Card holds and security deposits for hostels

Hold key and locker deposits on a card instead of cash. Pre-authorizations reserve funds on a guest's card for deposits and incidentals, then capture only what's owed.
Talk to a hotel payments specialistAll hostels solutions
Free 30-minute consultation. Review your setup, compare options and leave with clear next steps.

Payment solutions for hostels

How each solution supports hostels

See what each option adds to the way your business takes and tracks payments.

Square Point of Sale

For hostels: Bring room deposits, guest stays and hotel services into a point-of-sale workflow, with reporting organized around guest folios, booking deposits and room charges. Sell towels, locks, breakfast and walking tours at the desk with Square POS. Square Point of Sale accepts tap, dip and swipe payments, including digital wallets, with an item library, customer profiles and sales reports in one app. Roots Payments, an independent Square Reseller, sets it up and supports it.
  • We build your item library, taxes, discounts and device settings before day one
  • We recommend Square hardware for each station and configure it (you buy it from Square)
  • We train your staff and stay on call as your named contact
Explore this solution

Square for Restaurants

For hostels: Organize hotel restaurant meals, bar tabs and room-service orders with menu modifiers, kitchen routing and front-of-house checks in one restaurant workflow. Run the hostel bar or café with preauthorized tabs and quick checkouts. Square's restaurant POS handles preauthorized bar tabs, coursing, table and seat management, split checks, auto-gratuity and kitchen routing to Square KDS. Roots Payments, an independent Square Reseller, sets it up and supports it.
  • We build menus, modifiers, printers and KDS routing for each outlet
  • We set up tabs, tip rules and permissions for bartenders and servers
  • We configure Square Handheld or Register at each station and train staff
Explore this solution

Square Kiosk

For hostels: Let customers select and pay for hotel restaurant meals, bar tabs and room-service orders at a self-service ordering station. Let guests order breakfast or add a pub crawl at a Square Kiosk while the desk handles check-ins. Square Kiosk is an iPad-run self-ordering station with built-in contactless and chip payments that sends orders to your primary Square POS. Roots Payments, an independent Square Reseller, sets it up and supports it.
  • We design the kiosk menu and upsell flow
  • We choose mounting and placement and configure the device (bought from Square)
  • Roots Payments is an independent Square Reseller, not Square.
Explore this solution

Tap to Pay on Phone

For hostels: Take contactless payments for room deposits, guest stays and hotel services on a supported phone while serving customers on the move. Take contactless payments on a staff phone during events, tours and pub crawls. Tap to Pay turns a compatible iPhone or Android phone into a contactless card reader with no extra hardware.
  • We set up the app and staff logins
  • We train staff on contactless limits and receipts
Explore this solution

Multi-Currency Payments

For hostels: Collect room deposits, guest stays and hotel services in the currencies your customers use and reconcile them against the original order or invoice. Show backpackers prices in their home currency. Show prices and charge in the customer's currency while you settle in U.S. dollars.
  • We review your international card mix
  • We set up currency display and receipts
Explore this solution

Pre-Authorization & Deposits

For hostels: Authorize deposits for room deposits, guest stays and hotel services and reconcile the held amount against final charges. Hold key and locker deposits on a card instead of cash. Pre-authorizations reserve funds on a guest's card for deposits and incidentals, then capture only what's owed.
  • We configure hold amounts and timing for your policies
  • We train staff on releasing holds promptly

Unattended Payments

For hostels: Build self-service checkout for room deposits, guest stays and hotel services at kiosks, stations or access points that operate without a staffed counter. Put card readers on laundry and vending machines. Unattended readers and pay stations take cards on machines, kiosks and gates without staff.
  • We match hardware to each machine
  • We set up processing and reporting
Explore this solution

PMS Payment Integration

For hostels: Connect room deposits, guest stays and hotel services to property-management records so deposits, charges and guest balances follow the reservation. Tell us which property-management system you use. Roots plans the payment integration around your existing workflow.
  • Discuss your business goals on a free consultation
  • Coordinate your provider introduction and setup
Explore this solution

Pre-Authorization & Deposits questions

Questions hotel operators ask about payments.
A pre-authorization asks the card issuer to hold an amount before a final charge is completed. It can support deposits, reservations and other payments where the final amount is determined later.
Roots helps plan the deposit, final charge, receipt and refund workflow so your staff can see what was collected and what remains due.
Bring your deposit policy, final-charge timing and cancellation process. Roots uses these details to plan the workflow for hostels and prepare a clear setup scope.
Request a quote for your business and the setup you need. We review the scope and costs with you before you proceed. Consultations and payment reviews are free.

Ready to talk it through?

Book a free 30-minute review. We’ll map your setup, explain the options and work through clear next steps.
Talk to a hotel payments specialistAll hostels solutions