Troubleshooting the Guest Portal and Online Check-In

Troubleshooting · Updated 2026-10-29

The guest portal is a web page the guest opens from a link; it needs no app (Guest side).

Symptom: the Guest Portal Setting card or the Guest Services menu is missing

Causes: neither Guest Interface licence is active (Not licensed); or the user lacks the privilege. Without Configure Guest Portal the page opens read-only with the banner about the "Configure Guest Portal" right (Guest portal setting).

Symptom: no "Guest Interface Link" in the Email menu of a folio

The link is offered only when the folio is reserved (not checked out) and the portal is switched on in settings (Print and e-mail).

Symptom: the guest says the link does not work

Likely causes, ranked:

1. The link was disabled or re-issued. Owners and Administrators can disable/enable it; Resend invitation (new link) creates a new one and the old one stops (Guest conversations).
2. The portal is switched off in settings (this stops links and the guest page, not e-mails).
3. Incomplete link copied from a message app; resend.
4. The stay ended or the reservation was cancelled.

Symptom: the guest receives no invitation

Check the guest e-mail / mobile on the folio, the Email setting and WhatsApp setting (WhatsApp is separate from the portal switch), and the Link Sent To Guest column in the Arrival list. See Print and e-mail.

Symptom: guests see no services

Nothing is ticked in the portal setting, or the guest is not checked in yet: in-stay requests open after check-in (Guest portal setting, Guest requests). Also check that the Housekeeping Tasks and Other Charges used by the services exist (HK task, Other charges).

Symptom: room service says the menu is not available

Needs the SunPOS Integration licence, a restaurant of the same owner linked back to this hotel, and an open shift in SunPOS. Use Test connection; "The test failed." means check the link and the shift. "Your SunPOS restaurants could not be listed." means the POS lookup failed (SunPOS room charges).

Symptom: "Could not approve." / "Could not decline."

In Pending approvals the server refused, for example a room problem or the folio changed. Read the detail, fix it (room, status, dates), retry. A warning icon on a field means someone edited the reservation after the guest submitted; approving applies the guest's value. Approve & Check In is missing when the guest arrives on another day or has no room. A decline needs a note ("Tell the guest what needs to change (it is shown to them).").

Symptom: the guest has no "Your vehicle" tab

The tab appears only when the hotel has the licence SunParking Integration and a SunParking car park is linked in Property Setup > Parking Setting ("Linked" at the top). Check both; the guest page reads them on every visit, so after the fix the guest only reloads the page. It is not an error: without the link the tab does not exist (Guest side).

Symptom: the guest's car does not show on "Your vehicle"

The page lists the cars SunParking holds for this reservation (the ticket carries the reservation / check-in number, or the car was linked at the desk) plus the cars linked in the PMS. A walk-in guest's car appears only after the desk links it (Vehicle > Link parking vehicle). Guest said I parked my car? The dashed Waiting for the front desk card stays until you link it (Parking notifications and vehicle linking). The banner The car park cannot be reached at the moment means SunParking did not answer; the hotel's own record is shown meanwhile.

Symptom: the guest cannot find "Get my car", services or help for the car

The panel under each car shows only what applies: Get my car needs a parked valet car, the SunParking Valet licence and the car park setting Guest.AllowRequestCar; a car parked by the guest shows Ask the desk for help with my car instead; services appear only for services the car park marked visible to guests (and Guest.AllowAddServices on); Arriving by car? needs a stay that is not over. If the car is already requested the page shows its status instead of the form. You have asked a few times already means more than 20 requests in 10 minutes from the link: wait or call the desk. A request that stays Requested is waiting for the parking team: open SunParking Guest requests (or the Guest Hub, Parking section) and Accept / Start / Done it. A service is charged only when the team presses Done. See Guest portal, the guest's page.

Symptom: "Request my car" is missing or does not work

The button exists only for a valet car that is parked now, on a reservation that is not checked out. A self-parked car never has it. If the guest taps it and sees Valet is not licensed for this property, the car park lacks the Valet licence. We could not find that car on your stay means SunParking does not list the car under this reservation.

Symptom: no parking charges under "Parking charges on your bill"

The list shows the folio lines SunParking posted (remark SunParking ticket...). A ticket paid by cash or card does not touch the folio; only room charge payments do. See Parking notifications and vehicle linking.

Symptom: "Submission not found."

The submission was already processed. Close and reload.

Symptom: chat messages are not delivered

Check the conversation in Guest Hub; the guest must use the same link; WhatsApp numbers need the WhatsApp licence.

Symptom: the guest expects to pay online

The portal does not take online payment; the card entered is only stored for the desk (Guest side).

Symptom: "Could not load the settings." / "Could not save."

Server error; reload and retry; escalate if repeating.

When to escalate

Links that fail for all guests with the portal on and licence active; approvals that fail with a message you cannot map; chat that never delivers.

Tips and FAQ

• Q: Why is the card missing? A: The property has neither Guest Interface licence.
• Q: Does switching the portal off stop guest e-mails? A: No, only the links and the guest page.
• Q: Does the guest need an app? A: No, a browser is enough.

Symptom: the guest page says "We are having a moment" or "We are temporarily unable to open your stay page"