You ever had a guest show up angry because Trivago lied to them again?

Yeah. Me too.

One thought they booked a deluxe suite for $99. Another swore they “already paid the $300 deposit on Priceline.” And then there’s the classic: “What do you mean you don’t have my reservation? I gave you my Orbitz confirmation number!”

Look — you can keep relying on third-party sites and letting them bungle your business. Or… you could take back control and let your own website handle bookings like a boss.

Why Most Hotels Depend on Booking Sites (And Regret It Later)

Let’s be real: sites like Expedia, Booking.com, and Priceline do help you get exposure. But they come with some serious baggage:

  • You don’t control the customer experience. If there’s a screw-up, guess who gets blamed? (Spoiler: it’s you, not Expedia’s chatbot.)
  • You pay hefty commissions. Some of these platforms take up to 30% of every booking. That’s your profit, walking out the door.
  • Your hands are tied. You often can’t change or upgrade a guest’s room, adjust pricing, or offer perks without jumping through hoops (or calling customer service purgatory).

It’s like letting someone else run your front desk — badly — while charging you for the privilege.

Solution: Let Your Website Handle Bookings

A custom-built hotel website with direct booking functionality isn’t just a fancy upgrade — it’s a money-saving, sanity-restoring power move.

Here’s what you get when your site does the heavy lifting:

✅ Total control over pricing and policies

No more explaining why someone got charged twice. You set the rules. You communicate them clearly.

✅ Better guest experience

Send your own confirmations. Collect your own reviews. Offer room upgrades or last-minute discounts directly.

✅ No commission fees

Keep 100% of the booking. Novel concept, right?

Booking Plugins That Actually Work (If You’re Using WordPress)

If you’re running your hotel site on WordPress (smart move), here are three solid plugins that turn your site into a booking machine:

  1. Hotel Booking by MotoPress
    • One of the most comprehensive tools out there. Syncs with Airbnb/Booking.com (if you’re still there), handles seasonal pricing, coupons, availability calendars, and even taxes.
  2. WP Hotel Booking
    • Lightweight, user-friendly, and totally free. Great for small hotels or B&Bs just getting started.
  3. HBook
    • Designed specifically for hotels and vacation rentals. Clean UI, PayPal/Stripe integration, and super customizable.

Need help picking or setting one up? I’ve installed and customized all of them. Let’s talk.

Example: “The Guest Who Showed Up Mad at Me Instead of Expedia”

Let’s say your guest, Karen, shows up fuming.

She says Expedia already charged her $300.

You try to explain that you didn’t charge her, you just took a $50 incidental deposit. But now she’s upset, you’re stressed, and your receptionist is wondering if it’s too late to switch careers.

If she had booked directly on your website? She’d have gotten one receipt. One confirmation. One policy. No confusion.

And you? You’d be running your business, not defusing drama.

Let’s Build Something Better (That Pays for Itself)

You don’t need a million-dollar redesign. You need a site that:

  • Shows off your hotel beautifully
  • Takes bookings clearly and securely
  • Saves you from losing 30% to middlemen who ghost your guests

I build sites like that. And if you want, we can hop on a free 15-minute call to talk it through — no pitch, no pressure.

👉 Book a Free 15-Minute Chat With Me

Let’s make your website your best employee.