- Platforms are handy for getting found, but they charge commission on every booking.
- Regular and returning guests can book directly with you.
- With a booking system on your own website, guests book with a deposit via Bancontact or iDEAL.
- Put your booking link on your website, your Google Business Profile, your Instagram and in your confirmation email.
In this article
The problem with platforms
Booking platforms are good at one thing: bringing new guests to your B&B. In return they take a percentage of every booking. That's a fair trade for a guest who would never have found you otherwise.
But a guest who has already stayed three times will often book again through the same platform. Simply because they don't know they can book with you directly. Then you're paying commission on a guest you already had.
Paying commission on a guest you already knew is money left on the table.
What you need to take direct bookings
- A booking system on your own website, with availability per room
- A deposit at the time of booking, by Bancontact or iDEAL
- Clear cancellation terms
- A confirmation for your guest, and a message with your address before they arrive
With bookable rooms, guests book directly on your website. They see which rooms are free on the nights they want, pay a deposit, and get a confirmation straight away. You pay a fixed amount each month, not a percentage per night.
How do you get guests to your own site?
Your Google Business Profile
Add your booking link to your profile, under Bookings. Anyone who finds your B&B on Google Maps can then book with you directly.
Your confirmation email and your rooms
Mention in every confirmation email that your guest can book directly next time. A card in the room with a QR code does the same job.
Instagram and your website
A link in your Instagram bio and a clear "Check availability" button on every page of your website.
Deposit and cancellation terms
For stays, a percentage works better than a fixed amount, because a week's stay is worth more than a single night. Set out in your terms until when your guest can cancel free of charge, and what happens to the deposit after that.
What about Airbnb and Booking.com?
Plenty of B&Bs keep their platforms alongside their own site. Airbnb and Booking.com can share their calendar through an iCal link. A booking on one channel then blocks the nights on the other.
Bear in mind that this link isn't instant. Airbnb fetches a shared calendar roughly every three hours, Booking.com roughly every hour. A double booking can slip through in that window. Only availability is passed across, not prices or guest details.
- No card needed
- No commission
- Cancel monthly
Frequently asked questions
Can I let my B&B rooms without Booking.com or Airbnb?
Yes. With a booking system on your own website, guests book directly with you. Plenty of B&Bs also keep a platform for new guests, and let regulars book directly.
How do I avoid double bookings if I'm also on a platform?
Block nights booked through a platform in your own system as well. If you want that to happen automatically through an iCal link, let us know. If you're missing something, we build it in.
What deposit should I ask for a stay?
For stays, a percentage works better than a fixed amount, because a week is worth more than a single night. Set out in your terms until when your guest can cancel free of charge.
What does bookable rooms cost?
From €29 a month, with no commission per night and no setup fee. You can try it free for 14 days, no card needed.
Founder of Bookable. Questions about this article or about your own business? Send a message whenever you like. A real person replies, within 24 hours.