Sales and revenue
No-show (hotels)
A no-show is a guest with a confirmed hotel booking who neither arrives nor cancels within the cancellation deadline.
1 min read · Updated: September 28, 2026
A room held for a guest who never arrives usually stays empty, because the hotel stopped selling it. Hotels therefore guarantee bookings with a card or prepayment and set a no-show fee in the booking terms, most often the first night.
How it works in practice
Example: a guest books two nights at £120 with a card guarantee, does not arrive and does not cancel. Under the terms, the hotel charges the first night (£120) and releases the second night for sale. The booking is usually marked as a no-show during the night audit.
Good practice:
- clear cancellation and no-show terms in the confirmation,
- card guarantees or prepayment on high-demand dates,
- a reminder the day before arrival.
How technology helps
Reservations and no-show charges are handled in the PMS and payment system. hotelspot does not manage room reservations; it connects to the PMS through integrations and handles payments for services during the stay.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a no-show fee?
- A charge, usually the first night or the full prepaid amount, taken when a guest does not arrive and has not cancelled in time.
- When is a booking marked as a no-show?
- Usually after the arrival day has ended, during the night audit.