Direct Bookings for Holiday Home Owners: Save up to 8.5% in Commissions with Macufy
If you own a holiday home, you know the feeling all too well: you list on Airbnb, on Booking.com or on VRBO, you get bookings, and when the payout arrives, between **15% and 16% of what the guest pays** remains in the hands of the platform. No negotiation, no alternative, no turning back.
Today we are announcing one of the most highly anticipated updates for the Macufy owner community: **direct bookings are now available on all plans**, including the basic plan. From now on, you can receive bookings directly from your guests through your own link or booking page, with a commission of just **7.5%**. No unnecessary intermediaries. Without sacrificing the protection and automation you already know.
What are direct bookings for holiday homes?
A direct booking is one that the guest makes **directly with you as the owner**, without going through an OTA (Online Travel Agency) like Airbnb, Booking.com or VRBO. The guest reaches your property through a personalised link, a public page, or a widget that you can integrate wherever you like: on your website, on your social media, in your Google profile, in your email signature, or even in a WhatsApp message.
The process is simple:
The guest selects the available dates.
They enter their details and make the payment securely.
They receive an automatic confirmation.
They complete the online check-in from the same link.
All of this without you having to manually intervene at any step. **Macufy's automation takes care of the rest.**
Why are direct bookings key to your property's profitability?
Let's put some numbers on the table. Imagine a €700 booking for a week in your holiday apartment:
Platform | Commission | What you lose | What you receive |
|---|---|---|---|
Airbnb | ~15% | €105 | €595 |
~15-16% | €105-112 | €588-595 | |
VRBO | ~15% | €105 | €595 |
Macufy (direct booking) | 7.5% | €52.50 | €647.50 |
**The difference for that single booking is more than €52.** If you have 30, 40, or 50 bookings a year, we are talking about an extra **€1,500 to €2,600** that stays in your pocket, simply by diversifying your acquisition channels.
And that's without considering that, by having direct contact with the guest from the very first moment, you can build loyalty, offer additional services, and get them to book directly with you again next year.
Do direct bookings replace Airbnb or Booking.com?
Not necessarily, and it doesn't have to be your goal. The smartest strategy for a holiday let owner today is to **combine channels**:
**OTAs** (Airbnb, Booking, VRBO) give you visibility and attract new guests who don't know you yet.
**Direct bookings** allow you to win back guests who have already stayed with you, capture organic or social media traffic, and serve those who contact you directly.
With Macufy, you can manage both channels from a single dashboard. Your OTA bookings are automatically synchronised with your calendar, and direct bookings are integrated into the same workflow: online check-in, automated communications, Spanish police registration (SES Hospedajes), invoices, notifications to the cleaning team... all in one.
Direct bookings included in the Macufy basic plan
This is perhaps the best news: **you don't need to sign up for an additional plan or pay any extra fees** to start accepting direct bookings. Direct bookings are included in the **Macufy basic plan**, the very same plan you already use to manage your check-ins, automated messages, and OTA synchronisation.
And if you are not yet a Macufy user, or have just signed up, your **first three months are completely free**. No credit card required, no commitment, no small print.
Everything included in the Macufy basic plan
The Macufy basic plan is not a stripped-back entry-level plan. It is a complete solution designed so that a holiday home owner can automate all day-to-day operations from day one. Here is what is included:
✅ Check-in and documentation
**Multi-language online check-in form** — your guests can complete check-in in their own language from any device, without needing to install any app.
**Check-in reminders for your guests** — automated messages so that no guest arrives without having completed the process.
**Automatic submission to SES Hospedajes** — comply with current Spanish regulations without doing anything manually. Every completed check-in is automatically communicated to the Ministry of the Interior's system.
**Annual report for the Property Registry (new N2 model)** — automatically generate the annual report required by the new regulations for the Property Registry.
**AI-powered Passport and ID recognition** — your guests photograph their ID, and artificial intelligence automatically extracts the data, reducing errors and speeding up the process.
**Guest registration forms** — generate the official documents required without manual work.
**Holiday rental agreement** — available for each booking, fully customisable and with digital signature.
✅ Bookings and payments
**Direct bookings with your guests (New!)** — your own booking channel with integrated payment, real-time availability calendar, and automatic confirmation. Just a 7.5% commission.
**Compatibility with any device** — the process works seamlessly on mobile, tablet, and desktop, both for you and your guests.
✅ Communications and operations
**Sending instructions or PDFs after check-in** — schedule the automatic sending of the house manual, access instructions, or any document at the exact time you choose.
**PDF invoice generation for your guests** — automatic invoices for those who need them, featuring your tax details and the booking information.
**Schedule alerts for the cleaning team** — automatic notifications with check-in and check-out times so your team is always coordinated.
**Stock form for replenishment of amenities** — control the status of your property's supplies with digital forms that your cleaning team can fill out from their mobile phones.
✅ Security and storage
**Secure storage for 5 years** — all your guest data, documents, and records are securely stored for the legally required period.
**Secure SSL encryption on all connections** — all information passing through Macufy is protected with end-to-end SSL encryption.
How does the direct booking feature work on Macufy?
When you activate direct bookings for your property within Macufy, the system generates:
**A public booking page** with your accommodation's name, photos, description, rates, and availability calendar updated in real time.
**An embeddable widget** that you can insert into any website or blog you have.
**A direct link** that you can share through any channel: Instagram, WhatsApp, email, Google Business Profile, etc.
The guest selects dates, enters their contact details, and makes the payment securely via Stripe. Once the booking is confirmed, Macufy's system automatically triggers the entire usual workflow: online check-in link, reminders, police registration, cleaning team notification...
**Exactly the same as with any OTA booking, but without paying a 15% to 16% commission.**
Real use cases: when should you go for direct bookings?
1. Repeat guests
If a guest has stayed at your accommodation through Airbnb and wants to return the following year, direct booking is the natural choice. You already know each other, they have your contact details, and you both save on the OTA's commission.
2. Organic acquisition from social media
Many owners have Instagram or TikTok profiles showcasing their holiday home. With Macufy, you can add the direct booking link to your bio or stories and convert organic traffic into actual bookings without paying a penny to any external platform.
3. Agreements with local businesses
If your property is near a business, a hospital, or an industrial area, you can offer special rates to their employees through the direct booking link. A simple way to fill dates that would otherwise remain empty.
4. Groups and long-term bookings
For groups of friends or families, or for stays longer than a week, an OTA's commission can represent a very significant amount. Direct booking is the most sensible alternative for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions about direct bookings on Macufy
**Do I need to have my own website to use direct bookings?** No. Macufy automatically generates a public page for your accommodation. You don't need any technical knowledge or an existing website.
**How is payment managed?** Payments are processed securely through Stripe, one of the most widely used and reliable payment gateways in the world.
**What happens if the guest cancels?** You can configure your cancellation policy directly in Macufy. The system automatically applies the conditions you have set.
**Does it synchronise with my Airbnb or Booking.com calendar?** Yes. Direct bookings are integrated into the same calendar as your OTA bookings, automatically preventing double bookings.
**Do I have to do anything manually when a direct booking arrives?** No. The entire process — confirmation, check-in, communications, documentation — is managed automatically, just like any other booking.
Start free for three months
If you don't use Macufy yet, now is the best time to try it. Register today and you will have full access to the basic plan — including direct bookings — for **three months at no cost**.
No commitment. No credit card required. No feature limits during the trial period.
After three months, the price automatically adjusts to the number of active properties you have. No surprises, no hidden costs.
**Your property, your business, your terms.**
Conclusion
Direct bookings are not the future of holiday let management. They are the present. And with a commission of **7.5% compared to the 15-16% of the big OTAs**, the difference in your bottom line at the end of the year can be very significant.
At Macufy, we have built a platform that does exactly that: giving you the tools of a large holiday operator with the simplicity that an individual owner needs. And all of this from the most basic plan, available free for the first three months.
Direct bookings are here. And they are included in your plan.
Have questions about how to activate direct bookings for your property? Write to us or access the documentation from your dashboard.