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The set ups can be different for different properties - and can also change on existing properties without the hosts being told.
You might find have Rates & Availability, or you might have Calendar & pricing. Same thing, different names. Calendar sync might be available at the bottom of the calendar. It might be a separate page called Calendar sync. If you can't find it, send a message on your Extranet asking for the calendar sync to be set up.
When it is set up, be aware that Booking.com calendar sync is broken. It doesn't work properly. Search this community and you'll find loads of people having problems and double bookings. Always manually block.
Send a message in your Extranet asking them to set up Payments by Booking.com
If they refuse, switch to AirBnB
Generation Z are young, smart, and savvy. They have been brought up using modern technology. They want and expect it to work. They will be bitterly disappointed at the number of bugs and problems with Booking.com systems, just more disappointed than the older generations. When will Booking.com take these issues seriously and fix them?
I've found two problems with "collecting feedback":
a) It makes guests think about and focus on negatives
b) The feedback is often useless - like one will say the bed was too hard, the next will say the bed is too soft - of course, there is no way around this!
However, it can highlight if the same issue keeps coming up, for example broken bed springs, which we probably won't know about unless a guest reports it, because we don't sleep in the beds ourselves.
In our guest information that we leave in the properties, we ask guests to let us know immediately if there is a problem, so that we can fix it immediately. We say that it's not very helpful to us or other guests if they leave it and report the problem in a review that we might not read until some weeks later. When there have been problems, most guests do contact us and we fix things same day, and guests are generally very happy.
You always have the option of using other OTAs like AirBnB, TripAdvisor etc - remember that if you use Booking.com and do not take payments at the time of booking, you will get fake bookings, people won't show up, and you'll have empty rooms and you won't get paid
Best is to include it in the advertised price. Even better is to use Payments by Booking.com so that guests pay when they book - this avoids problems with no-shows, fake bookings, cancellations etc - and these are always problems when taking bookings in cash or credit card on Booking.com.
Cash is never a good idea. The no-shows and cancellations are most likely fake bookings. Ask Booking.com to set up Payments by Booking.com. If they don't allow that, switch to AirBnB.
You might have to fight Booking.com over this - if so, fight them, do not take no for an answer
We have a similar setup with our properties - guests arrive and let themselves in - they may be delayed on their journeys and it is unfair to keep them waiting for us, and we can't have someone waiting at each property for whatever time they arrive. Also, cash is not "safe" - damage deposits should always be taken and refunded electronically so that there's a proper record - this protects guests and owners.
We have an automatic message sent upon booking confirmation - it asks guests to pay the damage deposit by bank transfer - it includes the bank account details (we have a separate bank account for BDC damage deposits so we can find the payments easily) and we ask guests to give their bank account details so we can refund them easily.
Then ask for a change to The Fine Print in Property > View Your Descriptions. This information is visible on the Booking Confirmation page that guests often print before they travel. The change should say the damage deposit must be paid before directions / key safe access are given and that guests should check their inbox for messages.
Booking.com will refuse to allow this text again and again. Keep your property closed and tell them you cannot open it for bookings unless you can protect your guests. It's not just the current guests - you need to ensure the property is undamaged by one guest, therefore you are also protecting the next guest.
Fight them until they give in. I normally have to make the change requests several times. It's when I say "please pass this to someone with brains" or "if you are just a minion, do not reply, please pass this to a manager" or something.
If they don't give in, use AirBnB. Seriously, don't risk your property, don't take risks with future guests. Keep fighting Booking.com - eventually they will give in.