Scheduling Database Suggestions

I have a client who has what I perceive to be a simple online database need. It is a scheduling application where customers go to their website and secure different resources for different times.

Basically they want to have the days of the week displayed and broken down by the hour. Customers come to the website, enter in their customer ID number and then choose the date and times to reserve the resources. The database would then update itself and show the reserved times as "in use" to the next customer that comes to the site. The last requirement would be for the new entry to be emailed to a specific address when a new reservation is made.

It is fine if the application is not completely integrated into their website but I would like suggestions for solutions that are 100% hosted through a hosting company and not ones that would have to sit on a server in their office.

I am completely ignorant of using online databases and am looking for the simplest solution possible. I would also like to know what people/firms would charge for building a similar application.

Many thanks,

 

Interestingly I'm buidling a scheduling/reservation system for my site. I used PHP/MySQL just to keep things simple.

I don't break down reservations by time as my reservations (Bed and Breakfast) are day by day not hour by hour. That said there is no reason why it couldn't easily be adapted to do hourly reservations.