Technology · Vancouver, Canada · Member since 2026 · 11 posts · 6 votes
Booking through Airbnb or Vrbo feels familiar to guests. Booking through an owner’s website means they need to feel comfortable with someone they may not know yet.
Here are five things I’d check on a direct booking website:
• Clear photos showing the rooms and spaces guests will actually use. • Information about the host and an easy way to contact them. • Guest reviews with a way to see their original source. • The full price, cancellation policy and deposit details before payment. • A simple booking process that works well on a phone.
Try opening your website on your phone as if you’ve never seen the property before. Can you quickly find those answers?
For hosts already getting direct bookings, what questions do guests usually ask before they feel comfortable booking?
Consistency helps too. If someone finds the property on Airbnb and then looks up the direct site, the bedroom count, photos, property name and contact information should agree. An old photo or a different cancellation explanation creates doubt fast. I would also show what happens after payment: confirmation, when arrival details are sent, and how to reach a person if something goes wrong.
Good point, Matthew. If the photos or property details don’t match, I can see why a guest would hesitate. I hadn’t included what happens after payment either. Knowing when to expect confirmation and arrival details would take some uncertainty out of booking with someone new.