How it works
How does the Roomorama process work?
How secure is Roomorama?
How are payments made?
Does Roomorama cost anything? How do I sign up?
I didn’t receive my activation email, what should I do?
What types of listings are available on Roomorama?
Can you explain the feedback system and the Reputation Score?
My password is lost or forgotten, what do I do?
How can I contact Roomorama?
How do I view/edit My Account and change my settings?
Host
Do I have to pay to list a property?
How do I list a space on Roomorama?
What if I have multiple spaces that I would like to rent out?
What is the ShoutOuts feature, and how can I use it to get more bookings?
Why can I not make an offer to a ShoutOut that would fit my property?
How do I get paid?
What is a Certified Host and what are the benefits of becoming one?
How do I become a Certified Host?
How to communicate with potential guests?
Am I obligated to host a guest who has sent me an inquiry?
What if my guest does not make payment in a timely manner? Can I accept inquiries for overlapping days?
Can I take a deposit? Does Roomorama provide insurance?
How do I edit the availability and pricing of my listing(s)?
How do I edit the details, amenities and photos of my listing(s)?
How do I cancel a booking?
How do I improve the visibility of my listing?
How do I protect myself against guest cancellations?
Guest
How do I book a room?
Can I communicate with the host before I make a booking?
If my booking inquiry is confirmed by the host, does this mean these days are reserved for me?
How do I pay the host?
Can I pay a deposit or part of the rent and the rest upon check in?
How secure is my financial transaction through Roomorama?
What can I do if can't find any rooms?
Why do I get a message that the room is unavailable when it appears to be available on the calendar?
I sent an inquiry to the host and got no response. What should I do?
How do I leave feedback for the host?
What happens if I need to cancel an existing booking?
Why do certain properties have cancellation properties and others do not?
Glossary
Click here to view the Roomorama Glossary
How it works
How does the Roomorama process work?
As a guest:
Browse: Search for rooms and make a booking inquiry.
Pay: Host confirms availability. To book, guest must pay online via Paypal or credit card (online or on the phone).
Stay: Provide your payment code to the host upon arrival and enjoy your stay!
As a host:
List a room.
Confirm availability for inquiring guests.
Get payment code from guest upon check-in and redeem funds (see question 3).
How secure is Roomorama?
We pride ourselves on safety and security at Roomorama. Our payment process protects both guests and hosts. We also provide 24/7 customer service: by phone at 1-877-750-ROOM (7666) or by email at info@roomorama.com. Furthermore, Roomorama provides a level of transparency that gives our users assurance that they are dealing with honest, trustworthy people. Each user’s profile includes feedback and ratings from previous stays.
How are payments made?
The payment system is simple and secure. Once a host has confirmed availability, the guest makes the payment and receives a payment code from Roomorama. Upon arrival for the stay, the guest gives this payment code to the host. Once the host inputs the payment code into our system, the funds are released either by PayPal or check.
Does Roomorama cost anything? How do I sign up?
Roomorama is completely free hosts to use. There are no activation costs or setup/listing fees. Hosts may post as many listings as they like at Roomorama for free. Guests are charged a Booking Fee (which includes all credit card processing fees etc) - it is 12% for stays of 1-30 nights, and 8% for stays of 30-60 nights. This is to help us pay for the service and security we provide.
Signing up is very easy. Simply click the sign up link and fill out your information. You will receive a confirmation message when you've signed up. Follow the instructions and you are ready to go.
What types of listings are available on Roomorama?
We have 3 types of listings available on Roomorama:
Room (a bedroom in a shared space)
Apartment
House
Can you explain the feedback system?
At the end of each stay guests and hosts are asked to rate their experience (“thumbs up” or “thumbs down”) and leave feedback about their stay. We encourage all users to provide feedback to help increase the transparency of the community and improve the quality of future of stays.
As a host, feedback left by previous guests provides instant credibility to potential future guests - so be nice!
My password is lost or forgotten, what do I do?
At the Log-in screen, simply click the link next to “Forgot your password?” We will send you an email with a new password.
How can I contact Roomorama?
We’re always ready to help at Roomorama. You can contact us by phone at 1-877-750-ROOM (7666) or email us at info@roomorama.com
How do I view/edit My Account and change my settings?
To access your account, simply click on your username on the top right of the page. From here you can view your profile, edit your profile, and change settings such as how you would like to get paid and your email notification preferences.
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Host
Do I have to pay to list a property?
No! Listing, managing and renting your property is free for you!
How do I list a space on Roomorama?
To create a listing on Roomorama merely click on the List a Room tab. Sign up and then fill in the template with all of your accommodation’s details and it will become available for all Roomorama users to see. If you are logged in, click on the "Host Activity" tab and click "Add New Property."
What if I have multiple spaces that I would like to rent out?
Feel free to list as many accommodations as you like. For example, if you have three separate rooms that you would like to rent out, list them each separately to ensure maximum exposure.
What is the ShoutOuts feature, and how can I use it to get more bookings?
ShoutOuts are posted by guests looking for accommodations. You can use these ShoutOuts to find guests that might be suitable for your property. To do this, click on the Host Activity Tab and then click on the red "Fill Your Vacancies" button. This will take you to our ShoutOuts page. You can filter these requests by city or by your individual property, and then reach out to them immediately.
Why can I not make an offer to a ShoutOut that would fit my property?
In order to make an offer, your property must be available for dates of the ShoutOut. Go to your property from your Host Activity Tab, click on "Availability" and make sure the property is available for those dates.
How do I get paid?
Upon check-in, the guest will hand you the Roomorama payment code. Simply login to your account, go to Host Activity and click on Outstanding. Click on the correct ticket and enter the code in the box provided. We will then send you the funds via Paypal or check. You can choose your payment method by going to your profile, which can be accessed by clicking on your profile name on the top right of the screen.
What is a Certified Host and what are the benefits of becoming one?
A Certified Host is verified to be a trustworthy member of the Roomorama community who has completed at least 3 stays with good reviews.
As a Certified Host you will get a Certified Host icon next to your listings so that guests can immediately identify you in search results. Also, Roomorama will honor and abide by your own cancellation policy. Keep in mind, in order for Roomorama to honor your cancellation policy, it must be uploaded to each and every property for which it will apply.
How do I become a Certified Host?
In order to qualify you must have completed 3 successful stays on Roomorama and have positive reviews.
How can I communicate with potential guests?
Log in and click on the Host Activity tab. You'll see all of your Outstanding Inquiries. Click on the message and you will be able to communicate with your guest there.
Am I obligated to host a guest who has sent me an inquiry?
You decide to whom you would like to rent your place. You can check the profile and feedback of any inquiring guests, or feel free to ask for more information in a message.
What if my guest does not make payment in a timely manner? Can I accept inquiries for overlapping days?
You should feel free to send a gentle reminder to the guest to remind him/her to make payment. You can accept as many inquiries as you want but the room will go to the first guest who pays the full amount through Roomorama.
Can I take a deposit? Does Roomorama provide insurance?
Hosts can arrange for a cash deposit to be held for the duration of the stay and returned upon checkout. The List a Room template includes a field for this cash deposit. Roomorama does not handle the payment or reimbursement of this deposit. We do not currently provide insurance for hosts. If you would like to have your own cancellation policy, you must first become a Certified Host.
How do I edit the availability and pricing of my listing(s)?
To do this, simply log in, click on the My Properties link on your Host Activity tab, and find the property you would like to edit. To change the availability or edit pricing, click "Availability." This page will show a calendar with your current pricing and availability. You can make changes by selecting dates and prices and clicking "Save." Also, if you would like to make a listing inactive, simply click the slider that says "This listing is" to "Off".
How do I edit the details, amenities and photos of my listing(s)?
To do this, simply log in, click on the My Properties link on your Host Activity tab, and find the property you would like to edit. From here you can easily edit the details of your listing(s) and upload or delete photos.
How do I cancel a booking?
First, send a message to the guest explaining the reason for cancellation. In the booking ticket, you will see a button that allows you to cancel the reservation. Please note that if you cancel a booking for any reason, you will be responsible for Roomorama's Fee (12% of the booking).
How do I improve the visibility of my listing?
Becoming a Certified Host is a terrific way to increase the visibility of your listing. Our Certified Hosts are given an icon to indicate their status. Also, include high quality photos and a thorough description to make your listing as attractive as possible to potential guests.
How do I protect myself against guest cancellations?
To protect against cancellations, choose your guests carefully. Check out their profile and recent feedback, and ask any questions you may have of prospective guests. Also, Certified Hosts can upload cancellation policies.
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Guest
How do I book a room?
Booking a room is very easy. Once you have found an accommodation that meets your needs, click the "Contact Host" button on the property details page. The inquiry is then sent to the host for confirmation of availability.
Can I communicate with the host before I make a booking?
Sure. Once you click "Contact Host" you can type anything in the message box to your potential host. Even after the host has confirmed, you may still communicate through the booking ticket.
If my booking inquiry is confirmed by the host, does this mean these days are reserved for me?
No, in order to reserve your accommodation you must pay for your stay. The first guest to pay will be honored.
How do I pay the host?
Once confirmed by the host, you can pay through Roomorama via PayPal or by credit card (online or over the phone at 1-877-750-7666).
Can I pay a deposit or part of the rent and the rest upon check in?
You must pay the full amount to complete the booking and secure your room.
How secure is my financial transaction through Roomorama?
Very. Roomorama uses PayPal as a third-party payment system for all transactions. Even if you pay via credit card, your funds are held by PayPal. Your funds are not released until the host gives us your payment code.
What can I do if can't find any rooms?
Use our ShoutOuts feature to broadcast to the Roomorama community what you are looking for. To do this, once you have run a search, you will see a red button on the right side of the screen that says "Create ShoutOut". Use this to broadcast your needs to the community. You can also create a ShoutOut from your My Travel Plans tab. Also, new room/apartments are posted every day - so if you don't find something today, come back tomorrow, or email us at info@roomorama.com for off-the-book deals.
I sent an inquiry to the host and got no response. What should I do?
Hosts get multiple inquiries and will make their unit available to whomever they see fit. To increase your chances of your inquiry being accepted by the host, you should provide as much information as possible in your inquiry and fill in a detailed profile. Also, make a few inquiries with other hosts too - this will increase your chances of finding something.
If you haven’t heard back from the host within a reasonable amount of time, just send a friendly reminder. In the meantime, take a look at some of the other properties that might fit your needs or post a ShoutOut.
How do I leave feedback for the host?
Once you have completed the stay, we send you an email to remind you to leave feedback. Or, go to your My Travel Plans tab, and look under Completed. Click on the ticket of the completed stay and you'll see a feedback box where you can leave your feedback. We encourage all of our users to provide feedback after a stay because this increases the transparency of the community and helps hosts and guests improve for future stays.
What happens if I need to cancel an existing booking?
You can only cancel a booking prior to handing over the payment code to the host. First, you MUST send a message via Roomorama to inform us of the host of the reason for cancellation. For bookings with non-certified hosts, we will refund the full rental amount minus the Booking Fee. For bookings with Certified Hosts, Roomorama will honor and abide by their cancellation policy and refund the rental amount minus the Cancellation Fee and minus the Booking Fee. In either case, should the need to cancel arise, you should be courteous and give your host ample notice so that he/she can find a replacement.
What happens if the host cancels my booking?
Roomorama will issue a refund and try to find you something else. If you wish to book, you can pay for the new booking at the stated rate. Please note that Roomorama is simply a facilitator, connecting hosts with guests - we are not responsible for Host cancellations as these are situations not within our control. What we will do however, is try our best to secure you an alternative.
Why do certain properties have cancellation policies and others do not?
We only allow our Certified Hosts to have a cancellation policy.
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Roomorama Glossary
ShoutOuts: a way for guests to broadcast their needs to potential hosts and a tool for hosts to find guests that match their availabilities.
Guests: Post a ShoutOut if you cannot find what you are looking for.
Hosts: Look for ShoutOuts that you can accommodate and make an offer.
Certified Host: A host that has been certified by the Roomorama community to be legitimate and trustworthy. These hosts have hosted at least 3 stays with positive reviews or are a professionally managed property owner.
Inquiry: guest sends an inquiry to express interest in the property.
The Availability Calendar: shows bookings in various stages of the process. You can also edit availabilities and prices for each listing.
My Travel Plans Tab: this is where all of the action happens for guests. See your outstanding inquiries, booked stays and completed bookings. You can also create a ShoutOut from this tab.
Host Activity Tab: this is where all of the action happens for hosts. See your outstanding inquiries, upcoming stays and completed bookings. You can also list properties, manage your properties availability/pricing/details, and search for ShoutOuts to fill your vacancies.
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