Child Policy FAQs

What is RoomRaccoon's approach to child policies in booking channels?

RoomRaccoon does not require policies to be the same across different booking channels. However, consistency between channels and RoomRaccoon is beneficial. Check that the child policies in Booking.com are similar to those in RoomRaccoon.

How does RoomRaccoon handle child information from booking channels?

When importing bookings with child information, RoomRaccoon tries to match the child's age to the appropriate child policy and insert the relevant add-on. The original selling price from the channel is considered and may override the child price if necessary.

What happens if RoomRaccoon cannot match a child's age to a policy?

If the child's age does not match any policy, RoomRaccoon uses a fallback child policy set up in the category settings found in the  ‘My Property’ module.

Does RoomRaccoon require extra rate plans for children?

No, RoomRaccoon has simplified this process. Children are no longer counted towards the rate plan, allowing the actual rate plan booked in the channel to be used without needing extra rate plans for children. Children are counted as additional occupancy, are are charged according to surcharge amounts that you can create through the Child Policy setup.

How does RoomRaccoon handle add-ons for children in reservations?

You will always prompted to add a ledger to an add-on in the reservation. However, specifying a revenue group for this add-on is optional. If not specified, it defaults to 'other' and will be listed under ‘Other’ in the End of Day report. You can set up the revenue and ledger for Child Surcharge in your pre-saved add-ons under "My Property".

Can guest types be changed during online check-in?

During online check-in, the guest type of a child cannot be changed.

How does RoomRaccoon work with booking channels regarding child rates?

RoomRaccoon is designed to recognize children as an addition to the booked rates from booking channels. A fallback rate is also needed for instances where the child's age cannot be matched.

How should occupancy limits be set up in ‘My Property’ in  RoomRaccoon regarding children?

The maximum occupancy is not the sum of the maximum number of adults and children. You can set limits such as a maximum of 6 people, comprising up to 6 adults and 5 children if you wish.

Can I set up a rate plan that includes both accommodation and meals for adults and children, or do I need to handle children's meals differently?

In the current setup of RoomRaccoon, while you can create a rate plan that includes accommodation prices and breakfast for adults, handling children's meals requires a different approach. 

The system allows you to assign a surcharge for accommodating children per age bucket as part of the Child Policy, but this surcharge is primarily for the room and does not include meals. 

For children's meals, you need to set up an additional pre-saved add-on at a different rate, as children's meals are usually priced lower than adults'. For instance, if the adult breakfast price is €12, the child's breakfast (for ages 4-12 years) might be €6. It's important to note that this surcharge for children is separate from the adult breakfast add-on, and there is currently no functionality in RoomRaccoon to include children's meals in the child policy surcharge. Therefore, for financial reporting and clarity in billing, it's advisable to manage adult and children's meal plans separately as add-ons.

What if I don't want child policy set up?

Not a problem! However to ensure your Booking Engine functions optimally you need to set up your Occupancy Limits. Please navigate to My Property > Edit Category > Occupancy > Fill in the maximum occupancy as well as the maximum number of adults and/or children > Save.