Accounting and invoicing for guesthouses and hostels
Rooms, breakfast, group bookings, camping and pitches: guesthouses and hostels have many guests in season and company or group bookings on invoice. Saldiqo writes group invoices, issues deposits and records linen, energy and breakfast purchases.
What comes up for guesthouses and hostels
Groups and companies
School classes, clubs and companies book rooms and want an invoice with a payment term.
Season
In summer the house is full, in winter quiet. Income and costs fluctuate strongly.
Breakfast and extras
Breakfast, parking and linen appear as lines of their own.
How Saldiqo helps
- Group invoiceRooms, breakfast and extras as lines.
- Deposit on bookingQuote, deposit, final invoice.
- Record costsLinen, energy, breakfast purchases by phone photo.
- Season in viewReport per period.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Rooms with breakfast, 3 nights, 12 people
- Parking, per night
- Additional linen change
- Deposit 30 % on booking
- Cancellation fee as agreed
- Tourist tax, passed through
Tax and invoicing in Ireland
What applies to invoices in Ireland, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 23 %, reduced rates 13.5 % and 9 %, 4.8 % for livestock, and 0 %. Since 1 July 2026 a 9 % rate applies to restaurants, catering, hot takeaway food and hairdressing, excluding alcohol and soft drinks.
- VAT registration
- Registration is required above €42,500 a year for services and above €85,000 for goods, if at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices while you are below the threshold and shows how much room is left.
- What goes on an invoice
- Registered businesses show their VAT number. Sole traders and partnerships providing services show their tax reference number, or their full name and address, on invoices and receipts of €7 or more (section 885 TCA). Companies show their name, CRO number and registered office, and directors’ details on letters, order forms and the website.
- Invoice timing
- Issue a VAT invoice within 15 days after the end of the month in which the supply took place.
- E-invoicing
- From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. Issuing is phased in: first for suppliers to large corporates, from November 2029 for businesses trading B2B within the EU, and from 1 July 2030 under the EU VAT in the Digital Age rules. A PDF does not count as an e-invoice, and the technical specifications are not yet published.
- VAT returns
- VAT3 returns are filed every two months through ROS, by the 19th of the following month, or the 23rd when you file online through ROS. Saldiqo does not file returns, your accountant or ROS does.
- Record keeping
- Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open.
- Late payment
- Interest on late business payments is the ECB main refinancing rate (2.40 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 10.40 %, plus fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100 depending on the amount owed.
- Getting paid
- IBAN and BIC are on every invoice, plus a SEPA QR code (EPC) for banking apps that can read it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I bill groups?
With a quote, deposit and a final invoice to the company or club.
Does Saldiqo replace the till in the breakfast room?
No. Saldiqo is not a till system. Cash sales belong in a till that meets the rules of your country.
Do guesthouses and hostels in Ireland have to charge VAT?
Once they are registered, yes. Registration is required from the sale that takes turnover over €42,500 a year for services or €85,000 for goods, where at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Below those limits Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices.
Do guesthouses and hostels in Ireland need e-invoicing?
Not yet. From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. The duty to issue them phases in from the same date for suppliers to large corporates and later for more businesses. PDF invoices do not count as e-invoices.
How long should guesthouses and hostels keep invoices?
Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
Try Saldiqo for free
Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.
Start for freeThis page for other countries
Related niches
More industries
As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.