How to Create a WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings Product (Hotels, B&Bs & Vacation Rentals)

What Is the WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings Plugin?

The WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings plugin is a free add-on developed by the WooCommerce team that extends the core WooCommerce Bookings extension specifically for hospitality businesses. Where the standard Bookings plugin handles appointments, classes, and rentals by time slot, the Accommodation add-on is purpose-built for overnight and multi-night stays — giving you an “Accommodation” product type that works exactly the way hotels, B&Bs, and vacation rental businesses need it to. With it, you can list hotel rooms, apartments, holiday cottages, and other lodging options as bookable products inside your WooCommerce store. Guests can select their check-in and check-out dates directly on the product page, then add the booking to their cart and pay just like any other WooCommerce order. The plugin handles the calendar, the pricing rules, and the booking confirmation emails automatically. Some of the things you can do with this plugin include: – Create multiple accommodation types, each with its own pricing and availability – Set seasonal rates, weekend surcharges, and custom pricing for specific date ranges – Define minimum and maximum stay lengths (e.g. minimum 2 nights on weekends) – Block off dates when your property is unavailable – Set site-wide check-in and check-out times that appear on the product page, cart, and order confirmation – Send personalised booking confirmation emails to guests – Connect to popular payment gateways for a smooth checkout experience

What You Need Before You Start (Plugin Requirements)

Before you can use WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings, there are a couple of things that must already be in place on your WordPress site. This is the part that trips up a lot of people, so it is worth spelling out clearly. First, you need a working WordPress site with WooCommerce installed and configured. If you do not have WooCommerce set up yet, sort that out first before anything else. Second — and this is the important one — you need the paid WooCommerce Bookings extension. The Accommodation Bookings plugin is a free add-on, but it sits on top of WooCommerce Bookings and cannot work without it. WooCommerce Bookings is a premium plugin available from the WooCommerce Marketplace. Once you have purchased and activated it, you can then install the free Accommodation Bookings add-on alongside it. In summary, here is what you need: – WordPress (version 6.4 or higher recommended) – WooCommerce (version 9.0 or higher recommended) – WooCommerce Bookings (paid, from the WooCommerce Marketplace) – WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings (free add-on, from WordPress.org or WooCommerce Marketplace)

How to Install the WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings Plugin

Once you have WooCommerce Bookings activated on your site, installing the Accommodation add-on is quick and straightforward. To install from within WordPress: – Go to your WordPress Admin dashboard – Navigate to Plugins > Add New – Search for “WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings” – Click Install Now, then Activate Alternatively, you can download the plugin file from the WooCommerce Marketplace or WordPress.org, then upload it manually by going to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin. Once activated, you will notice a few changes in your dashboard. A new Bookings menu will appear, and when you go to create a new product, you will now have an “Accommodation” option in the product type dropdown. You will also see a new Accommodation tab under Bookings > Settings, which is where you configure your site-wide check-in and check-out times.

How to Configure Global Check-In and Check-Out Settings

Before you create your first accommodation product, it is worth setting your global check-in and check-out times. These times will display to guests on the product page, in the cart, and on their order confirmation — so it is better to set them once at the site level rather than trying to manage it per product. To set these up: – Go to WordPress Admin > Bookings > Settings – Click on the Accommodation tab – Enter your standard check-in time (e.g. 3:00 PM) and check-out time (e.g. 11:00 AM) – Save your settings These site-wide check-in and check-out times will then be visible to guests at every stage of their booking journey — on the product page, in the cart, and when they review past bookings. It is a small step that makes a big difference to the professionalism of your booking experience.

Step-by-Step: Creating an Accommodation Bookings Product

Now for the main event. Here is exactly how to create your accommodation product from scratch.

Step 1 — Add a New Product

Go to Products > Add New in your WordPress admin dashboard. Give your product a clear, descriptive name — for example “Deluxe Sea-View Room” or “Studio Apartment — Beachfront”. Add a detailed description that tells guests what is included, what the space looks like, and any house rules or policies worth knowing.

Step 2 — Select the Accommodation Product Type

Scroll down to the Product Data section. Click the product type dropdown (which defaults to “Simple product”) and select “Accommodation”. Once you do this, the Product Data panel will update and show you the booking-specific tabs you need: General, Availability, Rates, and more.

Step 3 — Fill In Product Details

Add all the standard product details you would for any WooCommerce product — a featured image (use a high-quality photo of the room or property), a gallery of additional images, and any relevant categories or tags. You can also configure inventory settings here if you want to track the number of rooms or units available.

Step 4 — Configure the Accommodation Settings

Scroll to the Accommodation section within the Product Data panel. Here you can set key details such as: – Accommodation type (hotel room, apartment, cottage, etc.) – Number of rooms or units available – Maximum number of guests – Cancellation policy – Maximum booking length Think of this section as the core property details that every guest needs to see before booking.

Step 5 — Set Your Rates

Go to the Rates tab. This is where you set your nightly price. You can set a single standard rate that applies across all dates, or you can create custom rate rules for specific date ranges — for example, a higher rate over summer peak season or a reduced mid-week rate. More on pricing rules in the section below.

Step 6 — Configure Availability

Go to the Availability tab. Here you set how many units are available per night and define any restrictions around bookings. You can specify minimum and maximum stay lengths, block out specific dates when the property is unavailable, and control how far in advance guests can book. This is covered in detail in the next section.

Step 7 — Publish the Product

Once you are happy with all your settings, click Publish. Your accommodation product is now live on your WooCommerce store and ready to accept bookings. Guests can visit the product page, pick their dates from the interactive calendar, and complete their booking through your standard WooCommerce checkout.

Setting Up Availability: Calendars, Min/Max Stays & Blocked Dates

Getting your availability settings right is one of the most important parts of the whole setup. Done well, it prevents double bookings, protects your busiest periods with minimum stay requirements, and gives guests a clear picture of when your property is free. Here is what you can control in the Availability tab: – Maximum bookings per unit — If you have a single room, set this to 1. If you have 5 apartments, set it to 5. When a guest books, the stock reduces automatically so the same dates cannot be double-booked. – Minimum stay duration — Useful if you do not want to accept single-night bookings. For example, setting a minimum of 2 nights over weekends or 7 nights during peak holiday periods protects your revenue and reduces turnover costs. – Maximum stay duration — You can cap how long a single booking can run if needed. – Blocked dates — Use this to mark specific dates as unavailable, for example when you have your own personal use of the property scheduled or when maintenance is planned. – Advance booking window — Control how far ahead guests can book (e.g. up to 12 months) and set a minimum lead time so you are never booked at short notice without enough preparation time. A practical tip from experience: set a buffer period between bookings if you need time to clean and prepare the property between guests. This prevents a new guest from checking in on the exact same day a previous guest checks out.

Configuring Pricing Rules: Seasonal Rates, Weekend Surcharges & More

One of the strongest features of the WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings plugin is its flexible pricing engine. Rather than a single flat rate for every night of the year, you can build layered pricing rules that reflect real-world demand patterns. Here is what you can configure under the Rates tab: – Base rate — Your standard nightly price that applies when no other rule overrides it. – Seasonal rates — Create a custom rate for a specific date range. For example, charge $180/night from June through August and $120/night the rest of the year. – Weekend surcharges — Set a higher rate specifically for Friday and Saturday nights. – Special event rates — Override the price for specific holiday periods like Christmas, New Year, or local events when demand spikes. – Date-based block costs — Note that when pricing is calculated by date range, costs are applied to the number of nights, not days, so both the start and end date are used in the calculation. If you update your pricing and the product page does not seem to reflect the new rates, do not panic — it is almost always a caching issue. Simply save the product again and the cache will refresh to show your updated pricing correctly. A single bookable product can also contain multiple accommodation units, each with its own individual availability and pricing rules, which is very useful if you are managing a property with several different room types.

Key Features of the WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings Plugin

Here is a quick summary of everything the plugin brings to your WooCommerce store: – Accommodation product type — A dedicated “bookable” product category specifically for overnight stays, separate from standard WooCommerce products. – Built-in availability calendar — Guests see a live calendar on the product page showing available and unavailable dates. – Flexible pricing engine — Set seasonal rates, weekend surcharges, custom date range prices, and override rates with ease. – Multi-unit support — Manage multiple rooms or apartments under a single product, each with its own availability. – Check-in/check-out time display — Automatically shows your site-wide times on product pages, cart, and order pages. – Custom booking email templates — Send personalised confirmation and reminder emails to guests at the time of booking. – Payment gateway integration — Works with popular payment gateways so guests can pay for their booking through your normal WooCommerce checkout. – Upsell add-ons — You can bundle extra services like airport transfers, meals, or activity packages alongside the accommodation booking. – Analytics and reporting — Track revenue, occupancy rates, and booking data from your dashboard. – Multilingual support — The plugin is fully translatable, making it suitable for international hospitality businesses.

Publishing Your Accommodation Product and Testing the Booking Flow

Once you have published your accommodation product, always do a test booking before pointing any real guests to the page. Here is a quick checklist to run through: – Visit the product page on the front end and check that the calendar displays correctly and that your pricing shows up as expected. – Select a set of check-in and check-out dates and confirm that the total price calculates properly (including any applicable seasonal or weekend rates). – Confirm that unavailable or blocked dates are correctly greyed out and cannot be selected. – Add the booking to your cart and check that the check-in and check-out times are displayed clearly. – Complete a test checkout using a test payment method and confirm that a booking confirmation email is sent. – Log into your WordPress admin and check that the new booking appears under Bookings > All Bookings. If the prices shown on the product page do not match what you have set in the dashboard, save the product one more time to clear the pricing cache. That resolves the issue in almost every case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings free?

The WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings add-on itself is free and available from WordPress.org. However, it requires the paid WooCommerce Bookings plugin to function, which you need to purchase separately from the WooCommerce Marketplace.

Can I set different prices for different times of year with WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings?

Yes. The plugin has a flexible pricing system that lets you create custom rate rules for specific date ranges, so you can charge higher rates during peak season, add weekend surcharges, or set special holiday pricing. Your base rate applies whenever no custom rule overrides it.

How do I block dates in WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings?

You can block specific dates directly in the Availability tab of your accommodation product. Simply add an availability rule that marks those dates as unavailable, and they will be greyed out on the booking calendar so guests cannot select them.

Can I manage multiple rooms or room types with this plugin?

Yes. A single bookable product can contain multiple accommodation units, each with its own availability and pricing rules. You can also create separate products for different room types (e.g. standard room vs. deluxe suite) if you prefer to manage them independently.

Where do I set check-in and check-out times for my accommodation?

Check-in and check-out times are set at the site level by going to WordPress Admin > Bookings > Settings > Accommodation tab. Setting them here ensures they appear consistently on the product page, in the shopping cart, and on order confirmation pages.

Why are my accommodation prices showing incorrectly on the product page?

This is almost always a caching issue — particularly if you recently updated your pricing or changed a product from a standard Bookable type to an Accommodation type. The fix is simple: just save the product again, and the cache will refresh to display your correct pricing.

Can WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings send confirmation emails to guests?

Yes. The plugin lets you set up personalised booking confirmation emails that are automatically sent to guests when they complete a reservation. You can also configure alerts so that you as the property owner receive a notification each time a new booking is made.

Final Thoughts

Thanks so much for reading all the way through — I hope this guide takes the mystery out of setting up a WooCommerce Accommodation Bookings product for your property. It really is one of those setups that looks complicated from the outside but makes a lot of sense once you go through it step by step. If you are more of a visual learner, make sure you watch the full video tutorial I have published on my YouTube channel — I walk through the entire process on screen so you can follow along and set it up at the same time. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below and I will do my best to help. And if you would rather have someone handle this setup for you, feel free to reach out to me directly through paramfreelance.com — I have set this up for all kinds of hospitality businesses and I am happy to help you get it right.