Taking online reservations without Booking.com: a step-by-step guide for small hosts

Many small hosts think you need Booking.com or Airbnb to get booked online. You do not. With your own booking module you take reservations yourself on your website — commission-free and fully under your control. Here is the step-by-step guide.

Step 1: choose your booking module

Choose a system that fits what you rent out (rooms, holiday homes or vehicles) and that includes online payment, automatic confirmations and calendar sync as standard. Look for a fixed monthly fee instead of commission per booking.

Step 2: place the module on your website

You place the module with a small piece of embed code on your existing website — whether that is Wix, WordPress, Squarespace or something else. No website? One can be built for you. From that moment, guests can book with you.

Step 3: connect your calendars (API connection and iCal)

Do you also rent out via Booking.com or Airbnb? Then connect your calendars via a direct API connection and iCal synchronisation. That way your availability is the same everywhere and you avoid double bookings, without keeping it up to date by hand.

Step 4: turn on online payment

Let guests pay online right away. With Mikaflow this runs through Mollie: iDEAL, Bancontact, credit card and more, with the money straight into your account. Deposit, balance and security deposit can all be handled automatically.

Step 5: let guests book directly

Done. Guests pick their dates, pay and automatically receive a confirmation. You see every booking straight away in your calendar — on your phone too. No spreadsheets, no manual emails, no commission.

With Mikaflow you set all this up without technical knowledge. You try it free for 14 days, no payment card, and then pay a fixed low monthly fee from €15 — never per-booking commission.