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Bookkeeping for hospitality and vacation rentals
Hospitality accounting follows reservations through deposits, completed stays and platform payouts. Tidwell helps lodging operators organize those movements alongside property expenses and hospitality payroll.
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General information, not legal advice.
Follow reservations through cancellations and settlements
Keep booking reports, refunds, platform fees and deposits linked by property and stay. A payout may combine several reservations or include adjustments from an earlier period. Reconcile the components before treating the bank amount as room revenue.
Distinguish guest funds from property earnings
Record advance receipts and amounts held separately from completed-stay activity using the method approved by your CPA. For managers handling owner funds, maintain owner-level detail and follow the handling instructions established with counsel.
See turnover costs by property
Cleaning invoices, linens, repairs and consumable supplies can vary sharply between stays. Bookkeeping for short term rentals should retain enough property detail to explain those differences rather than pooling every cost.
Organize staff pay and lodging tax records
Approved housekeeping and front-desk hours support payroll. Preserve booking tax summaries for the person responsible for lodging filings, and confirm the scope with your tax adviser. Tidwell’s role is bookkeeping and payroll support, not deciding local tax rules.
Questions about stays, payouts and turnover costs
Can Airbnb bookkeeping reconcile fees and refunds?
Platform settlement reports can connect booking activity with each transfer. Include cancellation adjustments and amounts still held by the platform.
Can vacation rental reports separate owner properties?
Yes, if transactions carry consistent property and owner references and the underlying account structure preserves the required separation.
What records support housekeeping payroll?
Supply approved time, property assignments and authorized adjustments. Vendor cleaning invoices should remain distinct from employee payroll.
Understand the money behind each stay
Bring your current records and the questions you want the books to answer. We work remotely across California, with meetings at our Atascadero office by arrangement to discuss a practical service scope.
Monthly bookkeeping starts at $500 a month. See pricing