Question 1

What is ZECOHO?

Accepted Answer

ZECOHO is India's first zero-commission hotel booking platform. We help hotels increase direct bookings without losing 15–25% to OTA commissions. Guests get better prices because we don't take a cut from hotels. Hotels can pass those OTA-commission savings on to guests, so you get the same room for up to 25% less. ZECOHO earns only through optional hotel subscription plans — never a commission on your bookings.

Question 2

Who can list?

Accepted Answer

Hotels, lodges, guest houses, resorts, homestays, villas, hostels, serviced apartments, and boutique stays can onboard on ZECOHO. We're built specifically for India's mid-market and independent property segment.

Question 3

Is onboarding free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Onboarding on ZECOHO is free, and you'll never pay a commission on any booking. We charge no listing fees and no commission. Optional subscription plans are available for hotels — your first property is free at submission, and additional properties have a small subscription fee.

Question 4

How long does onboarding take?

Accepted Answer

Typically 24–72 hours after you submit complete documents and high-quality property photos. Properties with cleaner submissions and full photo sets go live faster. Complex KYC cases can take up to 7 working days.

Question 5

Can newly opened hotels onboard?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Newly launched properties are welcome as long as you're operationally ready and have valid business documentation (PAN, bank details, business registration). No track record required.

Question 6

Is ZECOHO available only in India?

Accepted Answer

ZECOHO is India-focused, with particular emphasis on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where hotels feel OTA commissions the hardest. International expansion isn't on the immediate roadmap — we want to dominate the Indian independent and mid-market segment first.

Question 7

Minimum requirements to list?

Accepted Answer

Your property needs: at least one room category configured with photos, valid business identity (PAN required, GST if applicable), an active bank account for payouts, a phone number we can reach you on, and basic guest amenities. That's it — no complicated pre-qualification.

Question 8

Can homestays or villas onboard?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Independent stays, homestays, and vacation rentals are supported, subject to standard KYC and document verification.

Question 9

Multiple properties under one account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Hotel groups, chains, and individual owners managing multiple properties can run everything from a single ZECOHO account with a unified dashboard.

Question 10

Is GST mandatory?

Accepted Answer

No. Properties below the GST exemption threshold can onboard with just a PAN. If you become GST-registered later, you can add the GST number to your ZECOHO profile.

Question 11

Why does ZECOHO verify documents?

Accepted Answer

Verification builds guest trust, prevents fraud, ensures quality inventory, and keeps ZECOHO compliant with hospitality regulations.

Question 12

Are my documents secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Documents are encrypted in transit, stored securely, and shared only with the verification team. We follow Indian data-protection norms and never share KYC documents with third parties.

Question 13

Who creates the property listing?

Accepted Answer

You can create the listing yourself through our guided wizard, or get help from ZECOHO onboarding support. Most hotels complete it in 30–45 minutes on their own.

Question 14

What details are needed in the listing?

Accepted Answer

Property description, room categories with photos, amenities, check-in/check-out policies, cancellation rules, location (with map pin), and contact information. The wizard walks you through each step.

Question 15

How many photos should I upload?

Accepted Answer

Minimum 10 photos to go live, but properties with 20+ photos typically see meaningfully higher booking conversions in our category. Cover all room types, washrooms, lobby/reception, exterior, restaurant (if any), and any standout amenities.

Question 16

What type of photos perform best?

Accepted Answer

Professional, well-lit, landscape-orientation photos work best. Cover: rooms (all categories), washrooms, reception, exterior shot from street, restaurant, common areas, and any nearby attractions or landmarks.

Question 17

Can I edit my listing later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Prices, images, policies, amenities, and descriptions can be updated anytime from your dashboard — no approval cycle needed for most changes.

Question 18

Does ZECOHO help optimize listings?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our team provides guidance on SEO-friendly descriptions, photo quality, pricing strategy, and conversion optimization. Premium subscription hotels also get one-on-one listing audits and personalized improvement plans.

Question 19

How do I update room rates?

Accepted Answer

Through the ZECOHO partner dashboard in real-time. You can update base prices, weekday/weekend rates, seasonal pricing, and per-night calendar overrides. Channel manager integration is on the roadmap for hotels syncing across multiple OTAs.

Question 20

Seasonal pricing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can configure peak-season, off-season, and date-specific pricing.

Question 21

Different weekday/weekend rates?

Accepted Answer

Yes — separate weekday and weekend rates are supported, including custom day-of-week pricing.

Question 22

Can I stop bookings temporarily?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can close inventory for specific dates, room types, or your entire property — instantly from the dashboard.

Question 23

Minimum stay rules?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can set minimum night requirements per room type and per date range — useful for peak season or holiday weekends.

Question 24

How will I receive bookings?

Accepted Answer

Bookings appear in real-time on your ZECOHO dashboard. You'll also receive email and WhatsApp confirmations for every booking, so you never miss one.

Question 25

Instant confirmation for guests?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if your inventory is live and available, bookings are confirmed instantly.

Question 26

Can I reject a booking?

Accepted Answer

Bookings on ZECOHO are confirmed once a guest has paid. Any rejection should be done in advance, not at the last moment — a real-time rejection creates a poor guest experience and damages trust in the platform. In rare cases (overbooking, force majeure, guest documentation issues at check-in), you can request a cancellation with valid reason. We strongly discourage frequent rejections — they affect your visibility ranking and trust score on ZECOHO.

Question 27

How do cancellations work?

Accepted Answer

You define your cancellation policy during onboarding — flexible, moderate, or strict. Guests see your policy before booking, and cancellations are handled per your rules.

Question 28

No-show fees?

Accepted Answer

Yes, based on your cancellation and no-show policy. ZECOHO doesn't override your house rules.

Question 29

How does ZECOHO charge commission?

Accepted Answer

ZECOHO charges zero commission on bookings — that's the founding principle and the name of the company (ZEro COmmission HOtels).  Our revenue model is transparent: - 0% commission on every booking — always - Subscription plans for hotels — first property free, additional properties at a small subscription fee  No percentage-based commission. No revenue share. No hidden cuts. Ever.

Question 30

When will I receive payment?

Accepted Answer

On ZECOHO, hotels collect 100% of the room payment directly from guests at check-in — that's the default model. There are no payout cycles. No 15–30 day waits for OTA-style settlement. The cash flow stays with the hotel.  ZECOHO does not collect any payment from guests at booking today. Your guest relationship — and your money — starts at your front desk, not at a third-party's app.

Question 31

Can guests pay directly at hotel?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and this is one of ZECOHO's biggest differentiators. By default, guests pay 100% of their room rate directly to the hotel at check-in. ZECOHO does not collect any payment from guests at booking today.  If a hotel wants to request an advance payment from a guest, the hotel can do so directly — the advance is paid by the guest to the hotel directly, outside ZECOHO. The hotel must communicate any advance requirement upfront in their listing or before confirmation.  Your cash flow stays with you, you reduce payment-gateway dependency, and your guest relationship starts at your front desk — not at a third-party's app.

Question 32

Does ZECOHO accept online payments at booking?

Accepted Answer

No, ZECOHO does not collect payments at booking. Guests pay the full amount directly to the hotel at check-in via the hotel's own counter (cash, card, or UPI). If a hotel chooses to collect an advance, that advance is paid directly to the hotel — not through ZECOHO.

Question 33

Can international guests book on ZECOHO?

Accepted Answer

Yes. International guests can book any ZECOHO-listed hotel — the booking flow is the same as for Indian guests. Since ZECOHO does not collect payment at booking, guests pay directly to the hotel at check-in. International guests should check with the hotel in advance about accepted payment methods (most Indian hotels accept international cards at the front desk; some may prefer cash in INR).

Question 34

Dashboard?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every onboarded hotel gets access to a partner dashboard with booking management, calendar pricing, photo uploads, earnings reports, and guest details.

Question 35

Manage bookings from mobile?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The ZECOHO partner dashboard works on mobile and desktop. A dedicated mobile app is on the roadmap.

Question 36

Is training provided?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every onboarding hotel gets a guided walkthrough call, written documentation, and ongoing email/WhatsApp support.

Question 37

How does ZECOHO help increase bookings?

Accepted Answer

ZECOHO drives bookings through: - Better visibility for your hotel on search engines and travel discovery - Lower prices for guests (because we don't take a commission cut), which means more guests choose your hotel - Direct-to-hotel traffic — we don't intercept your bookings or hide your brand - Targeted promotion of your property to travelers looking for hotels in your city - Marketing support to help you build your own customer base, not just rent ours

Question 38

Will my hotel appear on Google?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every ZECOHO property page is built to appear in Google search results when travelers search for hotels in your city. Your hotel can show up in Google search, Google Maps, and Google's hotel listings for traveler queries — without you having to do anything technical.

Question 39

Can ZECOHO help with hotel marketing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Marketing support includes social media content guidance, SEO-friendly listing optimization, paid performance campaigns (premium subscribers), and branding consultation. We work with hotels to build their direct brand — not erase it under our name.

Question 40

Does better content improve ranking?

Accepted Answer

Yes. High-quality photos, complete descriptions, guest reviews, fast responsiveness, and consistent pricing all improve your visibility on ZECOHO and in search engines.

Question 41

Can guests leave reviews?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Verified guests can leave reviews after their stay. Only guests with confirmed bookings on ZECOHO can review your property.

Question 42

Can hotels respond to reviews?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and we strongly encourage it. Professional, prompt responses (even to critical reviews) significantly improve booking conversions for future guests.

Question 43

Can fake reviews be removed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Hotels can flag reviews they believe violate our guidelines (fake, abusive, off-topic, or not from a verified guest). ZECOHO investigates flagged reviews and removes those that breach moderation policies.

Question 44

Policy violations?

Accepted Answer

ZECOHO may suspend or remove listings that violate platform standards — including misrepresentation, repeated booking rejections, fraudulent practices, or guest-safety issues. We always notify hotels before action and allow a response window where possible.

Question 45

Local legal compliance?

Accepted Answer

Hotels are responsible for complying with local laws and regulations including business licenses, tax registrations, and guest registration requirements. ZECOHO does not provide legal advice — please consult a local professional for jurisdiction-specific obligations.

Question 46

Does ZECOHO guarantee bookings?

Accepted Answer

No platform can guarantee bookings — that depends on your pricing, photos, reviews, location, and seasonal demand. What we can guarantee is that you keep 100% of your room revenue — ZECOHO charges zero commission on bookings — plus you control your pricing and own your guest relationship.

Question 47

How can I contact support?

Accepted Answer

Support is available through: - In-app chat in your owner dashboard - Email: support@zecoho.com - WhatsApp: +91 78198 20691 - Phone helpline: +91 78198 20691 (09:00 AM – 06:00 PM)

Question 48

Is onboarding assistance available?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The ZECOHO onboarding team is available to walk you through documents, photos, listing setup, and first-week setup — at no extra cost.

Question 49

Technical issues?

Accepted Answer

Reach out via in-app chat in your owner dashboard, email support@zecoho.com, or WhatsApp +91 78198 20691. We aim to resolve technical issues within 24 hours.

Question 50

Temporarily deactivate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can pause your listing for any duration — vacation, renovation, off-season — and reactivate anytime from the dashboard.

Question 51

Permanently remove listing?

Accepted Answer

You can request permanent deactivation through partner support. We'll preserve your booking history and earnings records for compliance, but your listing won't be visible to guests.

Question 52

Will ZECOHO force discounts like other OTAs?

Accepted Answer

No. ZECOHO will never force discounts on hotels. You set your prices — we don't dictate them, manipulate them, or run hidden discount campaigns at your expense. We don't run "first-day sales," "secret deal" prices, or any of the predatory pricing tactics OTAs use to undercut hotels.

Question 53

Does ZECOHO believe hotels should own their brand?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. ZECOHO is built on the belief that hotels deserve to own their brand identity, guest relationships, and pricing power. We list your hotel by its actual name, link to your direct website where applicable, and share guest contact details with you. You're a partner, not inventory.

Question 54

Can ZECOHO help reduce OTA dependency?

Accepted Answer

Yes. That's central to ZECOHO's mission. Every booking on ZECOHO costs you 0% commission versus 15–25% on traditional OTAs. Over time, this lets you drop your room price by the commission you'd have paid an OTA, so guests pay less and choose your hotel more often — while you cut your dependency on platforms that take a quarter of your room revenue.

Question 55

Why should hotels trust ZECOHO?

Accepted Answer

Three reasons: 1. Aligned incentives. ZECOHO charges 0% commission. We only earn when hotels actually grow bookings — we don't profit from your room revenue. 2. Transparent revenue model. Hotel subscription plans only — no per-booking fee, no revenue share. No hidden cuts, no discount manipulation, no commission creep. 3. Founders who answer the phone. Built by Pushkar Bhatt and Anuj Joshi — small team, hotel-first, accessible to partners directly. We're building the platform we wished existed when we looked at what OTAs do to independent hotels.

Frequently asked questions