A Booking.com reservation arrives in the property’s system with the dates, guest name and stay details, but no phone number. If the front desk used that information to send a WhatsApp message or confirm the arrival time, the change affects an everyday task.
Booking.com has introduced a restriction on sharing guest phone numbers with connected PMS and channel managers. However, communication through the platform remains available, and some systems let properties manage those conversations without opening the Extranet.
What exactly has changed? Where can you find the number? And which systems let you reply from the same place where you manage reservations?
Why is Booking.com no longer sending guest phone numbers to the PMS?
The change is a security measure against phishing: fraudulent messages that use real reservation details to request payments or fake verification steps.
According to the announcement published by NextPax, Booking.com identified scams involving WhatsApp and SMS messages that pressured travelers to pay immediately to avoid a supposed cancellation. Restricting phone number sharing is intended to reduce how widely this information circulates across connected systems.
A missing phone number therefore does not necessarily mean there is a PMS error or a disconnected channel manager. The property can continue receiving reservations even when that information is no longer included.
When does the change take effect?
Booking.com’s technical documentation gives September 28, 2026 as the effective date across all connected properties. The change covers newly transmitted reservation data, modifications and cancellations, including updates to older reservations. It also states that phone numbers already shared will not be removed retroactively.
There is a public discrepancy over the timeline: Amenitiz reports a postponement to December 28, 2026. That date differs from the official documentation reviewed. If your system still receives phone numbers, check with your provider which timeline applies to your connection.
Information reviewed on October 15, 2026.
What happens to reservations and automated messages?
The restriction affects the phone number sent by Booking.com. It does not, by itself, stop reservations, rates or availability from syncing. Smoobu confirms that these processes continue working through its connection.
The problem arises in tasks that need the number to run:
- WhatsApp and SMS: an automated message has no recipient if it depends on the imported phone number.
- Arrival instructions: messages may stop reaching guests if SMS was the only delivery channel configured.
- Access codes: some setups use the last digits of the guest’s phone number.
- Message templates: fields that previously inserted the number may appear blank.
Hostaway documents these consequences in its help center. The exact behavior depends on each property’s automation settings.
A common scenario: arrival after the front desk closes
Imagine a property that sends WhatsApp instructions to guests arriving after 10 p.m. The reservation arrives correctly, but the phone number does not reach the system.
If nobody checks the message status, the team may assume the guest received the information. To avoid this, set up an alternative communication channel and check that arrival messages have been sent before the guest reaches the property.
Where can you find a Booking.com guest’s phone number?
The providers reviewed state that the number remains available in the Booking.com Extranet and the Pulse app.
In the Extranet, Smoobu describes the process as opening the reservations section, selecting the booking and looking for the option to show the phone number in the reservation details. In Pulse, the number is accessed from the relevant booking.
Viewing the number and receiving it automatically in your PMS are different processes. If you need to add it to your system, check with your provider how to do so and how the information will be preserved when the reservation is updated.
How to contact Booking.com guests without opening the Extranet
One option is to use a PMS or channel manager with integrated Booking.com messaging.
With this connection, the team can read and reply to conversations from its management system. The guest receives the message through Booking.com’s messaging channel, so the property does not need a phone number to communicate.
This can be used to coordinate:
- Estimated arrival time.
- Check-in instructions.
- Parking or breakfast questions.
- Special requests.
- Last-minute changes.
Integrated messaging does not recover the missing phone number. It provides a way to keep the conversation going from the PMS.
Reservation synchronization also does not guarantee that a system includes messaging. Check specifically whether the integration supports receiving and replying to Booking.com messages.
What to check at your property
Before changing tools or subscribing to another system, review these points:
- Identify messages that use the phone number. Check which messages are sent through WhatsApp or SMS and where they get the number.
- Review a recent reservation without a phone number. Check whether the guest received arrival instructions and whether any messages are pending or failed.
- Choose an alternative channel. Confirm which communications can be handled through Booking.com messaging.
- Assign responsibility. Decide who checks conversations and how they are handed over between shifts.
- Check your available integration. Ask for a demonstration of receiving and replying to messages from your PMS.
The goal is to keep the guest communication process complete even when a reservation arrives without a phone number.
Five systems with integrated Booking.com messaging
The following providers document the ability to manage Booking.com messages from their own platforms. These tools serve different types of operations, and this is not a ranking.
Before choosing, confirm the required plan, activation conditions and features available for your property type.
1. MiniHotels
MiniHotel includes a messaging inbox that brings Booking.com and Airbnb conversations into the PMS through official integrations.
Its published features include reservation details alongside the conversation, AI summaries, writing assistance and message translation. The team reviews and sends the replies. Its focus is small hotels, hostels and independent properties.
2. Smoobu
Smoobu combines property management tools and a Channel Manager with a centralized communication inbox.
Its documentation states that Booking.com messages arrive in this inbox and that scheduled welcome messages, check-in instructions and reminders can continue without the guest’s phone number through supported communication channels.
3. Hostaway
Hostaway offers a unified inbox where teams can continue communicating with guests through Booking.com.
Its help center explains that guests receive messages in the Booking.com chat or app, without requiring an external phone number. It also offers a guest portal and online check-in forms for collecting information directly.
4. RentalReady
RentalReady, which focuses on professional vacation rental management, centralizes Booking.com and other channel messages in a shared inbox.
According to its unified inbox documentation, teams can reply with reservation details in view, assign conversations and add internal notes. Booking.com messaging provides a contact channel that does not depend on the phone number used for WhatsApp or SMS.
5. NextPax
NextPax is a connectivity and distribution platform that provides access to Booking.com messaging through a unified inbox. It also offers a Messaging API for Supply API customers.
Its announcement states that properties can activate this communication channel to send messages to the traveler’s Booking.com chat. Implementation should be reviewed with the provider, particularly when several systems are involved.
Frequently asked questions
Does a missing guest phone number mean Booking.com and my PMS are disconnected?
Not necessarily. The documented change allows reservations to arrive without that field. If reservations are also missing or other data is incorrect, the connection should be checked separately.
Has Booking.com removed phone numbers from older reservations?
Its documentation states that numbers already shared are not removed retroactively. New reservation updates may arrive without a phone number. Check with your provider how previously stored numbers are preserved in the PMS.
Can I reply to Booking.com guests from my PMS?
Yes, if the system has a compatible, active messaging integration. This lets you reply through Booking.com’s channel without opening the Extranet for each conversation.
Will switching channel managers bring guest phone numbers back?
It is not a guaranteed solution because the restriction comes from Booking.com. When evaluating another system, review its communication alternatives and how it handles reservations without phone numbers.
Can a unified inbox send WhatsApp messages without a phone number?
A Booking.com integration lets you communicate through Booking.com’s messaging channel. It does not replace the phone number required for WhatsApp or SMS. Even when these channels appear in the same inbox, they have different requirements.