Hotel and B&B websites: driving direct bookings over OTA commissions. OTAs like Booking.com take 15-25% commission on every reservation. A direct-booking website puts that revenue back in your pocket while building guest relationships. Every booking that comes through an OTA like Booking.com, Expedia, or Airbnb costs you 15-25% in commission fees. On a $200/night room, that's $30-$50 per night going to a platform instead of your bottom line. For a 20-room property averaging 70% occupancy, the difference between OTA bookings and direct bookings can be $150,000-$300,000 per year in commission savings alone. Yet many independent hotels and B&Bs don't invest in their own booking-capable website because they assume they can't compete with OTA marketing budgets. The reality is different: you don't need to outspend OTAs. You need to capture the guests who already know your name - the ones who found you on an OTA, then Google your property to book direct. The direct booking opportunity. Studies from Phocuswright show that 52% of travelers who find a property on an OTA then visit the property's own website before booking. They're checking for better rates, looking at photos the OTA didn't show, and reading about the property in the owner's voice. If your website doesn't exist, isn't professional, or doesn't offer a booking engine - those guests go back to the OTA and you pay the commission on a guest who was ready to book direct. The strategy isn't to abandon OTAs - they provide valuable visibility and discovery. The strategy is to use OTAs for discovery and convert as many guests as possible to direct bookings through your own website. A "best rate guarantee" prominently displayed on your site, combined with small direct-booking perks (free breakfast, late checkout, room upgrade), gives guests a reason to book direct. Essential website features for hotels and B&Bs. Integrated booking engine. A booking engine is the cornerstone of a direct-booking strategy. Platforms like Cloudbeds, Little Hotelier, and Lodgify integrate with your website and channel manager simultaneously, keeping availability synchronized across all platforms. The booking experience should require three clicks or fewer from homepage to confirmed reservation. Every additional step in the booking process costs you conversions. Room and suite pages. Each room type needs its own dedicated page with professional photography (minimum 10 images), amenity lists, floor plans or virtual tours, and pricing. Guests booking directly want to know exactly what they're getting - more detail than any OTA listing provides. This is your competitive advantage: OTAs have standard templates, but your website can tell the unique story of each room. Gallery that captures the experience. Hospitality is an emotional purchase. Your gallery shouldn't just show rooms - it should show the experience: sunset views from the terrace, breakfast spread, the lobby lounge with a fireplace, the neighborhood and walkable attractions. Use both professional photos and curated guest photos (with permission) to create an authentic visual story. SEO for independent hotels and B&Bs. Hotel SEO targets both branded searches (your property name) and discovery searches ("boutique hotel downtown [city]," "B&B near [attraction]," "romantic getaway [region]"). For branded searches, your website should outrank OTA listings for your own name - this is achievable with proper technical SEO and a well-maintained Google Business Profile. For discovery searches, your blog becomes a powerful tool. Content about local attractions, events, restaurants, and seasonal activities draws travelers to your site during the planning phase: "Best time to visit [city]," "Things to do near [attraction] in 2026," "Where to eat in [neighborhood]." Each post that ranks brings a potential guest to your site, where they discover your property organically and can book without OTA intermediation. Structured data markup for hotels (LocalBusiness, Hotel, LodgingBusiness schema) enables rich results in Google Search, including star ratings, price ranges, and availability - the same kind of information-rich listings that OTAs use to attract clicks. Following a solid SEO strategy puts your direct-booking page right alongside OTA listings in search results. Mobile-First hospitality design. Travel booking is overwhelmingly mobile. Over 60% of hotel searches happen on smartphones, and that number is higher for last-minute bookings. Your booking engine must work flawlessly on mobile - date pickers that work with thumbs, room selection that doesn't require zooming, and a payment process that supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. A mobile-first approach to your hotel website isn't a luxury; it's a revenue requirement. Guest communication and experience. Your website extends the guest experience beyond the stay itself. Pre-arrival emails with local recommendations, a digital concierge page with restaurant reservations and activity booking, and post-stay follow-up requesting reviews and offering return-visit discounts all build the direct relationship that OTAs deliberately prevent. A loyalty or repeat-guest program, even simple (10% off your third stay), gives guests a reason to book direct every time. OTAs can't offer this - their loyalty is to the platform, not your property. Your website is the foundation of that direct relationship. The investment case. A professional hotel website with booking engine integration typically costs $3,000-$10,000 depending on the number of rooms, booking system complexity, and multilingual requirements. If that website shifts just 10% of your bookings from OTA to direct, a 20-room property saves $15,000-$30,000 per year in commissions - paying for the website investment within the first few months. Over five years, the commission savings alone can exceed $100,000, and that's the kind of clear-cut ROI that makes a professional website build one of the smartest investments a hospitality property can make - a project Studio Aurora approaches with both the design excellence and technical integration expertise it demands. Work with Studio Aurora Let's build something great together. Have a project in mind? Studio Aurora'd love to hear about it and explore how Studio Aurora can help bring your vision to life.

Cloudbeds integrates Climber RMS to deliver AI revenue management to independent hotels and regional chains. Submitted announcement. Climber RMS, Revenue Analytics' AI-enhanced revenue management solution for boutique, independent, and regional hotel chains, has an expanded integration with Cloudbeds, the intelligent unified platform powering hotel growth worldwide. This capabilities-first integration brings advanced pricing automation and real-time market intelligence directly into the Cloudbeds platform through Climber RMS, expanding choices for hoteliers seeking smarter revenue optimization tools. Following Revenue Analytics' infusion of advanced AI into the Climber RMS platform, the expanded integration enables hotels using Cloudbeds Property Management System to harness Climber's automated pricing recommendations, deep market insights, and continuous learning capabilities - all powered by next-generation AI. "Cloudbeds customers now have seamless access to Climber's AI-driven revenue management workflows directly through their PMS," said Mário Mouraz, SVP LATAM of Revenue Analytics. "This integration represents a powerful step forward in democratizing AI pricing intelligence - empowering independent, regional, and multi-property hotel teams to respond in real time to demand shifts, automate rate decisions, and unlock new revenue potential with less manual effort." "The demand for advanced revenue management capabilities across the hospitality industry has grown swiftly, and revenue teams need solutions that combine analytical depth with operational simplicity," said Sebastien Leitner, VP of Partnerships. "By integrating Climber RMS into Cloudbeds, we're ensuring our customers can apply sophisticated pricing methodologies directly within their existing workflows. The result is smarter decisions from day one without added complexity" This integration delivers a secure, two-way connection in which Climber RMS pulls rate, reservation, and inventory data from Cloudbeds and applies advanced pricing models to generate optimized rate and restriction recommendations. Hotel teams can choose to automate pricing actions or apply strategic control via Climber's intuitive decision interface, reducing spreadsheets and enabling faster, more profitable outcomes. Key benefits include: * Fast Onboarding: Quick, secure connection with minimal implementation effort. AI-Enhanced Pricing: Continuous, market-aware rate and restriction recommendations tailored to property strategy. * Automated Workflows: Choice to trigger dynamic pricing updates automatically or manage via Climber dashboards. * Rapid Value Realization: Most properties generate measurable incremental revenue within weeks of launch. Showcasing innovation at BTL 2026. Revenue Analytics and Cloudbeds will be showcasing the expanded Climber integration and new AI pricing capabilities at BTL 2026. At the event, hoteliers can consult with product experts and experience live demonstrations of how AI-first revenue management is transforming operational workflows and profit performance. BTL attendees are invited to stop by booth 3E28 to see Climber and Cloudbeds in action and explore tailored deployment options. 09.09.2025 In "Announcement" 02.27.2026 In "Announcement" 06.26.2025 In "Announcement"

Cloudbeds unveils inaugural Cloudbeds Collection: 100 Properties redefining independent hospitality. The curated showcase spans over 30 countries, from private island sanctuaries in the philippines and cliffside capsules in Patagonia to luxury stargazing domes in the united states and design-forward stays across europe. San Diego, CA - Cloudbeds today announced the launch of the Cloudbeds Collection, a curated global showcase of 100 independent hospitality properties shaping the future of the industry through intentional design, unconventional business models, community impact, and bold creative vision. Spanning more than 30 countries, the Cloudbeds Collection brings together a diverse portfolio of hotels, resorts, hostels, and alternative accommodations across five continents, from some of the world's most popular destinations to the most secluded retreats. The properties reflect the many ways modern hoteliers are choosing independence as a deliberate strategy, building distinctive businesses aligned with their values, locations, and communities. These properties are physical expressions of the hoteliers behind them. The Cloudbeds Collection captures the full range of what hospitality can be today because it's built by people who chose to do things differently - on purpose. Their independence is intentional, and it shows in every detail of the guest experience. Adam Harris, CEO and co-founder of Cloudbeds The collection is organized around creative themes that highlight different expressions of hospitality, including: * Designed with intention: Properties where place and purpose guide every decision, from Al Moudira (Egypt), a palace-like retreat handcrafted by local artisans on the Nile, to Ultima Collection (Switzerland), a design-forward collection of chalets and boutique hotels defined by personalized luxury and a strong sense of place. * Designed for connection: Spaces built to bring people together, including Valentines Resort & Marina (The Bahamas), a laid-back luxury retreat on Harbour Island where shared waterfront spaces, dining, and marina life create natural points of connection, and Mad Monkey Hostels (Southeast Asia), known for their social energy and community-driven experiences. * Designed for escape: Remote wonders requiring intention to reach, such as Severin Safari Camp (Kenya), and OVO Patagonia (Argentina), which offers capsules suspended 270 meters high on a rock face. * Designed for indulgence: Properties redefining luxury through craftsmanship and privacy, such as Azulik (Mexico), an architectural masterpiece where art and nature converge, and Nay Palad Hideaway (Philippines), a resort reborn from a typhoon as a symbol of sustainable resilience. * Designed to break the mold: Properties challenging hospitality's traditional playbook. This includes The Zero Hotels (Portugal), which turned sleeping into an art form with their "box lodge" concept, and Vacatia (USA), which is modernizing the timeshare experience with a streamlined platform that prioritizes flexibility, transparency, and long-term value for guests and owners alike. * Designed differently: Properties where architecture and creative expression are the main event, such as Casa Hoyos (Mexico), an eclectic design sanctuary where colonial history meets avant-garde Mexican art, and Acoma House (USA), an immersive art hotel in Denver where every room is a unique canvas created in collaboration with local artists. Alongside the full collection, Cloudbeds announced the winner of the People's Choice Award. Selected from a shortlist of 15 finalists, Viajero Hostels was chosen by the public for its community-driven approach to hospitality, creating culturally rooted spaces across Latin America that emphasize connection, belonging, and shared experiences. The Cloudbeds Collection highlights properties that utilize the Cloudbeds platform to compete head-to-head with major brands while maintaining their unique identity. By unifying operations, distribution, guest experience, and revenue marketing into one intelligent system, these hoteliers have replaced fragmentation with momentum. To view the full Cloudbeds Collection and explore the stories behind each property, visit: www.cloudbeds.com/cloudbeds-collection All the properties included in the Cloudbeds Collection: North America & caribbean. Acoma House Adobe Resort Aneyro Hotels At Mine Hospitality Bali Hai Beach Resort Black Bear Lodge Blue Road Bluff Dwellings Resort & Spa Brewhouse Inn & Suites Brut Hotel Casa Hotels Group Casey Key Resorts Château Okanagan Clear Sky Resorts Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Hacienda del Rio Historic Tapoco Lodge Hotel L'Esplanade Hotel M Montreal Hotel McCoy Hotel Pepper Tree HP Hospitality Island House Hotel Jet Luxury La Palmilla Texas The Berkman The J Collection The Liberty Inn UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley Vacatia Valentines Resort & Marina Asia pacific. Europe, middle east, & africa. Al Moudira Hotels Artizan Design Hotel Boavista 83 Cosmo Napa Hotel Divino Resorts Hotel Weisshorn Hoteles Desconecta2 INNit Rooms Kedisin Hotel Group Luna Sardinia Maison Traversière Neighbourgood Noctis Hotel OK Hostel Madrid Onefam Hostels Palácio do Visconde Revolver Hotel Safestay Hostels Safragell Ibiza Severin Safari Camp SOHO Boutique Apartments Steiner Residences Télla Théra The Zero Hotels Ultima Collection Xanadu Villas Yugo Latin America. About Cloudbeds. Cloudbeds is hospitality's only intelligent growth engine - a unified platform trusted by the world's most ambitious hoteliers across 150 countries. Built to challenge the limits of outdated tech stacks, Cloudbeds connects operations, revenue, distribution, and guest experience in one powerful, intuitive system. The platform is enhanced with Signals, a hospitality AI model giving hoteliers the power to anticipate demand, run smarter operations, and craft more personal, profitable guest journeys at scale. Founded in 2012, Cloudbeds has earned top honors from Hotel Tech Report (Top PMS, Hotel Management System, and Channel Manager, 2021 - 2025), the World Travel Awards (World's Best Hotel PMS Solutions Provider, 2022), and Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 (2024). For more information, visit www.cloudbeds.com.