

Property management systems like Cloudbeds help because payments post directly into the folio. You can charge deposits, take balances on arrival, and see everything tied to the reservation.

If you use something like Tab alongside it, the two can work together – payments made through Tab automatically appear in Cloudbeds.

3. Offer the right local methods.

In most regions, local guests don’t want to use international cards. Brazilians use Pix. Kenyans use M-Pesa. Indians use UPI. Guests trust the systems they already use every day. Many payment platforms now support both local methods and cards.

With Tab, for example, you can take card payments from international guests and local methods where supported, all in one place. It helps you avoid losing domestic bookings just because you only accept Visa.

4. Handle OTAs and virtual cards cleanly.

Online travel agencies often send payment through virtual credit cards (VCCs). It’s a secure and automated way to get paid, but you need a process that matches those payouts to bookings. Cloudbeds and similar systems handle this automatically. If you don’t use a PMS, at least set up a simple routine for reconciling OTA payments weekly, so you always know what’s missing.

5. Reduce no-shows with deposits and card-on-file.

No-shows are expensive. The easiest fix is to collect a deposit upfront or store a card securely at the time of booking. Payment tools built for travel, like Tab, let you charge cards or take payments in advance. Even a small deposit drastically reduces last-minute cancellations.

6. Make refunds and currency handling predictable.

One of the biggest frustrations for both guests and hosts is unclear refund timing and unexpected exchange rates. Choose a provider that lets you settle in your local currency but show prices in the guest’s.

That’s how Tab works - guests see their currency, you receive yours, and both sides know exactly what to expect. It removes awkward conversations and refund disputes later.

When it all comes together

The difference is immediate once payments stop being ad hoc. Guests can pay from their phone before arrival. Staff don’t have to chase transfers or check statements. Your reports actually line up with your reservations.

A typical setup might look like this:

• Cloudbeds for your operations and folios.

• Tab for guest-facing payments - deposits, WhatsApp links, cards, and local methods.

• OTA payments handled automatically through virtual cards.

Everything points to the same booking, and you can finally close the month without hours of reconciliation.

Why this matters

Most small accommodation businesses spend far too much time solving payment problems that should be invisible. A good setup improves cash flow, reduces no-shows, and makes guests more confident booking direct.

Payments are part of the guest experience. When it’s easy for someone to pay you — in their own currency, using the method they prefer — it sets the tone for everything that comes after.