Payments & Billing

Your guest portal shows what your booking costs, what you have already paid, and what is left. You can pay online at any time.

Overview

When you book a villa, the cost is usually split into a deposit and a balance rather than charged all at once. The Payment page in your portal shows your booking summary and the amount due, and lets you pay with the payment methods your host accepts: a credit or debit card, PayPal, or a bank transfer, depending on the property.

Opening the Payment Page

Select Pay Balance on the balance card in your dashboard's To do list, or Pay Balance under the Price Breakdown on your booking page. The Payment page opens ("Complete your payment").

The Booking Summary card shows:

Line	What it is
Accommodation	The nightly rate for your stay, with the number of nights
Fees & Services	Fees your host charges on every booking, such as cleaning
Add-ons	Add-ons you chose, such as a high chair
Discounts & credits	Any discount or credit your host applied, shown as a deduction
Taxes	Taxes on your stay, such as Costa Rica's IVA
Total	Everything on your booking, including any add-ons you chose
Paid so far	What you have paid so far
Amount Due	What is left to pay, with the Due by date of your balance

Lines with nothing on them are left out. Paid so far and Amount Due appear once there is a payment plan on your booking.

If your booking was made and paid through a booking platform such as Airbnb or Booking.com, the page shows Paid Through the platform instead: "This booking was paid through [platform]. No balance is owed." If your host hasn't set up the charges for your booking yet, it shows No Charges Yet.

Deposit and Balance

Payment	Typical timing	Typical amount
Deposit	When you book	A percentage of the total
Balance	Before arrival (the Due by date)	The rest of the total
Security deposit	A hold placed when your stay begins	Varies by property

Your host sets the exact deposit percentage and balance due date. Your portal always shows what applies to your booking.

Deposit

The deposit secures your reservation. Until it is received, your booking may show as Pending rather than Confirmed.

Balance

The balance is the rest of your booking total, due by the date shown under Amount Due. If your card is saved from your deposit, your host may charge the balance to it automatically on the due date.

Security Deposit

A security deposit protects the property against damage. It is a hold on your card, not a charge. The Security Deposit section of the Payment page tells you where it stands:

• "A security deposit hold of {amount} will be placed on your card when your stay begins. This is just a hold — not a charge — and it will be released after your stay."
• Once released: "Your security deposit of {amount} has been returned. You should see the hold removed from your statement within a few business days."

If there is damage, the section shows the amount charged and the reason.

Making a Payment

1. Open the Payment page.

2. Under Payment Method, choose how to pay:

   • Credit or Debit Card
   • PayPal
   • Bank Transfer

   Only the methods your host accepts for this property appear. If there is just one, it is already selected.

3. Select Pay Now.

4. Finish the payment as described below for your method.

"Your payment is processed securely. We never store card details."

Paying by card

Depending on your host's card processor, either:

• you are taken to the processor's secure payment page ("Redirecting to secure payment...") and brought back to your portal afterwards, or
• a secure card form opens on the Payment page ("Loading secure card form...").

Your bank may ask you to confirm the payment, for example with a code or in your banking app.

When the payment succeeds you see Payment Confirmed with the Amount paid, and "A confirmation receipt will be sent to your email."

If the card is declined you see "Your payment was declined. Please try a different payment method." Nothing is charged, and you can try again.

If your bank is slow to respond you may see Confirming Your Payment: "Your bank is still confirming this payment. Please do not pay again. Check back on this page in a few minutes to see the result." Don't start a second payment. The result appears on the page once the bank confirms.

Paying by PayPal

You are taken to PayPal to approve the payment, then brought back to your portal.

Paying by bank transfer

After you select Pay Now, the page shows Booking Reserved with:

• the Amount Due, including any bank-transfer fee (shown as "Includes ..."),
• the Wire Transfer Instructions (the bank account details to send to),
• the Reference to put on your transfer, so your host can match it to your booking,
• the deadline, when there is one: "Payment must be received by [date and time]."

Your booking is confirmed once your host receives the transfer. If the transfer does not arrive in time, the reservation may be cancelled and the dates released.

Processing Fees

Some hosts charge a processing fee for certain payment methods, for example a percentage for cards or a flat fee for bank transfers. The fee:

• depends on the method you choose, so paying a different way can cost a different amount,
• is added to each payment when you make it, on the amount you are paying then,
• is already included in the amount you are asked to pay. For a bank transfer it is shown in the instructions ("Includes ..."). Your host's booking emails can also list the total for each payment method.

The fee is not part of your booking Total. It is listed separately on your booking receipt.

Booking on Your Host's Website

If you book on your host's own website and pay online, a few extra things apply:

• Changing your mind before you pay. If you go back from the payment step before any payment (for example by choosing to change your details or payment method, or with your browser's Back button from the card payment page), your reservation is released straight away, the dates are freed, and you can book again with different details. If you had already been shown bank-transfer instructions, you get a short email saying no transfer is needed.
• Leaving without paying. An unpaid reservation is cancelled automatically: after 30 minutes if you chose card or PayPal, or after 36 hours if you chose bank transfer. You get one email letting you know.
• Confirmation emails. Your booking confirmation is sent once your first payment is received, not when you first submit the booking.

Your Booking Receipt

Your host can send you a Booking Receipt (PDF) for your records. It shows:

• Charges -- accommodation, each fee and add-on on its own line, IVA, the card processing fee (if any), and the Total,
• Payments -- each installment with its Due Date, Amount, Card fee, Total, and Status (Paid or Pending), plus Paid to date, Balance remaining, and your Payment Method.

If your balance will be charged to your saved card, the receipt already includes the card fee that payment will carry, so the total is what you will actually pay. For bookings made through Airbnb, Booking.com, or VRBO, the receipt shows the booking platform's figures and notes that payment was "collected by the booking platform".

Ask your host through Messages if you need a receipt.

Currency

Prices are shown in the currency your host set, most often USD for Costa Rica villas. If your card uses a different currency, your bank handles the conversion at its own rate and may charge its own foreign-transaction fee.

Late Payments

If your balance is not paid by its due date, your host or concierge may contact you through Messages or email. An unpaid balance can lead to cancellation under the host's cancellation policy. If you expect a problem paying on time, message your host early.

Refund Policy

Your host's cancellation policy is on your booking page under Property Policies. Refunds go back to your original payment method. Processing times depend on your bank or PayPal.

Key Concepts

• Deposit -- The first payment that secures your booking.
• Balance -- The rest of your booking total, due by the date shown.
• Processing fee -- A fee some hosts add for a payment method, charged on each payment.
• Security deposit -- A hold on your card, not a charge. Released after your stay if there is no damage.
• Booking Receipt -- A PDF listing your charges and payments, available from your host.

Common Questions

Can I pay the whole balance at once? Yes. The Amount Due on the Payment page is everything still owed, and Pay Now pays it.

Why is the amount different for card and bank transfer? Your host charges a different processing fee for each method. The difference is only the fee. Your booking total is the same.

I see "Confirming Your Payment". Should I pay again? No. Your bank has not confirmed the result yet. Check back in a few minutes. Paying again could charge you twice.

My card was declined. What now? Nothing was charged. Try again, try a different card, or choose another payment method.

How do I get a receipt? You get a confirmation email after each payment. For a full Booking Receipt PDF, ask your host through Messages.

What happens to my security deposit after checkout? If no damage is reported, the hold is released. It can take a few business days to disappear from your statement.

I was charged the wrong amount. What should I do? Contact your host through Messages right away.

Related

• Guest Portal Guide -- Your portal, including adding optional extras to your booking.
• Arrival Info & Directions -- Check-in times, directions, and your villa guide.
• Guest Messaging -- How to contact your host and concierge.