The first guest of the season is the worst possible time to discover that a rate is wrong or a payment method isn’t live. The sites that open smoothly all do the same unglamorous thing: they run a checklist a few weeks before, when there is still time to fix what it finds.
Here is the one we walk every new site through.
Rates and the season calendar
Everything downstream depends on rates being right, so start here.
- Load high, shoulder and off-season rates for every pitch and accommodation type.
- Set minimum-stay and arrival-day rules where you use them.
- Enter this season’s exact date boundaries — the day shoulder becomes high season is the day mistakes happen.
- Load any weekend or peak-date surcharges.
Then book a fake stay across a season boundary and confirm the price is what you expect.
The pitch map
A pitch map that reflects last season is a source of double-bookings.
- Retire pitches that are out of service; add any new ones.
- Check accommodation types are correct — a pitch relabelled as a cabin over winter needs updating.
- Confirm which pitches are seasonal contracts and therefore not in the open pool.
Payments, live and tested
Do not assume last year’s setup still works.
- Confirm TWINT, card and QR-Bill are all live and settling to the right account.
- Run one real transaction through each method and check it reconciles.
- Verify deposit and cancellation rules are set per rate.
The five francs a test booking costs you is the cheapest insurance of the season.
Compliance, switched on
- Confirm HESTA filing is active for the new season and the canton format is current.
- Check the Meldeschein captures every field your canton requires.
- Confirm Kurtaxe tariffs and exemptions match this year’s municipal rates.
The guest-facing front door
- Update your website — prices, opening dates, photos, and the amenities you actually offer this year.
- Test the booking widget end-to-end on a phone; most guests book on one.
- Set up confirmation and pre-arrival messages so guests aren’t chasing you.
Staff and the dry run
- Walk new staff through check-in, payment and the pitch map before opening day.
- Do a full dry run: book, check in, add a shop item to the folio, take payment, check out. If any step surprises you, better now than in front of a queue.
The takeaway
A smooth opening isn’t luck — it’s a checklist run three weeks early. Load the rates, refresh the map, test every payment method with a real transaction, switch on compliance, and do one honest dry run. The season that starts calmly is the one that was rehearsed.