Quick answer: your own website lets a guesthouse (pousada) or hotel receive bookings straight from guests, without paying platform commissions, which today are 15% to 18% on Booking.com and 16% on Airbnb. For that, the website needs real photos, clear prices and rules, a WhatsApp button or booking engine, the Cadastur seal and a strong presence on Google. A corporate website usually costs BRL 8k to BRL 20k.
Platforms such as Booking.com and Airbnb bring visibility, but they charge a lot for it, and prices are rising. In July 2026 Booking.com began charging 18% to partners in its Preferred program, after 12 years of unchanged terms in Brazil. In the same month Airbnb announced a single 16% fee in the country, paid entirely by the host. This guide shows how much that weighs on your cash flow, how to turn part of those guests into direct bookings and what your property website needs to make it work. It is a segment guide that builds on our general business website guide.
How much commission does your property pay per year?
Booking.com charges a standard 15% commission and 18% for those in the Preferred program, which gives more prominence in search results. Six industry associations, including ABIH Nacional and FBHA, filed a complaint with Brazil's antitrust authority (CADE) in June 2026 against the increase. Airbnb merged its fees into a single 16% in Brazil: before, the host paid 4% and the guest paid a separate fee, now the host pays everything. Here is the math for a guesthouse with BRL 400k in annual revenue (illustrative example, replace it with your own revenue):
- If half of revenue (BRL 200k) comes from platforms, the commission at 15% is BRL 30k per year. At 18%, it is BRL 36k.
- If 10% of total revenue (BRL 40k) starts coming from direct bookings, the saving is BRL 6k per year.
- With 20% coming direct, the saving rises to BRL 12k per year. With 30%, to BRL 18k.
In that scenario, even a website at the high end of market pricing pays for itself within a few years, and keeps working afterwards. The realistic strategy is not to abandon platforms, which work as a storefront, but to convert into direct bookings the guests who already know you, who return or who arrive through referrals, Google search or social media.
What direct bookings bring beyond saving commission
- Relationship with the guest: the contact stays with you, not the platform. You can announce dates, promotions and the next season.
- Control over price and terms: you set rates, packages, minimum stay and cancellation policy, without depending on third party rules.
- Your own brand: guests remember the name of your property, not the name of the app where they found it.
- Loyalty: returning guests are the cheapest booking there is, and the website is the natural place to welcome them.
What a guesthouse or hotel website needs to have
A lodging website has one specific job: to make the visitor imagine the stay and request the booking. This is the checklist we use:
- Real, professional photos: they weigh a lot in the decision of someone about to book. Stock images send the wrong message.
- One page for each type of accommodation: capacity, beds, amenities, photos and what is included.
- Clear prices and rules: rates or price ranges, check-in and check-out, policy for children and pets, and cancellation policy.
- A short path to booking: a WhatsApp button with a prefilled message, a quote form or a booking engine with a calendar.
- Location and attractions: map, how to get there and what to do in the region. This also attracts searches such as "what to do in" your town.
- Social proof: real guest testimonials and reviews.
- Mobile speed: many travelers search and decide on a smartphone, sometimes with a poor signal. The website must load fast.
- Cadastur seal and an English version: the first builds trust and the second opens up the international audience.
WhatsApp, form or booking engine?
There is no single format; there is the right one for the size of the operation.
- WhatsApp with a prefilled message: the simplest path and the one we adopted at Rancho em Cardoso. The guest asks questions, receives the quote and books in one conversation. Extra cost: zero.
- Quote form: organizes requests by date and number of guests, useful when message volume is high.
- Booking engine with calendar and online payment: makes sense for larger hotels or those with many units, but costs more and requires keeping availability and prices up to date. If that is your case, we build it custom through our On-Demand Solutions service.
Our recommendation is to start simple, with WhatsApp, and move to a booking engine only if volume justifies it.
How to be found: Google, free booking links and AI
A beautiful website nobody finds is useless. Three fronts make the difference for lodging:
- Google Business Profile: it is what shows up on Maps and local search. Keep photos, hours, phone and the website link always up to date.
- Google free booking links: by sharing rates and availability, Google can show a direct booking link, with no commission, on Search and Maps. The rule is that the address must lead to the property's own website, not to social networks or online travel agencies such as Booking.com. It is one more reason to have a website with a booking page.
- Local SEO and content: pages and articles about the town, tours and seasons attract people who have not yet chosen where to stay. Each article is an entry point on Google and in AI answers from tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini.
Cadastur: mandatory for lodging and a trust seal
According to gov.br, Cadastur registration is mandatory for lodging providers, based on Brazil's General Tourism Law (Law no. 11.771/2008). Registration is free and valid for 2 years. Besides regularizing the business, showing the Cadastur seal on the website reassures people who are about to book. Salto Solutions itself is registered (Cadastur no. 65.899.250/0001-50) and shows the seal in the website footer. Confirm local requirements with your municipal or state tourism office.
Real case: Rancho em Cardoso
Rancho em Cardoso, a retreat on the banks of the reservoir in Cardoso, Brazil, relied on occasional ads and word of mouth. We built a high end website, with pages that load in under 1 second, optimization for Google and AI and strategic WhatsApp buttons to ask for a quote without friction. The result is its own booking channel, without the fees of up to 20% charged by intermediary platforms.
HospitalityRancho em CardosoA high end website that loads in under 1 second and sends bookings straight to WhatsApp, with no platform commissions.View case →
TourismTurista Por AíOur platform for stays and itineraries across inland Brazil, with direct contact between traveler and host, no commission.View project →How much does a guesthouse or hotel website cost?
The figures below are the average charged by agencies and development companies across Brazil and serve as a reference for comparing proposals: a corporate website from BRL 8k to BRL 20k, delivered in 4 to 6 weeks, and a website with features, such as a booking engine and integrations, from BRL 25k. The full breakdown is in the general business website guide.
And at Salto? You talk directly to the person who plans and builds your website, with no account management layers and none of the overhead of a traditional agency. That allows us to deliver differentiated work, with an investment adjusted to the reality of your property. See how this closeness works.
For lodging, low cost maintenance weighs even more: high season prices, new photos, rules and availability must always be correct, and a broken booking link in the middle of a holiday is expensive. We include bug fixing, component updates, integrity checks and content updates.
Frequently asked questions about guesthouse and hotel websites
Is a website worth it if I am already on Booking.com and Airbnb?
Yes. Platforms bring visibility, but they charge 15% to 18% (Booking.com) and 16% (Airbnb) per booking and keep the relationship with the guest. A website lets you convert into direct bookings those who already know you and those who arrive through Google, with no commission.
Do I need to leave the platforms to get direct bookings?
No. The safest strategy is to use the platforms as a storefront and steer returning guests, referrals and people arriving through Google to your website. The larger the share of direct bookings, the lower your dependence on fees.
How much does a guesthouse website cost?
On average, BRL 8k to BRL 20k for a complete corporate website, according to what agencies and companies charge in Brazil. Websites with a booking engine and integrations cost from BRL 25k. For each project, Salto assesses the scope and adjusts the investment to the reality of the property.
Do I need a booking engine or is WhatsApp enough?
For most small and mid sized guesthouses and hotels, WhatsApp with a prefilled message is usually enough. A booking engine makes sense for larger operations, with many units and a high volume of requests.
Does a guesthouse need Cadastur?
Yes. According to gov.br, Cadastur is mandatory for lodging providers, is free and is valid for 2 years. Showing the seal on the website also increases trust among people who are about to book.
How long does it take for the website to show up on Google?
With a well structured website submitted to Google Search Console, indexing usually happens within days. Top positions for competitive searches, such as "guesthouse in" your town, generally take 3 to 6 months and come faster with local content published regularly.
Do you build websites in Portuguese and English?
Yes. We build bilingual websites with the correct technical structure to attract both Brazilian and international guests.
Want more direct bookings?
If your guesthouse or hotel pays too much commission, does not show up on Google or loses bookings for lack of its own channel, let's talk. Explore our On-Demand Solutions service, see the cases we have delivered or get in touch with Salto for a diagnosis of what your website needs to generate direct bookings.