Gateways de Pagamento em MiniHotel: Como Cobrar Seus Hóspedes Online

Why online payments are no longer optional

Guests who book online expect to pay online. In Latin America, digital payments already account for around 60% of consumer spending, according to the PCMI Panorama 2025 report. A Booking Engine that doesn't let guests pay on the spot creates friction right at the moment of closing the sale.

For the property, it also makes the difference between a booking that is simply "on file" and a booking that is secured. With a payment or a card in place, guests are more committed, no-shows drop and cash flow improves.

What an online payment gateway is

It's the tool that processes the guest's payment automatically when they book through the Booking Engine. The guest enters their card details and the system processes the payment, or registers the guarantee, with no action needed from the front desk.

It shouldn't be confused with manually recording a payment, which only logs a charge made through another channel, such as a physical terminal or a bank transfer.

In MiniHotel, this setting is under Booking Engine → Settings → Payment Gateways.

The two payment modes: Paid and Card Guarantee

Each gateway can work in one of two modes, which define when the money is processed:

Not every gateway supports both modes. During setup, the system shows which one each gateway supports.

The prepayment percentage

In Paid mode, you don't have to charge 100% of the stay. You can set a prepayment percentage, for example 50% at booking and the rest at the property. It secures the guest's commitment and brings cash flow forward, without requiring full payment in advance.

How payments relate to your rates

The payment mode should match the cancellation policy of each rate. The two most common cases are:

Non-refundable rates: charge 100% at booking

With a non-refundable rate, the guest agrees not to get their money back if they cancel, in exchange for a lower price. That's why it makes sense to charge 100% at the time of booking, using Paid mode. If you don't charge in advance, the non-refundable condition only exists on paper: if the guest doesn't show up, there's nothing to keep.

Flexible rates: card guarantee or partial prepayment

With a flexible rate, the guest can cancel free of charge until a set date. Charging the full amount in advance means refunding every cancellation, so a card guarantee usually works better: it lets you apply the penalty for a no-show or a late cancellation. Another option is a partial prepayment, which secures part of the revenue without requiring the full amount.

What your property gains from online payments

• Fewer no-shows: guests who have already paid show up. And if they don't, you can apply your cancellation policy.
• Earlier cash flow: you have the money before check-in, with more predictability for planning.
• Less manual work: no chasing bank transfers or recording payments by hand.
• Direct sales that compete with OTAs: your Booking Engine offers the same payment experience, without the intermediary's commission.

Stripe and MercadoPago: integrated at no extra cost

Stripe: international reach

Stripe processes payments in multiple countries and currencies. It's the natural choice when many of your guests pay with cards issued in different countries.

MercadoPago: the go-to option in Latin America

MercadoPago is the most widely used payment gateway in Latin America. It lets guests pay the way they pay every day: credit or debit card, bank transfer, account balance and other local payment methods, depending on the country.

Both are activated together with the MiniHotel support team and, once connected, payments work automatically.

BridgerPay: access to more than 1,000 gateways

BridgerPay isn't a gateway in itself: it's a payment orchestration platform that connects with more than 1,000 processors in over 185 countries, including PayPal. With a single connection point, you get access to local and international providers, with secure card tokenization.

It's the right choice if you already work with a local processor you don't want to change, if you operate in a country with very specific gateways, or if you want to combine several payment methods in the same checkout. Today, more than 215 property accounts are connected through this integration.

Success story MiniHotel + BridgerPay: payments for hospitality Read the story on BridgerPay →

Other available gateways

MiniHotel also integrates with regional gateways, which may be available depending on the property's country. You can find the details of each one in the MiniHotel Marketplace, Online Payments section:

• Pelecard
• Payme
• Valitor
• Hyp

If you work with a gateway that isn't on this list, check with support: between direct integrations and BridgerPay, most cases have a solution.

The MiniHotel payment window

When enabled, card details are entered in a dedicated payment window within the booking flow itself. It's available only for Card Guarantee mode, and not every gateway supports it.

Other payment methods: bank transfer and open booking

• Bank transfer: the guest books and receives instructions to pay by bank transfer. Useful in markets where it's a common method, or for groups.
• Open booking: the booking is confirmed with no payment or card, following instructions set by the property. It's the lowest-friction option, but also the one with the least guarantee.

These methods can coexist with online gateways: guests choose from the options you enable.

Frequently asked questions

In short

Online payments turn your Booking Engine into a complete sales channel: bookings come in paid or guaranteed, no-shows drop and the front desk stops chasing payments. With Stripe and MercadoPago integrated at no extra cost, most properties in Latin America and beyond can get started without adding new tools or costs. The first step is deciding how you want to charge for each rate; the rest is set up once.