What happens to guest bookings and deposits when a resort is sold?

Your resort may have guests booked months ahead, some of whom have paid something up front. Those guests do not care who owns the property. They care that their room, cottage or site is ready when they arrive. So the handover of the forward booking book matters as much as the buildings do. Settle it in writing before closing, and keep the guests informed so nobody arrives to a surprise.

Build one list of future stays

Ask the seller for a single list of every reservation past the closing date: guest, dates, unit, rate quoted, amount paid and the cancellation terms they agreed to. Compare it with the reservation system, the booking-site dashboards and any paper or email bookings. Gaps are common, especially for phone bookings, and each gap is a guest you may have to honour without knowing it.

Decide who holds the deposits

Ask your lawyer how money guests paid for stays after closing is to be handled. Many agreements credit the buyer for those amounts at closing, or transfer them to a separate account. Others adjust against the price. Your lawyer can draft the wording, and your accountant can explain how each approach is recorded.

Move the accounts and the tools

Online booking sites, payment processors and the reservation software may be tied to the seller’s login and bank details. Ask each provider what it needs to change the owner, and plan the switch so no booking is lost on the day. Our page on what decides whether a resort makes money year-round shows why the booking calendar deserves attention.

Tell guests about the change

• Agree the wording of a short message to booked guests.
• Say whether special requests and quoted rates still stand.
• Name a contact guests can reach during the changeover.