Documentation Article
Find the right setup path for Accommodation Booking Manager Free/Core, Pro, the Stay Manager Theme and the Customer Portal. Use this page for installation guidance, feature setup, shortcodes, Elementor workflows, licensing help and troubleshooting.
Choose your product path
Each customer may enter The Stay Manager from a different point: a free Free/Core installation, a Pro plan, the theme, or the Customer Portal.
Install Lite, create the required pages, add your first accommodation listing and test the enquiry or quote flow before going live.
Set up add-on / Pro Bundle licensing, feature entitlements, payments, deposits, reports and the operational tools needed for growing accommodation businesses.
Use the Elementor-friendly theme as the visual foundation for a polished direct-booking website with editable hospitality pages.
Use the portal for product downloads, license keys, authorised domains, support tickets and account-specific customer resources.
Setup playbook
Use this sequence to avoid the most common setup problems: missing pages, incomplete rates, untested quote forms or unclear launch steps.
Confirm WordPress, WooCommerce if required, Elementor if you are using the theme, permalink settings and your preferred public page structure.
Install Free/Core plus any premium add-ons, activate the theme if needed, then confirm that the required admin menus, shortcodes and public pages are available.
Add properties, accommodation types, descriptions, gallery images, amenities, policies, services and location information.
Add seasons, rates, adult and child pricing, minimum stays, unavailable dates and any booking rules needed before launch.
Run a full guest journey from listing page to availability, quote request, booking/payment flow and customer communication.
Connect your license, check updates, publish the live pages, and use the portal or contact page if you need assistance.
Documentation index
These topic areas map to the parts of a real accommodation booking website: setup, content, pricing, availability, payments, operations and support.
Install Free/Core, add-on / Pro Bundle and theme packages safely, then understand updates and product version checks.
02Create listing, detail, quote, download, documentation and portal pages using the correct shortcodes or widgets.
03Build your property structure with rooms, units, cottages, villas, full-property rentals and public listing content.
04Prepare photo galleries, amenities, services, policies, disclaimers and guest-facing content that supports bookings.
05Set seasonal date ranges, adult rates, child rates, minimum stays and pricing rules for accurate quote requests.
06Block dates, test availability results and confirm the quote/booking workflow before publishing the site.
07Understand premium payment requests, deposits, subscription access and how payment workflows fit into the booking process.
08Use premium reporting, exports, guest operations, housekeeping and maintenance features as your business grows.
09Use the Stay Manager Theme with Elementor containers, page sections, image areas, CTA blocks and booking widgets.
10Solve common problems with blank pages, shortcodes, permissions, cache, styling, mobile layouts and missing features.
11Manage license keys, authorised domains, downloads, product access and support routes through the Customer Portal.
12Review the final pre-launch items before taking the site live and inviting guests to enquire or book directly.
Help centre
The live documentation library is powered by the Stay Manager Portal documentation system when the portal plugin is active. If the portal documentation shortcode is available, it will appear below inside this styled documentation area.
Theme & Elementor / AN Self Catering Theme
Current setup steps for the Elementor-based AN Self Catering theme.
AN Self Catering is an Elementor-focused WordPress theme for accommodation websites.
Recommended setup order:
1. Install Elementor.
2. Install Accommodation Booking Manager Free/Core.
3. Upload and activate the AN Self Catering theme ZIP.
4. Open the theme setup page.
5. Create the starter pages.
6. Edit generated pages with Elementor.
7. Replace placeholder images with real accommodation images.
8. Connect listing, detail and quote pages to Accommodation Booking Manager shortcodes/widgets.
The theme should use Elementor containers rather than old columns where possible.
Need more than a guide?
Some questions are solved by a setup guide. Others need a demo, product comparison, license check or support request. Use these paths to get to the right place quickly.
Compare Free/Core, add-ons, Pro Bundle and theme options before choosing the right setup path.
Open →Choose the add-ons or Pro Bundle that fit the business.
Open →Review the Stay Manager Theme and its Elementor-ready page structure.
Open →Request a guided walkthrough before committing to a setup route.
Open →FAQ
These quick answers help users decide where to start and when to use the portal, demo or contact route.
Public documentation helps new visitors understand the product and helps customers find setup guidance quickly. Account-specific downloads, licenses and tickets still belong inside the Customer Portal.
Start with installation, required pages, properties, accommodation types, seasons and rates, then test the quote or booking workflow before publishing.
Free/Core is designed as the starting point for a direct-booking website with unlimited properties. Add-ons or the Pro Bundle are better when the business needs payment workflows, reporting, channel sync, operations or advanced growth features.
No. The Stay Manager Theme is designed to work with Elementor-friendly layouts. Elementor can still be used for editable containers, images, headings, buttons and page sections.
Use the Customer Portal for downloads, license keys, domain activations and customer support tickets linked to your account.