High-season checklist, one month ahead

By GuestChat Team · 2 October 2026

High season doesn't forgive setup mistakes: a wrong price sells within hours, and a booking site that isn't publishing means a week of lost sales. A month ahead, set aside an afternoon for this list. It's far cheaper than finding out in July.

1. Channels

Open Settings, Booking channels. Every box you use should say Published.
Any amber or red one, fix it today by following the text in the box.
If a booking site has the listing unpublished, publish it there.
Check that you don't have imported calendars or another software on any booking site.

2. Base and weekend prices

In the Calendar, Settings tab, review the base price. Remember that saving it republishes every day at that price: if you've already worked out your price periods, don't touch it now.
Decide whether the weekend uses the automatic price or its own price.

3. Seasonal price periods

With the range editor, two clicks and only the fields you tick:

The price for the whole season.
Special prices for long weekends around public holidays (puentes in Spain), local festivals and key weekends.
Weekend minimum stay, usually 2 nights.
Long-weekend minimum stay equal to its length.

4. Booking window

If you had it short, open it up enough so the whole summer shows. Nobody books what they can't see.

5. Markup and charges

Markup per portal adjusted to your real commissions. Check last year's Analytics to work it out.
Extra charges: cleaning and extra guest up to date. Booking.com and Vrbo, in their extranet.

6. Cancellation policy

In high season, a late cancellation doesn't get rebooked. Consider moving up one level on Airbnb from the dashboard, and offering the non-refundable rate with a moderate discount.

7. Pricing tool

If you use PriceLabs, check that derived prices are where you want them and that the tool has your seasonal minimums. Don't mix: for each property, either the tool decides or you do.

8. Your website

A deal with Book before a spring date to catch early bookings.
Summer cover photos.
A cancellation policy on your website that matches the one on the booking sites.

9. Your own dates

Block now the nights you or your family will use. In August, every free night sells.

10. The week before

Check in the grid that the small number on each day is the one you decided on.
Look for one-night gaps between bookings and lower the minimum stay only there.
Check in All bookings, Upcoming tab, that there are no pending payments on direct bookings.

Common mistakes

Changing the base price in June and wiping out all your price periods.
Leaving the long-weekend minimum stay on for the whole month.
Finding out in July that a booking site hadn't been receiving prices for weeks.