The 5pm Friday Problem
It's peak season. A family pulls up to your campsite gate with a tent on the roof rack, two kids in the back, and hope in their eyes. "Have you got a pitch for tonight?" They're tired, the kids are hungry, and you're standing there flicking through a paper diary trying to work out what's free.
Sound familiar? For most UK campsite operators, walk-in bookings are the messiest part of the job. No booking reference, no pre-payment, no customer details on file. Just a queue of people and a prayer that you don't double-book pitch 14 again.
Introducing the Gatehouse
The Gatehouse is PayCamp's dedicated walk-in booking flow, designed specifically for the chaos of reception. It's a mobile-first, 4-step wizard that takes you from "what type of guest?" to "here's your pitch, payment taken" in under a minute.
No more switching between screens. No more forgetting to take payment. No more illegible handwriting on a booking form.
How It Works
Step 1: Choose Guest Type
Tent, campervan, or caravan? One tap. The system immediately filters your available inventory to show only compatible pitches. A tent guest won't accidentally get offered a hardstanding caravan pitch.
Step 2: Pick a Pitch
See every available pitch at a glance with real-time pricing. Each card shows the pitch name, nightly rate, and amenities like electric hookup and water. Tap to select — no scrolling through a 200-row spreadsheet.
Step 3: Guest Details & Payment
Capture the essentials: name, phone, number of nights, adults, children, pets, vehicle registration, and whether they want electric hookup. The total calculates automatically based on your configured pricing. Choose cash, card, or Stripe — payment is recorded instantly against the booking.
Step 4: Confirmation
Booking created, payment logged, pitch marked as occupied. The guest gets a reference number, you get a clean audit trail. Done.
Click an available pitch to check someone in
Why It Matters
Walk-in revenue is often the most profitable for campsites — no commission to OTAs, no advance discounting. But only if you can process them quickly and accurately. A 10-minute fumble at reception means the family drives to the site down the road.
The Gatehouse ensures every walk-in is captured properly: payment taken, guest details recorded, availability updated in real-time. No gaps, no double-bookings, no "I forgot to charge them for the dog."
Explore Our Campsite Demo
See how holiday parks and campsites manage bookings, pitches, and guests effortlessly.
Built for Real Operators
We designed the Gatehouse after watching reception staff at busy UK campsites. Big buttons, clear steps, no jargon. It works on a phone behind the counter or a tablet at the gate. Your seasonal staff can learn it in two minutes — no training manual required.
The Gatehouse is available now on all PayCamp plans. Head to your dashboard and you'll find it on the home screen, in your Pitches view, or via Quick Pay.
💳 Collect Walk-In Payments Instantly
Walk-in payments can be collected via PayCamp Payments — just generate a QR code on your phone. 5% + 50p per transaction, no card machine or merchant account needed. Or connect your own Stripe at standard rates.
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Explore Our Campsite Demo
See how holiday parks and campsites manage bookings, pitches, and guests effortlessly.