STACKD
Build your stack
R.003 / SystemsHOSPITALITY
§ Sol.00

The Direct Booking Engine

Booking.com siphoned 18% of your revenue last year. Those aren't your guests — they're Booking.com's guests.

Direct booking engine with automated guest messaging, post-checkout review requests, and full guest CRM — no OTA commission.

https://maris.pt/booking● 0.4s● 98 Lighthouse
FIG. H.01 — Direct booking
MARIS · ALFAMA · LISBON
A room with the
Tagus at its feet.
● Direct rates — 18% less than Booking.com
Available · 24 Jun → 27 Jun
Atelier · River
3 nights · all-in
€312
Studio · Garden
3 nights · all-in
€248
Penthouse · 12.A
3 nights · all-in
€620
● n8n · post-book
WhatsApp concierge · auto-itinerary · checkin codes — all from you, not the agency.
§ Sol.01Current cost

What you're currently paying for this

PlatformCommission rateWhat you lose
Booking.com15–18% commissionGuest contact details, re-engagement rights
Expedia15–25% commissionOwns the guest relationship entirely
Airbnb3–5% host + 14% guestYour reviews are on their platform
OTA-dependent pricingRate parity clausesCannot offer direct booking discounts

Every one of these is replaced by a system you own and a server that costs less per month than a tank of petrol.

§ Sol.02System architecture

How The Direct Booking Engine works

SEO / property siteNext.jsDirect bookingCal.comStripe paymentStripeGuest CRMFrappeWhatsApp sequencesn8nConcierge inboxChatwootReview pipelinen8n
  1. 01Guest searches "boutique hotel [city]" — your Next.js property site ranks, loads in under 0.5s
  2. 02They view the property — gallery, rooms, and availability managed through Payload CMS
  3. 03They book direct via Cal.com — full payment via Stripe, confirmation sent immediately
  4. 04Frappe creates the guest CRM record — stay history, preferences, special requests
  5. 05n8n sends WhatsApp pre-arrival message 48h before check-in
  6. 06Chatwoot provides in-stay concierge — all channels unified in one inbox
  7. 07Post-checkout n8n sends review request to Google and TripAdvisor
§ Sol.03Stack

Tools in this system

§ Sol.04Business case

Why it makes sense

Booking.com's Genius programme requires properties to fund an additional 10–15% discount on top of the standard 15% commission. Combined with processing fees, the real revenue extraction reaches 24–30% of your listed rate.

A 30-room hotel at £110 gross RevPAR with 70% OTA dependency: shifting just 15% of those bookings to direct booking recovers over £32,000/yr in pure net profit — no rate increase required.

OTA guests return to the OTA for their next stay. Direct booking guests return to you. The guest data owned today is the revenue secured next year.

Your numbers will vary. Start with a brief and we'll map them against your actual figures.

Modules in this stack4 modules
Branded WebsiteBooking EngineUnified InboxWorkflow Automation

Each module is available as a standalone build. Combined in a stack, they share infrastructure and a single data layer. Browse all modules →

§ Sol.06Start here

Not sure which tier is right?

A paid discovery sprint delivers a complete architecture blueprint — stack decisions, scope, timeline, and a fixed build quote — in 2–3 weeks. Creditable in full against any build.

£4,000one-time · credited against build
  • ●Current stack and workflow audit
  • ●Full system architecture blueprint
  • ●Fixed scope, timeline, and build estimate
  • ●£4,000 credited in full against any build within 90 days

Most clients who complete a sprint proceed to build. The blueprint removes scope uncertainty before a penny is committed to development.

Book a discovery sprint
§ Sol.04 · Pricing
Quick Start
From £1,500one-time

A direct booking page with Stripe — cut OTA dependency on one room type or property.

  • ●Direct booking page (Next.js + Cal.com + Stripe)
  • ●Automated guest confirmation sequence
  • ●Setup and handover documentation
Get a quote
Most popular
Full System
From £7,500one-time + £120/mo infra

Direct booking engine, guest messaging, and CRM — 0% OTA commission on every direct booking.

  • ●Branded Next.js site with direct booking
  • ●Cal.com availability management
  • ●Chatwoot unified guest inbox
  • ●Frappe guest CRM
  • ●Monthly infrastructure (flat rate)
Brief us on this system
Full Stack
From £12,000one-time + £150/mo infra

The full hospitality OS — booking, inbox, CRM, back office, and post-stay review automation.

  • ●Everything in Full System
  • ●ERPNext back office (revenue, ops)
  • ●Post-checkout review engine
  • ●n8n guest journey automation
  • ●Priority support SLA
Talk to us

Ready to brief us for hospitality?

Tell us what you need. We'll map the system and scope the build.

Brief us on this system