How do I check an inn’s booking calendar for suspicious gaps?

A calendar is a story, and the gaps are where you ask questions. Request an export of reservations along with the sales reports and the bank deposits for the same dates. Then pick several blank stretches and ask what happened. Was the inn closed for repairs, held back for the owner’s family, blocked for a wedding, or just empty?

Look for bookings that do not leave a financial trace. Reservations without matching deposits, cancellations that were never recorded, or cash payments that skipped the system all deserve a closer look. Equally, deposits without matching reservations suggest records kept somewhere else.

Ask whether bookings come through the inn’s own system or through outside channels, and whether you can see each channel’s statements. Compare the picture against cash flow, which shows what actually reaches the bank. Have your accountant review the reconciliation. A clean explanation, backed by documents, is reassuring; a vague one is worth pressing on before you go further. Keep copies of everything you are shown, with dates, so you can return to it later. Do not assume the worst. Many gaps have dull explanations, such as renovations, illness or a deliberately quiet season. What matters is that the seller explains each one readily and the documents agree with the explanation.

Key takeaways

• Compare reservations with deposits and bank records for the same dates.
• Ask for a documented reason behind each long gap.
• Have your accountant reconcile all channels before you rely on the numbers.