How does the website re-size and manage photos?

This article is for: Managers

The images you upload are automatically re-sized for use on the website. Because screen resolutions have improved over time, we record the maximum size we have each image stored at. This helps us decide how to display images, and in some case whether we can show an image or not.

If you have images that are shown as XL or smaller you should take time to replace or re-upload them. This ensures you have the best quality pictures displayed with your listing.

What does POA mean? (for owners/managers)

This article is for: Managers

POA stands for “Price On Application”.  If your listing is showing POA for pricing, then this means you either don’t have a tariff assigned for the dates in question, or the tariff assigned does not have a price set.

See this help article on How to Edit Pricing.

How can I offer AA Smartfuel discounts on my listing?

This article is for: Managers

Bookabach provides AA Smartfuel discounts as an additional marketing incentive on the Top-500 Performing Properties.  The Top-500 Performing Properties are automatically determined each week.  They are the top Performance Plan listed properties with the highest success fee spend over the past 12-months.

There is no charge to you, the owner or manager, if your property is shown offering AA Smartfuel (we pay the associated marketing costs). Offering this additional incentive on your listing is our way of saying thanks - and congratulations on having a Top-500 Performing Property!

To determine whether you have a Top-500 Performing Property go to Listing > Listing Performance.

I’ve received negative feedback. What should I do?

This article is for: Managers Renters

Most people understand that there are two sides to any story - and feedback comments are “opinion pieces”.  In general provided you have a history of good transactions on Bookabach, a single piece of negative feedback should not significantly affect your ranking or ability to use Bookabach. 

We give you the right to respond to feedback and provide your side of the story - and we recommend that you use this opportunity to clearly state your point of view. To do this:

Renters:

1) Go to http://www.bookabach.co.nz and log in to your “My Bookabach” account.
2) Use the View/respond to feedback link.
3) Use the Attach a response link below the feedback in question.
4) Enter your comments (maximum of 500 characters including spaces) and Save.

Owners/Property managers:

To respond to Guest Book comments:

1) Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2) Go to Listing > Guest book.
3) Click the “Attach a response” link under the relevant entry.
4) Enter your comments (maximum of 500 characters including spaces) and Save.

To respond to personal feedback comments:

1) Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2) Go to My Settings (link on the top right of screen under your name).
3) Use the View/respond to feedback link below your contact details.
4) Enter your comments (maximum of 500 characters including spaces) and Save.

We strongly advise you not to retaliate by placing negative feedback on them - unless you have a genuine grievance with the way they have treated you.  Retaliating by placing negative feedback where it is not justified can reflect badly on your own listing.

Sorry, Bookabach will not intervene to "sanitise" feedback - see our policy on editing feedback.

What is the difference between Feedback and the Guest Book?

This article is for: Managers

Member Feedback provides information about historical transactions between members (owners, property managers and renters) on Bookabach.  Owners and property managers are rewarded for positive feedback and each piece of positive feedback will improve the ranking of your bach in search results.  To find member feedback, click the blue numbers or stars next to that member’s user name.

The Guest Book provides comments left by guests on a specific bach and is available to view on every Bookabach listing.   Guest Book entries have no effect on bach rankings.

Both parties receive a "Request for Feedback"  after a stay has been Confirmed and then completed.

How do I upload photos to my listing?

This article is for: Managers

To upload a photo to your listing:

1) Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.

2) Go to Listing > Edit Listing > Manage Pictures

2) Select +Add picture and browse your files to find a picture.

3) Give the picture a short descriptive caption (you must provide this).  Please don’t include any symbols in the caption, including apostrophes, “&” symbol etc, as this may cause your listing to display incorrectly.

4) Tick the Display on listing checkbox if you want the picture to appear on your listing.

5) Click the Upload Image button to upload.

Bookabach currently supports Landscape Format pictures only, i.e. Portrait format pictures (taken with the camera on its side) are not supported.

Large images can take some time to upload, so be patient - and don’t click the back button!  For extra large images, consider reducing the resolution to 1024 x 768 pixels. There are a number of ways to reduce the size of your images.  If you have Windows XP or Vista, you can reduce the photo size automatically by emailing the photo to yourself.

How can I take my listing offline/online?

This article is for: Managers

DISABLING your listing

If you go away and are concerned about servicing enquiries on your property in your absence, you can temporarily disable your listing.

To do this:

1. Log into http://manage.bookabach.co.nz
2. On the the Dashboard page (the page you first come to) find where it says “Status”
3. Click the link that says “Go offline”

Note that the website can take up to 60 minutes to make these changes.

Taking your listing offline DOES NOT affect your property score/ranking. However, you can no longer see the score/ranking calculation information (on the Listing > Listing performance page) as this works off live listing data.

Note also that disabling your listing does not stop the clock on your subscription (for Subscription Plan listings).

ENABLING your listing

To put your listing back online follow the procedure above but use the “Go online” link.

How does Bookastay/Bookabach order (rank) properties on the website?

This article is for: Managers

The default order (or ranking) of listings on any page is dictated by a property score calculated using a number of factors:

1) Rental contact’s feedback: One point is awarded for each item of positive feedback received related to the management of this property over the past 24 months

2) Loyalty: Two points are awarded for each year the property has been actively listed.

3) Success fee: Available only on Performance Plan listings: One point is awarded for every 20c over the base-level success fee rate.

4) Checklist complete: 20 points are awarded if the Dashboard page Checklist related to the property and rental contact is complete.

Properties are ranked by score in descending order (highest scoring first).  If multiple properties have the same score, the oldest listing appears first.

To view your property score and ranking go to Listing > Listing Performance.  NOTE: We reserve the right to add criteria and modify this ranking calculation over time and without notice.

How can I improve my listing performance?

This article is for: Managers

Bookabach keeps count of how many times your full-page listing is viewed each month (Listing Views) - and how many times it shows up in search results (Search Views).  With the Listing View and Search View performance graphs you can see how your listing is performing compared with averages - locally, regionally and nationally.

If your listing is under-performing compared to the average for that locale check the following:

1. Your Offer:

• Does your listing have complete information? Text, images, bed layout, facilities/activities.
• Are your images compelling, clear and well-lit?  Make sure you include exterior and interior images of your holiday home.  Also consider including pictures of local attractions (beaches, lakes, mountains etc.).  Make sure you choose the most attention-grabbing image as your "main image".  This is the image that shows on your short listing.
• How is your pricing compared to others in your locale?

2. Your Feedback:

Beyond making sure your listing is complete, attention-grabbing and your pricing is fair and reasonable, the most effective way to improve your performance is by improving your score and ranking.  To maximize your feedback make sure you confirm any bookings that go ahead (or bookings in the past that went ahead).  This will ensure you receive maximum feedback.

3. Is your Checklist complete?

4. Do you really have a problem?:

Finally, remember that Bookabach searches on actual availability based on information from your calendar. As your property gets more and more booked out you will see a drop in the number of Listing Views/Search Views. This is to be expected - and actually a good thing.  It means rental guests aren’t wasting their time (and yours) looking at properties that aren’t available.

How do I change the default check-in/check-out time on my property?

This article is for: Managers

We default check-in/check-out times to 12:00noon/4:00pm respectively.  However, you can set up your own default check-in/check-out times.  You’ll find these in the Property Preferences:

1) Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2) Select the property you want to change.
3) Go to Property Settings > Preferences.

Note that check-in/out times are shown in 24 hr format.

How do I edit pricing on my bach?

This article is for: Managers

To edit pricing:

1) Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2) Go to Listing > Pricing and deals.

To set up pricing, you must first set-up your “tariffs”, which are “price levels”.  Once your tariffs are defined,  you need to apply these across the date ranges you want.

Step 1: Setting up tariffs

Use the ‘+Add tariff’ link.  The following fields are defined:

* Tariff name: Choose a descriptive name that will help you like "high-season"
* Week-day and week-end/holiday rates: Bookabach automatically displays the correct pricing depending on the day of week and whether it’s a public holiday.
* Occupancy (for up to..): allows you to set a lower base price level if fewer people stay.  Note: You can’t select “N/A - Max occupancy” if you want to charge for extra adults/children.
* Minimum number of nights: Define a minimum number of nights stay for dates of this tariff level.

Step 2: Apply your tariffs across date ranges

1) Select tariff you wish to apply (by clicking the circle on the left-hand side of a coloured box).

2) Enter the date range in the “From” and “To” fields (use the calendar icons to select dates).

3) Click the “Apply tariff” button.

4) Repeat the above steps with each different tariff until your pricing is 100% complete and at least covers the period your booking calendar is open.

Each tariff can be applied to a number of date ranges as many times as you like.  To help you, we show you public, regional and school holidays in the calendar (marked with coloured corners). 

The pricing calendar is live, so you’ll have to periodically update your pricing to keep up with the passing days.

If you want to offer a long stay discount, e.g. 7 nights for the price of 6, then add a Special Deal to your listing.

Why are modified digital photos unacceptable?

This article is for: Managers

It’s against our terms of use to upload and publish modified images on your listing.  Modifications include:

- Borders
- Text
- Overlay images or logos
- Excessive filtering or colour enhancements

We have this policy for a number of reasons.  Firstly we want to provide the best and most consistent user experience.  While a bright red border on your photos may seem like a good way to attract attention it’s also really confusing for the website user (“Why has that one got a red border? Did I click something?”). 

Secondly, we want images to reflect reality - not some hyper-saturated colour make-believe-land! 

Lastly, adding text in the form of URLs, phone numbers or company names - or logos and images may seem like a great way of getting your name out there it is against our terms of use!

How do I edit (make changes to) my listing?

This article is for: Managers

To edit your listing login and go to Listing. Then go to Edit Listing.

In the menu on the left hand side of the page you’ll find all the features you need to edit your listing. To ensure you complete everything, try using the Step Me Through It wizard located at the top of the column on the left side of your screen.

How do I set up a Mates Rates discount?

This article is for: Managers

Mates Rates discounts help you attract guests with good rental history.  Here’s how it works: 

Every time someone stays at a property through Bookabach the owner or property manager of the property they stay at is asked to give feedback on them.  They receive a "star" each time they stay somewhere and receive good feedback.

With Mates Rates you nominate a discount you offer for your property for member with a specific level of positive feedback (stars).

To add a Mates Rates discount to your listing:

1. Log in and go to Pricing and Deals (Listing > Pricing & Deals).
2. Scroll down and click on the Edit link next to where it says Mates Rates.
3. Nominate the number of stars and the discount level.
4. Check the ‘show on my listing’ checkbox, and submit your changes.

Why can’t I put my contact details in my listing?

This article is for: Managers

Your contact details will be provided to someone once they’ve made a booking request on your property. If you have requested that they follow up with a phone call (My Settings > Personal Preferences)  this will be reflected in the email instructions under “what to do next”.

Please DO NOT put your name, phone numbers or email address directly in your listings. It’s against our site terms and conditions to do this. Here’s why:
* It completely bypasses our enquiry process so you won’t have a record of the dates requested.  You would need to keep track and manually add this information later on (dates, enquirer details etc).
* You will not get feedback on transactions obtained outside of this standard channel.
* We can only help when we have bookings in the system. Without this information we can not track bookings, provide customer service around a particular booking request or track occupancy and booking data to improve the website.
* It’s against the site terms and conditions of use.

Finally, in the case of Performance Plan listings, bypassing the booking request process means lost revenue to us.  And that REALLY winds us up!

How far in advance can I accept bookings?

This article is for: Managers

Bookabach allows you to select how far into the future you wish to accept requests for bookings (your selling period).  On the Price and Availability display on the listing, any dates beyond your selected period will be blocked and enquiries will not be accepted.

To change your selling period:

1) Log into http://manage.bookabach.co.nz
2) Go to Property Settings > Preferences
3) Where it says “Accept bookings” choose between 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 15 months and 24 months.

How do I add special deals to my listing?

This article is for: Managers

Providing one or more special deals on your listing is a good idea. By doing so your listing will appears in any searches that are filtered on "Special Deals". We offer the following special deal settings:

Last minute discounts are a way for you to entice people to make a last minute decision to take a break. It also helps to sell unsold nights. Use one of these if you were rather the place be occupied, but at a lower rate, rather than empty.  You nominate how far into the future you consider "last minute" and what percentage discount you are willing to offer for these nights.

Mates Rates discounts are a powerful tool for incentivising members of Bookabach with a clear rental track record. If you are willing to discount to get a good tenant than set-up a Mates Rate discount. You define what discount level (percent) and what minimum member star rating is required to get this discount.

Multi-night stay discounts are an incentive for people to extend their stay for a longer period than they would otherwise - which increases spend.  You nominate how many nights needed to qualify for a one-night discount.  The night discounted is the "lowest cost night".

Lastly, gifts and giveaways are a small but noticeable addition to your listing.  It can be simple as "a bottle of wine" or "free fish bait".  It all helps demonstrate your hospitality!

How do I set up a multi-night stay discount on my listing?

This article is for: Managers

A multi-night stay discount will encourage people to take a longer holiday than they otherwise would.  The option of getting a good deal by staying longer can be quite compelling.

To enter a multi-night stay discount on your listing:
1) Log into the owner/manager website
2) Go to Listing > Pricing & deals
3) Click the link called Set up special deals in the Special deals box (right side of screen). This gets you to the Special deals page.  Then:
4) Click the “Edit” link on the right side of the multi-night stay discount box.
5) Select how many nights into the future you wish to apply a free night too, and select any exclusions you wish to apply the discount to. If you have any additional conditions, write this in the space provided.
6) Check the ‘show deals on my listing’ box, and submit your changes.

How do I get my property included in the Weekly Deals newsletter?

This article is for: Managers

On Tuesday of every week we send out a Weekly Deals email to all Bookabach members who have opted in to receive this email.  Weekly Deals emails are generated automatically according to the below rules, so please don’t ask us to include your property.

At the moment there’s only room for 6 properties in this email and we choose these randomly from regions around the country.  To get a chance of being in Weekly Deals:
1) Your listing must be Performance Plan (Subscription Plan properties are excluded from Weekly Deals)
2) You must have one or more Special Deals enabled (last minute, multi-night stay and/or gifts and giveaways).
3) You must have clear availability (no bookings or requests) in the next 7-days.

How do I offer a free gifts or giveaways on my listing?

This article is for: Managers

To add any featured deal or giveaway that is not related to a discounted rental tariff in your listing;

1. Log-in to and go to the Pricing & deals page (Listing > Pricing & deals).
2. Select Set-up special deals.
3. Select ‘add’ to the right side of the "free gifts, giveaways and other offers" box, or ‘edit’ to make changes to an existing offer.
4. Enter the offer description, the approximate value, and select whether you want the offer to expire.
5. Check the ‘show this special offer’ on my listing’ box and submit your changes.

How do I add/change facilities on my listing?

This article is for: Managers

To add or make changes to facilities listed on your listing go to Listing > Edit Listing and click the Edit Facilities link.

How do I add/edit activities on my listing?

This article is for: Managers

To add or make changes to activities listed on your listing go to Home > Listing > Edit Listing and click the Edit Activities link.

Or click here to be taken to this page.

What is the difference between Feedback and the Guest Book?

This article is for: Managers

Member Feedback provides information about historical transactions between members (owners, property managers and renters) on Bookabach.

Owners and property managers are rewarded for positive feedback and each piece of positive feedback will improve the ranking of your bach in search results.  To find member feedback, click the stars underneath that member’s name.

The Guest Book provides comments left by guests on a specific bach and is available to view on every Bookabach listing. Guest Book entries have no effect on bach rankings.

Both parties received a "Request for Feedback" after a stay has completed.

How do I set up a last minute discount for my listing?

This article is for: Managers

Last minute discounts are beneficial in order to encourage occupancy from people who are looking for a quick getaway.  To add a last minute discount to your listing:

1. Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2. Go to Pricing and Deals (Listing > Pricing & Deals).
3. Locate the “Last Minute Discount” box and click the “Edit” link.
4. Tick the “Show on my listing” box, select the relevant details and click the “Save” button.

Important: If you are setting up a last minute deal you need to be able to respond quickly to enquiries.  Consider using our Manager (SMS) Text Alerts!