GastgeberDirekt · Getting started
Simply explained
Direct booking: the guest books with you – not with a platform.
With a direct bookingThe guest books and pays on the host's own website instead of a platform. No platform commission, and the guest's name, email and phone number belong to the host., the guest books and pays on the host's own website. No platform in between, no commissionThe share a platform keeps from every booking. Airbnb takes around 15.5% from hosts using a channel manager, Booking.com usually 15% or more. On a direct booking it disappears – only payment fees of about 1.5–2% remain. – and the contact with the guest stays with you.
15 minutes · free, no obligation · reply usually the same day
The difference in one sentence
- Via a platform
- The platform takes the money, keeps around 15% and doesn't pass on the guest's email address.
- Booked direct
- The money goes to your own account, the commission stays with you, and you can invite the guest back.
Why it matters even with a full calendar
A full calendar doesn't mean every booking earns the same. At €100,000 revenue through Airbnb, around €15,500 goes to commission. If only a quarter of bookings come direct – regulars, referrals, Google searches for your property's name – several thousand euros more stay with you every year.
What a good direct booking site needs
- Show free dates and prices live – without double bookings
- Show the final price from the start, no surprises at checkout
- Secure payment: card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Klarna
- Handle deposit and balance paymentOnly a deposit is due at booking. The system charges the rest automatically at the agreed time before arrival – nobody has to chase payments. automatically
- Work in your guests' languages – and be found on Google (SEOSearch engine optimisation: everything that helps Google find a page and show it high up when someone searches e.g. “villa with pool Split”. That includes matching titles and descriptions, a machine-readable description of the property, a page index and fast loading.)
And the platforms?
They stay. Airbnb and Booking.com are the shop window for new guests. Your own site captures the bookings that want to come to you anyway – and becomes more important every season.
Frequently asked questions
Is a direct booking safe for guests?
Yes, if the site is built properly: payment via a well-known provider like StripeA payment provider used worldwide (e.g. by Booking.com and Amazon). Money goes straight to the host's own Stripe account – never through us., real reviews, full company details and clear cancellation terms.
Do I need a channel manager?
Not necessarily, but it makes things easier. A channel managerSoftware that manages calendars, prices and bookings for all platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo …) in one place – e.g. Hostaway, Smoobu, Guesty, Lodgify or Beds24. The website is simply connected as one more channel. keeps calendars and prices identical on all channels – your site is simply connected as one more channel.
How much work is it?
With the all-inclusive package almost none: you set prices, rules and conditions once, we take care of the rest.
Free website check
Is it worth it for your properties?
The free website check shows you in 15 minutes – with a personal savings calculation.
What you take away from the website check – even if you never buy:
- Your personal savings calculation: what platform commission costs you today
- 3 concrete improvements for your current website and listings
- An honest assessment of whether your own booking site pays off for you
Because every setup is individual, we only take on a few new hosts per month.
replies personally, usually the same day
PS: If you've read this far, you probably know the feeling: every platform booking costs commission, the guests don't really “belong” to you – and somehow it should work better. That's exactly where I stood a few years ago. 15 minutes are enough for a first conversation. The solution is often closer than you think – and if your own booking site isn't right for you (yet), I'll tell you – honestly.
Julian