Websites for holiday rentals: let directly and follow the rules
Anyone letting one or more holiday apartments often lives on Airbnb, Booking.com or regional portals. Your own website still pays off: regular guests book direct, recommendations reach you instead of the portal, and the commission stays with you. This article shows what a holiday rental website needs and which rules apply since 2025 and 2026, using Germany as the example.
What guests want to see at a glance
Holiday rental guests compare very carefully. The website should show:
- Real photos of every room, the view and surroundings, not just the best angles.
- An availability calendar synchronised with the portals so there are no double bookings.
- Prices per night and season, minimum stay, final cleaning, tourist tax and deposit.
- Amenities: beds, kitchen, Wi-Fi, parking, pets, EV charger.
- Location with distances to beach, ski lift, old town or station.
Direct booking instead of an enquiry form
An enquiry form alone costs bookings: guests want to know immediately whether the dates are free and what they cost. A booking system with calendar, price calculation and deposit by card or bank transfer is enough for most hosts. What matters is calendar sync with every portal, usually via iCal or a channel manager.
Give direct bookers a reason: a slightly lower price, no service fee as on the portal, or a welcome pack. Platforms aren't allowed to forbid that.
Registration numbers and new EU rules
Since 20 May 2026 the EU Regulation 2024/1028 on short-term rental data applies. Where a municipality has introduced a registration procedure for holiday rentals, hosts need a registration number and platforms may only show listings there with a valid number. Your municipality will tell you whether it has such a procedure. If you have a number, show it on your website too.
In Germany, registration forms for German guests were abolished on 1 January 2025; foreign guests still have to fill them in. Tourist tax and accommodation levies depend on the municipality.
Being found and cost
Guests search for "holiday apartment" plus place, often with features like "dog friendly", "by the beach" or "with sauna". A page per apartment with these features in the text, a Google Business Profile and content about the area help you be found next to the portals. A website for one to five holiday rentals with availability calendar and direct booking starts at €1,800 with us.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a website worth it for just one holiday apartment?
- If you have many regular guests or referrals, yes: even a few direct bookings a year save noticeable commission. For a single apartment a compact site with calendar and booking is often enough.
- How do I avoid double bookings with Airbnb and Booking.com?
- With calendar sync: a channel manager or iCal synchronisation blocks booked days on every channel. Check how often the sync runs.
- Do I have to show a registration number on my website?
- The regulation mainly obliges platforms to display numbers where a registration procedure exists. On your own website it builds trust; clarify the obligation with your municipality.
Sources
Tell us about your apartments, the portals you list on and your calendar system. You get a page plan and a fixed price.
Request a holiday rental website