Using Hold Codes for Group Bookings (e.g., Weddings)

ReservationKey allows you to create special Hold Codes that make it easy to block rooms for group events ? such as weddings, reunions, or conferences ? and provide guests with a private booking link to reserve from that group?s allotment.

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Step 1: Create a Reservation Status for Group Holds

1. Go to the Settings tab.
2. Click Reservation Status.
3. Click Add Status.
4. Enter a name for the status, such as Wedding Hold.
5. Choose a color for easy identification.
6. Set the option Use this status for group holds (status ID 8).
7. Click Save Changes.

When these hold reservations are later booked or paid for, they can automatically change to another status, such as Confirmed (status 5). If not, they will remain as New Request (status 4) by default.

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Step 2: Block Rooms for the Group

1. Go to the Reservation Manager (availability calendar).
2. Click and drag across the rooms and dates you want to reserve for the group (you can drag up to two rooms at a time).
3. Click within the selected area and choose Add Reservation.
4. Enter a name for the group, such as Thompson Wedding.
5. Click Save.
6. Change the status to Wedding Hold.

The calendar now shows those rooms as blocked for that date range. Guests will not see them as available on your public reservation page unless they have the special booking link.

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Step 3: Generate and Share the Booking Link

1. Open the group reservation you just created.
2. Click More and select Booking and Payment Links.
3. Copy the special Hold Code link or click it to open in a new tab.

Guests using this special link will see the blocked rooms as available. Regular users visiting your reservation page will still see those rooms as unavailable for the same dates.

Tip: Use Calendar Search Mode to quickly verify that the rooms appear correctly for both guests with and without the special link.

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Step 4: Guest Reservations from the Hold Link

Once guests receive their private link, they can reserve directly from that blocked set of rooms:

1. The guest opens the special booking link.
2. They select their desired room(s) and dates.
3. They complete the reservation and payment form as usual.

After booking, the reservation will appear on your calendar ? typically using the New Request color until it?s confirmed or paid, depending on your status setup.

As more guests use the same hold link, the available rooms within that group block will update automatically, showing only the remaining unbooked rooms.

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Step 5: Sending Hold Links to Guests via Email

You can streamline communication by creating a custom email template for group holds:

1. Go to Website → Email Templates.
2. Click Add Template and name it, for example, Wedding Reservation Page.
3. Write your message (you can include merge codes like {guestname} or {checkindate}).
4. Manually paste the special hold link into the message body.
5. Click Save.

Now, you can send this email directly to guests from the Correspondence section of the reservation.

Note: Currently, there is no automatic merge code for hold code links, so they must be copied manually. This may be added in a future update.

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Step 6: Creating Multiple Hold Codes

You can create separate hold codes for different events or groups:

• Open a new reservation for each event (for example, Jane Doe Wedding).
• Assign the status Wedding Hold.
• Retrieve the unique hold code link from More → Booking and Payment Links.

Each hold code generates a unique link and independent set of blocked rooms, so multiple events can be managed simultaneously.

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Summary

Hold Codes are a powerful tool for managing group bookings:

• Create a special reservation status for group holds.
• Block rooms using that status.
• Send guests a private booking link for those rooms.
• Track and manage bookings directly in your calendar.

This feature is ideal for weddings, retreats, conferences, or any event where guests should book from a specific set of pre-held rooms.