Can my hotel booking API let customers choose between paying me now or paying at the hotel?

Yes, in many cases you can, because hotel suppliers often return prepaid rates alongside rates that are settled directly at the property, and your portal can show them next to each other so the customer picks what suits them.

A prepaid rate means the money is taken at the time of booking, so your agency holds the payment and settles with the supplier in the normal way. A pay at hotel rate means the guest gives card details to guarantee the room and pays the bill at reception, so you earn on the booking without the funds passing through your account. The two kinds of rate usually carry different cancellation rules, and the stricter rules are not always on the prepaid side, so it is worth reading the conditions that come back with each rate rather than assuming which is safer.

What you can actually offer is decided by the suppliers connected to your account rather than by us. Some send only prepaid inventory, some send a mix, and that mix can vary by country, by chain and even by individual property. Local taxes and city charges are also commonly collected at the hotel even on a prepaid booking, so the amount your customer pays you and the amount they pay at reception may not be the whole story, and it helps to make that clear on your confirmation.

Run a few searches in the destinations you sell most and look at which payment types are coming back, then tell us whether you want both options visible to customers or only one, and we can set your portal up that way.