December is the busiest month of the year for many hotels, short-lets, restaurants and venues. It is also the month when small gaps show up fast: a generator that fails, a team that is too thin, a rate that was set too low.
This checklist lays the season out month by month, from September to January, so you always know what to do next. You can tick items off on screen or print it and pin it up in the office.
What is inside
- What to settle now in September, like your rates, deposits and cancellation terms
- Staffing, hiring and generator tasks for early and mid October
- How to track booking pace and adjust your prices through November
- Team training, stock and guest journey checks in early December
- Daily habits to keep up during the season
- What to do in January to collect reviews, rest your team and learn from the season
How to use it
Fill in your business details on the first page, then work through each month as it comes. There is space at the end to add your own tasks.
This checklist goes with our full guide, How to Get Ahead of December: The Complete Hospitality Planning Guide. Read the guide when you want the reasoning behind each step.

