Direct Booking · 10 min read

How to Set Up Your Direct Booking Website

Every dollar you collect through Airbnb or VRBO comes with a platform commission attached. A direct booking website flips that equation: guests find your property, browse your photos, check availability, and book — all without a platform taking a cut. HostMoat's Booking Site feature makes this possible without hiring a developer or paying for separate booking software. This guide walks through every step of the setup.

Prerequisites

An active HostMoat Pro subscription (the Booking Site feature requires Pro).
At least one property set up in HostMoat with a name, address, and basic details.
Photos of your property ready to upload (JPEG, PNG, or HEIC — HostMoat auto-converts).
Optional: a custom domain name if you want a branded URL like book.yourproperty.com.

Step 1: Enable the Booking Site

Navigate to Guests > Booking Site in your HostMoat dashboard. On the Setup tab, toggle the site on. Choose a subdomain slug — this becomes the address guests use to find your page (e.g., villakaraway.hostmoat.com). Slugs can only contain lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens. Pick something memorable and consistent with your property branding.

Your subdomain slug is permanent once guests start sharing it. Choose carefully. If you later connect a custom domain, the hostmoat.com subdomain continues to work as a redirect.

Step 2: Choose Your Booking Mode

On the Setup tab, select either Inquiry Only or Instant Book.

Inquiry Only: guests submit a booking request and you approve or decline before the booking is confirmed. Useful if you want to screen guests or manage high-demand dates manually.
Instant Book: bookings are confirmed automatically when a guest completes the form. Best for hosts who want a fully automated direct booking flow.

You can switch between modes at any time. If you start with Inquiry Only while you are learning the system, switching to Instant Book later does not affect existing bookings.

Step 3: Configure Payment and Deposit Settings

In the Setup tab, configure what guests pay at the time of booking. You can require full payment upfront, a fixed deposit amount, or no payment at booking (collect later via invoice). If you choose a deposit, enter the amount in the deposit field. Guests pay via Stripe during the booking flow. Remaining balances can be collected through HostMoat's invoicing system.

Step 4: Attach a Contract Template (Optional but Recommended)

If you use rental agreements, you can attach a contract template to your Booking Site. When a guest books, HostMoat automatically sends the contract for e-signature. To set this up, create a contract template in the Contracts page first, then select it in the Booking Site Setup tab under "Auto-send contract on booking." The signed contract is stored on the booking record and linked to the guest's portal.

Combine auto-send contract with auto-invoicing: enable "Auto-create invoices on signing" on your contract template, set a deposit amount and balance due date. When the guest books and signs, the deposit invoice sends immediately and the balance invoice schedules automatically. The entire financial flow runs without manual work.

Step 5: Fill In Your Property Content

Switch to the Content tab. This is where you create the listing content guests will read when they visit your page.

Hero tagline: a short, punchy headline that captures your property's appeal (e.g., "Oceanfront escape with private pool — no platforms, no commissions").
About description: 2-4 paragraphs describing the property, the experience, and what makes it special. Write for guests who have not seen your Airbnb listing.
Amenities: select from a predefined list (WiFi, pool, hot tub, parking, kitchen, etc.) or add custom amenities specific to your property.
Property details: set guest capacity, bedroom count, and bathroom count.
Location: enter latitude and longitude coordinates for the map marker. Use Google Maps to find your exact coordinates.

House rules are pulled automatically from your Digital Guidebook. Keep your guidebook updated and your booking page stays current without any extra effort.

Step 6: Upload Photos

Go to the Photos tab. Drag and drop your property photos or click to upload. HostMoat auto-compresses images to JPEG for fast page loads. Once uploaded, you can drag photos to reorder them. The first photo becomes the hero image displayed at the top of your booking page — choose your best shot. Add optional captions to photos that benefit from context (e.g., "Master suite with king bed and ocean view"). Free plans support up to 10 photos; Pro supports up to 30.

Step 7: Preview Your Page

Before sharing your booking page, use the Preview tab to see exactly what guests will see. Toggle between desktop and mobile viewports. Check that your photos look sharp, the amenity list is accurate, and the booking form is working. The preview reflects your live page, so any content you have saved is immediately visible here.

Step 8: Connect a Custom Domain (Optional)

Pro subscribers can replace the yourslug.hostmoat.com URL with a custom domain like book.yourproperty.com. To set this up: enter your desired domain in the Setup tab under "Custom Domain" and save. Then go to your domain registrar and add a CNAME record pointing your subdomain to sites.hostmoat.com. DNS propagation typically takes 5-30 minutes. Once the CNAME is in place, click "Provision Domain" in the Setup tab to automatically configure SSL. Use "Check Status" to verify — once it shows verified, your custom domain is live with full HTTPS.

Step 9: Share Your Booking Page

Your booking page is live. Now you need to get it in front of guests. The most effective distribution channels are the guests who already stayed with you.

Add the URL to your checkout reminder email template in HostMoat Guest Emails. Guests who had a great stay are your best direct booking prospects.
Include the link in your Digital Guidebook welcome section so guests see it during their stay.
Add it to your email signature for all personal correspondence.
Post it on social media profiles linked to your property.
Consider a post-stay follow-up email offering a small discount for booking directly next time.
Enable the "Show 'Book Direct' link" option in your Booking Widget (Guests > Booking Widget) to add a direct booking button to your embeddable availability calendar. Guests browsing availability on your website can click straight through to your booking page.

You do not need to choose between platforms and direct bookings. Keep your Airbnb and VRBO listings active for new guest acquisition. Use your direct booking site to convert satisfied guests into repeat direct bookers. Platforms are your top-of-funnel; your booking site is your retention channel.

Keeping Your Page Current

Your booking page availability calendar syncs automatically with your HostMoat calendar, which in turn syncs with Airbnb and VRBO every 2 hours. You do not need to manually block dates on your direct booking site — it stays in sync. For content updates (photos, description, amenities), return to the Booking Site page in HostMoat and make changes anytime. Updates go live immediately.

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