Overview
When an AmenitizPay payment fails (the card was declined or the transaction never completed) or stays uncaptured (the bank authorised it but the funds never moved), the reservation isn't automatically cancelled — you can resolve it by retrying the charge, sending a payment link, or asking the guest to contact their bank. This article walks you through both situations.
📌 Good to know
Most payments need 1–2 hours to process. Wait that out before retrying.
A failed or uncaptured payment does not cancel the reservation.
If the guest is redirected to their banking app for 3D Secure, they must return to your website to finalise both the reservation and the payment.
Dealing with a failed payment
A payment can fail because of insufficient funds, a bank decline, or an unfinished 3D Secure step. The bank may also reject it with a generic do_not_honor code (no further detail provided) — the guest needs to contact their bank or use another card.
Check the reservation status. The system notifies you and the guest when a payment fails. Open the reservation:
Reservations→ view booking details →Paymentsto see the failure reason.Contact the guest to agree on an alternative payment method. The reservation stays active.
Retry the payment. From the reservation's
Paymentstab, clickCreate a Paymentand either select Charge the card (to retry the saved card) or generate a payment link to send to the guest. See how to create a payment on a booking for the full flow.
Handling an uncaptured payment
An uncaptured payment is one where the bank pre-authorised the funds but never moved them. The most common causes are an unfinished bank authorisation (guest needs to confirm with their bank) or the guest not accepting the terms and conditions in the confirmation email — without that acceptance, the payment isn't captured.
Identify what's missing. Check whether the guest completed the T&C step in the confirmation email and whether their bank authorised the transaction.
Ask the guest to confirm with their bank if they received an SMS about a pending payment.
Verify the payment status on the reservation's
Paymentstab once the guest has acted.
💡 Tip
If the guest can't resolve it directly, send a payment link from the reservation's Payments tab — that's usually the fastest path to a confirmed booking. See how to create a payment on a booking.
FAQs
How long do payments take to process?
How long do payments take to process?
Most payments take 1–2 hours. Wait at least that long before retrying to avoid duplicate actions.
What does the do_not_honor code mean?
What does the do_not_honor code mean?
It's a generic decline from the guest's bank — they refused the transaction without giving a reason. The guest needs to call their bank to approve it, or use a different card.
The guest was redirected to their banking app — and the booking didn't complete. What happened?
The guest was redirected to their banking app — and the booking didn't complete. What happened?
When 3D Secure is required, the guest is sent to their bank, then needs to return to your website to finalise the reservation. If they don't come back, neither the reservation nor the payment is processed. Ask them to start the booking again.
The reservation was modified and now the payment doesn't match the new total — what now?
The reservation was modified and now the payment doesn't match the new total — what now?
After a modification, create a new payment attempt with the updated total. Make sure the guest is aware of the new amount before retrying. For modifications coming from Booking.com, the updated payment info may not always sync back — verify the actual amount paid in your Booking.com extranet before chasing the guest.
How do I retry a payment using the guest's saved card?
How do I retry a payment using the guest's saved card?
Open the reservation → Payments tab → Create a Payment → select Charge the card. The saved card on file is used. Make sure there are sufficient funds before retrying.
How do I send a payment link to the guest?
How do I send a payment link to the guest?
From the reservation's Payments tab, click Create a Payment → choose the Payment Link option. You can share the link via email, WhatsApp, or QR code. See how to create a payment on a booking for the details.
I can't see any payment info on the reservation — why?
I can't see any payment info on the reservation — why?
Check that AmenitizPay is active on your account, that the reservation has a stored card (look in the Client tab), and that a payment plan is set on the Summary tab. See why can't I see any payment info in a reservation for the full diagnosis.
The guest was charged twice — what should I do?
The guest was charged twice — what should I do?
First, check Stripe (or your payment processor) to confirm whether one or both charges were actually captured. Pending duplicate charges usually drop off the guest's account within 24 hours. If two debits still appear the next day, ask the guest for proof of payment and contact the Amenitiz support team. The guest can also dispute the duplicate with their bank — see payment disputes and chargebacks.
What happens if there's a chargeback?
What happens if there's a chargeback?
When a chargeback is initiated, refunds can't be processed through Amenitiz — the card network handles it. The disputed amount is withheld from your future payouts (not debited from your bank account separately). See payment disputes and chargebacks for fees and resolution flow.
How can I prevent payment issues in the first place?
How can I prevent payment issues in the first place?
Communicate payment policies clearly to guests at booking time.
Make sure guests accept the T&C in the confirmation email — uncaptured payments often trace back to this step.
Remind guests to complete 3D Secure and return to your site to finalise.
Monitor your payment processor regularly and watch for sync gaps with Booking.com.