How to join Booking.com

How much commission do I pay?

The commission percentage varies by country and property type but can range between 10% and 25%. We’ve outlined some examples of commission amounts for different countries.

What is my commission used for?

The commission you pay goes back into the products and services you use, including:

• 24/7 support through phone and email
• Promotion of your property on search engines and affiliate websites
• Commercial and technical advice from our team in your local area

Are fees included in the price I set?

We believe that you are the best person to set the price of your property – this is why we don’t add anything to your prices. Unlike other platforms that charge guests extra fees, the price you set is the price we display on Booking.com.

How do I set my price?

If you’re not sure what price to set, we offer a free and easy-to-use rate management tool that helps you optimize your pricing strategy and make quick decisions on which rates to offer.

How many photos do I need?

To complete your registration, you must have at least one photo. When choosing your photos, think about what makes your property different from your competitors and select ones that highlight this.

Once you’ve completed your registration you can add additional photos, select a main photo, and add photos of specific rooms or units. When you upload your photos we’ll warn you if the resolution is too low, if it’s the wrong size, or if the one you’re trying to add is already there.

What are some tips for taking the best photos of my property?

• The larger and higher quality your photos are, the better
• Landscape shots show better on the website
• Use natural light and avoid a flash
• Take photos from a steady height of around 1.5 metres (5 feet)

For more tips, take a look at our guide for taking better photos for your hotel or property. In it, you will find more information on things like lighting, photo resolution, the rule of thirds, as well as things to avoid like mirror reflections and underexposed photos.

Can I list my property?

Before you list your property on Booking.com, it’s important to be familiar with the short-term rental regulations for your city, region, or country. A number of governments and municipalities require property owners to hold and/or display a special permit or license if they wish to list their place on short-term vacation rental sites. In some cases, local authorities can limit the guest occupancy or the number of bookings you can receive within a certain period of time.

For detailed information as well as the latest updates on legislation that applies to you and your property, check your local municipalities website.

What house rules can I set for guests?

Currently, there are five categories of house rules you can set for your guests:

• Children
• Pets
• Smoking
• Parties or events
• Quiet hours

Nearly all guests respect the rules of the properties they stay at, but to make things even clearer, we can present your rules so they have to read and agree to them before finalizing their booking.

How do I set my house rules?

Depending on your property type, this feature might not be available yet. We’re working hard to roll it out for all partners as soon as possible.

If they are available, house rules can be set directly in your extranet – we also provide step by step instructions.

What information is needed to create a listing?

Before you start to create your listing, make sure that you have the following ready:

• List of your facilities and amenities
• The layout of your property, including sleeping arrangements
• Correct and complete address
• At least one high-quality photo

What makes a good listing?

Our property pages are designed to grab the attention of potential guests quickly. Start by making sure you’ve selected all the facilities and amenities your property has to offer. Twenty-five percent of our bookers coming from searches with filters, so if these aren’t correctly displayed you’ll miss out on business. If you’re not sure where to start, we highlight the most popular facilities and amenities.

It’s also recommended to show guests where they’re staying. Showing at least four photos, including one of the bathroom, will set the right expectations for their stay.

If you’re not sure if something is missing after you’ve completed your registration, take a look at your property page score. This score highlights quick and easy changes you can make to improve the performance of your property’s page.

How do I choose a name for my property?

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a name for your property:

• Use specific, unique names that won't confuse guests
• Consider what people would be looking for on search engines – what would they type to find your property?
• Keep it short and sweet – guests tend to type in as little as possible to find the results they’re looking for

What can I not include in my property name?

Your property name should not include any of the following:

• Punctuation marks like quotation marks, (“”), asterisks (*), and "at" signs (@)
• Capitalisation of whole words (except acronyms)
• Inappropriate words

Pulse

Pulse is the mobile app for managing your property on Booking.com with an easy-to-use design lets you take care of tasks on the go. It includes features like a calendar, an overview of arrivals and departures and the ability to manage availability. You’ll even receive notifications about new bookings, guest reviews, and cancellations.

Channel manager (Connectivity provider)

From being able to easily update your prices across all channels to reduce your chances of overbooking, we understand the importance of channel managers. This is why we make it easy to connect yours to your Booking.com account. Simply log into the extranet, click on 'Account' in the navigation, select 'Connectivity provider' from the drop-down list, then select your provider and follow the outlined steps to activate your connection.

Extranet

The Booking.com extranet is the administrative dashboard for your property. In it, you will have access to all information displayed on your property page, including:

• Payment options
• Policies
• Rooms and rates
• Photos and descriptions
• Reviews

You can also see a record of past and future reservations, analytics about your property’s performance, opportunity to set up deals, and much more.

You’ll be able to access the Extranet using the login name and password combination you set up during registration. To log on, just:

• Go to the Booking.com extranet
• Enter your login name and password
• Select your language and log on