Should You Create a Direct Booking Website for Your Short-Term Rental? Here’s What to Know

When I first got started hosting on Airbnb nearly a decade ago, I was just focused on providing a great stay and collecting my first reviews. Back then, the idea of creating a direct booking website sounded complicated, expensive, and a little unnecessary.

But as my experience grew, and especially after dealing with platform fees, rigid policies, and occasional guest miscommunications, I started to see the value in building something I controlled.

If you’re wondering whether creating a direct booking site is worth it for your short-term rental, here’s my honest breakdown of the pros and cons, plus a few important considerations.

What Is a Direct Booking Website?

A direct booking site is your own platform outside of Airbnb, VRBO, or other OTAs (online travel agencies). Guests can find your property, check availability, and book directly with you. You take care of the reservation process, communication, and payment. It can be as simple as a single-page site with an inquiry form or a full booking engine with calendars and payment integration.

Pros of Having a Direct Booking Website

1. Lower Fees (for You and Your Guests)
Airbnb and VRBO take a cut of each reservation, often 3%–15% for hosts and even more for guests. Direct bookings can reduce or eliminate those fees entirely.

2. Full Control Over Policies and Guest Experience
You’re not locked into OTA policies around cancellations, deposits, or guest disputes. You can set your own rules and communicate your own way.

3. Brand Building
A direct booking site allows you to showcase your property the way you want. It’s your brand, your style, and your voice. This is especially powerful if you have multiple properties or a unique offering.

4. Repeat Guests and Loyalty
Once a guest has stayed with you via Airbnb and loved their experience, they may prefer booking directly next time to avoid service fees. A website makes that seamless. Additionally, you can offer guests discounts (use that platform savings of 3% – 15%!) to book directly with you. Building a loyal customer base of guests who return year after year is an incredibly sustainable model, plus reduces risk.

Cons of Having a Direct Booking Website

1. You’re Responsible for Everything
With Airbnb or VRBO, you’re backed by their booking systems, payment processing, and some (albeit limited) guest screening. With direct bookings, you take on all of that, including payment security and support.

2. You’ll Likely Need a Rental Agreement
When booking directly, there’s no platform “Terms of Service” protecting you. I recommend creating a rental contract that outlines your rules, cancellation policy, and house expectations. This protects both you and the guest, especially in the case of a dispute. Try asking ChatGPT to draft this for you! And, have a lawyer review.

3. More Upfront Work
From setting up your website to marketing it and ensuring you have the right tools (calendar sync, messaging, payment gateways), there’s a learning curve and investment of time and money.

4. Traffic Can Be a Challenge
The platforms bring you traffic. With a direct booking site, you need to drive people to your website through social media, SEO, email marketing, or repeat guests. It’s doable, but it’s not automatic.

A Surprising Middle Option: The Condo-Hotel Model

If you’re not ready to go fully independent, a condo-hotel might be worth considering. This model gives you many of the benefits of direct bookings without all the heavy lifting.

What is a Condo-Hotel?
A condo-hotel (also known as a condotel) is a building that operates like a hotel but is made up of individually owned units. Owners can use their unit part-time and rent it out when they’re not there. These properties often come with professional management, cleaning, guest communication, and a direct booking website that markets the entire building. Read more in my other blog post, Condo-Hotels for Short-Term Rentals: A Smart Alternative to Building Your Own Direct Booking Website.

My Take: Start Small, Stay Smart

I personally think a direct booking site can be a great tool, but it’s not a must-have for every host, especially when you’re just getting started. If you’re operating one property and doing just fine on Airbnb or VRBO, there’s no rush. But if you’re starting to scale, have repeat guests, or want to build more autonomy, it can be an excellent next step.

If you go for it, here are a few starter tips:

• Use a user-friendly builder like Hospitable, OwnerRez, or StayFi if you want tech tailored to STRs.
• Create a simple rental agreement you can send upon booking.
• Make sure your payment processor is secure (Stripe and Square are popular choices).
• Keep branding consistent — same tone, colors, and photos you use across platforms.

Final Thought: It’s About Freedom

Owning your booking platform is ultimately about freedom: more control over your income, your policies, and your guest experience. Just be prepared for the added responsibility that comes with it.

Would I do it again? Yes, when the time is right. But like most things in the STR world, it’s all about what works for your lifestyle, your goals, and your bandwidth.

Do you have a great direct booking website? Drop the link in the comments, I’d love to take a peek!

—KP