Frequently Asked Questions
Hostly connects you with trusted, vetted hospitality professionals for your event.
- Fill out our Booking Request Form to see your estimate. A 50% deposit confirms your booking. On the day of your event, your professionals arrive ready to help, and afterward you’ll receive your final invoice and a chance to leave a review.
- Still have questions? Send us a note through our Contact page and we’ll get back to you soon.
- Please provide the basics your professionals need to serve your guests, such as serving trays, water pitchers, napkins and trash bags. You’ll receive our Preparation Checklist by email once your booking is confirmed.
- Need us to pick up items like ice? Let your Hostly contact know before your event. Purchases made on your behalf are billed to your final invoice at cost plus a 20% service charge. Errand fees may apply based on time and distance.
Hostly is available in South Florida and we’re always working on expanding. If you have a request for event service needs in another location, please let us know and we can do our best to help serve you.
Yes! When you request a booking, let us know which professionals you’d like, and we’ll do our best to accommodate based on their availability.
- Pricing: Services are billed hourly, with a five-hour minimum per professional. Submit a booking request and you’ll be able to see an estimate based on your event details before booking.
- Peak dates: Rates are higher on high-demand dates, such as holidays. Any peak rates will be shown on your estimate before you confirm.
- Deposit and payment: A 50% deposit and a valid credit card authorization are required to confirm every booking. The remaining balance is invoiced by email within 24 hours after your event. If you believe there’s an error on your invoice, please contact our team.
- Gratuity: A 20% gratuity is automatically included. Gratuity is shared with the professionals who worked your event. Your invoice shows the full breakdown.
- Hostly Service Fee: A service fee of $45 per professional is included in your price breakdown. It covers coordination, background checks, insurance and quality assurance.
- Rush Bookings: Bookings requested less than 48 hours before the event start are subject to a 20% rush fee on the total staffing cost, and are non-refundable once confirmed.
- Professional Cancellation: If a professional can’t make your booking, they’ll notify the Hostly team, and we’ll immediately work to find a qualified replacement and keep you updated.
- Late arrival: Please allow a 15-minute grace period, then contact us at services@hostlyworld.com and we’ll follow up right away.
- Damaged or missing items: Please report any damaged or missing items within 48 hours of your event. We may ask you to submit a claim with photos and proof of ownership.
- Unsatisfactory service: We’re sorry your experience didn’t meet expectations. Contact our team and we’ll work to make it right. Let us know if you’d prefer not to be matched with a particular professional again.
Cancellations, reschedules and changes must be sent in writing by email to services@hostlyworld.com or by text to 305-484-2584. They’re effective once Hostly confirms receipt.
| Fee | Standard dates: notice before event | Peak dates*: notice before event |
|---|---|---|
| No charge (the service fee is non-refundable once your booking is confirmed) | More than 72 hours | More than 7 days |
| 50% of minimum hours per professional, plus the service fee | 48 to 72 hours | 72 hours to 7 days |
| 100% of minimum hours per professional, plus the service fee | Less than 48 hours | Less than 72 hours |
| Full booked hours; no refund | Same day, or after the event starts | Same day, or after the event starts |
- Minimum hours means 5 hours per professional at the booked hourly rate (the peak rate on peak dates). Gratuity is not charged on cancellation fees.
- Your 50% deposit is applied to any cancellation fee first. Any remaining balance is invoiced, and any unused portion of the deposit is refunded.
- Reducing professionals or hours counts as a partial cancellation, at the tier that applies when you give notice.
- Rescheduling: one free reschedule with at least 72 hours’ notice (7 days on peak dates), subject to availability. Later changes are treated as a cancellation and a new booking.
- Bookings confirmed less than 48 hours before the event are non-refundable from the time of confirmation (see Rush bookings).
- Add-on purchases are refunded in full if the purchase hasn’t been made yet. If it has, you’re billed the receipt cost.
- If Hostly cancels, you receive a full refund, including the service fee. We’ll always try to find replacement professionals first.
*Peak dates: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day
This policy applies to private event bookings. Business clients are covered by their service agreements.
- Hostly works with independent hospitality professionals who choose the events they work based on their own schedules and availability.
- Pay rates are offered per engagement based on the role, skills and experience required, and are higher on high-demand dates such as holidays.
- Clients may request to work with the same professional again.
- The Hostly team contacts professionals directly to confirm availability and share event details before each engagement.
- Interested in joining? Visit our Join Our Team page.