Tax for accommodation businesses
Tax worked out the way your country does it
Rooms are often taxed differently from food and drinks, and many places add a tourism or lodging levy on top. WStation knows the schemes for the Eurozone, Canada, the United States, Namibia, South Africa and Botswana, guesses yours from your browser, and lets you change anything — or switch tax off entirely.
- No card
- Nothing to install
- Works on your phone
| Rate | Applies to | % |
|---|---|---|
| GST | Everything taxable | 5% |
| QST | Everything taxable | 9.975% |
| Lodging tax | Accommodation lines | 3.5% |
| Exempt | Lines you mark exempt | 0% |
Ready for where you are
21 Eurozone countries, 13 Canadian provinces and territories, US states, Namibia (with the bed levy), South Africa and Botswana. Anywhere else, set your own rates.
Accommodation rate apart
Separate rates for rooms, standard goods and exempt items, line by line.
Tax return in one click
Tax charged on income, tax paid on purchases, and what's payable or refundable.
How it works
One stay, four names, zero retyping
Every guest is one record that changes its name as they go: asked for a price, said yes, stayed, paid. Each step is one press of a button.
- QuotationThey ask what it costs. Rooms, nights, guests and a deposit, priced in a minute.
- BookingThey say yes. One click, and the room is theirs on the calendar — nobody else can have it.
- InvoiceThey check out. The bill is raised from what was quoted, nothing typed twice.
- Tax invoiceThey pay. Part or all, by cash, card or transfer — the receipt is written and it is in the books.
Supported schemes
VAT, GST/HST or sales tax — inclusive or exclusive
| Where | What WStation sets up |
|---|---|
| Eurozone | VAT with the standard and reduced accommodation rates, prices including tax |
| Canada | GST, HST, PST or QST by province, plus Québec lodging tax and the Alberta tourism levy |
| United States | The state sales tax; add your local and occupancy taxes as extra rates |
| Namibia | 15% VAT plus the 2% NTB levy on accommodation |
| South Africa, Botswana | VAT at the national rate |
| Anywhere else, or not registered | Your own rates — or no tax at all |
Everything in it
Built for guesthouses, lodges and B&Bs
No modules to buy and nothing to set up first. Turn off what you don't use.
- Occupancy calendar — every room down the side, every night across the top
- No double bookings — a taken room is refused before the quote or booking is saved
- Airbnb & Booking.com calendar sync — each room swaps calendars with its listings every 30 minutes
- Front desk — today's arrivals and departures, one-tap check-in and check-out, walk-ins without a quote
- Your own booking page — guests send their dates to your enquiries inbox — no commission
- Quotes guests accept online — send a quote as a link; they accept on their phone
- Automatic guest messages — a confirmation, check-in details before arrival and a review request after — by email or WhatsApp
- Deposits and part payments — ask for a percentage up front; the balance looks after itself
- Invoices and tax invoices — your logo, bank details and a QR code on every document; credit notes for corrections
- Housekeeping board — checking a guest out marks the room for cleaning
- VAT, GST or sales tax — including a separate rate for accommodation and tourism levies, or no tax at all
- A till with stock — for the bar, the shop or anything sold over the counter, with shifts and cash-up
- Books that keep themselves — income, expenses, debtors, journal, trial balance and audit trail
- Your team — admins, staff and tillers, invited by link; run more than one property from one login
- Phone, tablet or computer — installable on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone — and it keeps working when the signal drops
Questions
Asked before signing up
What if I'm not registered for VAT?
Switch tax off. Your documents then show no tax and no registration number.
Will changing the rate alter old invoices?
No. Every document keeps the tax it was issued under, so a rate change only affects new documents.
Does it file my return?
No — it gives you the figures for your return. Filing stays with you or your accountant.
More of WStation
Also in the box
Books that keep themselves. Start free.
Open WStation, add your rooms, and quote your next guest — free, in your browser, no card.
Open WStation free