Guides
Take more direct bookings, keep the commission
Practical, no-jargon guides for independent hotel owners — how to win the bookings OTAs take a cut of, and bring guests back direct.
- Direct booking guide
How to get more direct bookings
A practical guide to getting more direct bookings: own your brand search, hold rate parity, give a reason to book direct, and keep the OTA commission.
Read the guide - OTA commission guide
How to reduce OTA commission
OTA commission usually can't be negotiated away — so the way to cut it is to shift bookings to a direct channel you own. A guide for independent hotels.
Read the guide - Brand search guide
How to beat OTAs on your own hotel name
OTAs bid on your hotel's name and resell your rooms. Here's how to win those bookings back: own the top result for your name and beat the OTA on rate and perk.
Read the guide - Rate parity guide
Rate parity, explained
Rate parity is the OTA clause that your public direct rate can't undercut the OTA's — what it really covers, and how to still reward direct guests within it.
Read the guide - Booking modes guide
Card payment or request-to-book?
PeakRooms lets guests book two ways — pay by card instantly, or send a request over WhatsApp. Here's how to choose the right one for your rooms.
Read the guide - WhatsApp booking guide
How WhatsApp booking works for hotels
How hotels take bookings over WhatsApp: guests tap to chat from your booking website, you reply to confirm, and the booking stays direct and commission-free.
Read the guide - Guest trust guide
Will guests trust booking directly?
Guests book direct when your site looks official, loads fast, and makes paying feel safe. Here's how to earn that trust and win the booking from the OTA.
Read the guide - Choosing a booking tool
Channel manager or booking website: which do you need?
Channel manager vs booking website: what each does, which your hotel needs, and why many small owners want a direct site more than OTA sync.
Read the guide - Pricing guide
How to set room rates for your property
A practical guide to setting room rates: a base rate per room type, seasonal pricing, minimum-stay rules, and holding rate parity so direct always wins.
Read the guide - Cancellation policy guide
How to write a hotel cancellation policy
How to write a fair, clear hotel cancellation policy: the tiers (flexible, moderate, strict), the deadline and charges to state, and where guests should see it.
Read the guide - Repeat guests guide
How to get repeat guests for your hotel
How to turn one-time guests into repeat, direct bookings: capture their details, stay in light touch, give a reason to return, and make rebooking one tap.
Read the guide - Room writing guide
How to write room descriptions that convert
How to write hotel room descriptions that turn browsers into bookings: lead with the experience, be specific, answer the guest's questions, and stay scannable.
Read the guide - Getting found guide
How to get your hotel on Google
Claim a free Google Business Profile, link it to a booking website you own, and get found on Google Maps and search — a step-by-step guide for hotel owners.
Read the guide - Cost guide
What a hotel booking website really costs
The five cost lines of a hotel booking website — the site, the booking engine, per-booking fees, card processing, the domain — plus the one most owners forget.
Read the guide
Put the guides to work on your own website
Answer a short brief and PeakRooms generates a booking website built to bring you direct, commission-free bookings.
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