Hospitable allows you to accept direct bookings in two ways: by using a hosted site created for you, or by adding booking functionality to your existing website using widgets.
Choosing the right setup depends on how you want to manage your site, branding, and guest experience.
Two Ways to Accept Direct Bookings
You can set up direct bookings using:
Hospitable-hosted site – a ready-to-use website managed within Hospitable
Self-hosted site with widgets – your own website with Hospitable’s booking engine embedded
Both options use the same booking system, but differ in how your site is built and managed.
Hospitable-Hosted Site
A Hospitable-hosted site is a complete booking website generated for you.
What it includes
A homepage with your listings
Individual property pages
Built-in booking flow
Guest portal access after confirmation
You manage everything directly in Hospitable, including:
Content and layout
Branding (colors, logo)
Property display
Example of a Hospitable-hosted direct booking website showing property listings and navigation
When to use a hosted site
A hosted site is best if you:
Do not already have a website
Want a simple, all-in-one solution
Prefer to manage everything in one place
Do not need custom development
Self-Hosted Site with Widgets
A self-hosted site means you use your own website and embed Hospitable’s booking functionality.
This is done using widgets, which add booking features to your existing pages.
What you control
Full website design and structure
Content outside of booking functionality
Hosting and domain management
Hospitable handles:
Availability and pricing
Booking flow
Payments and reservations
External website with a Hospitable booking widget embedded on the page
When to use a self-hosted site
This option is best if you:
Already have a website (e.g., Wix, WordPress, custom build)
Want full control over design and layout
Need advanced customization or integrations
Key Differences
Feature | Hospitable-Hosted Site | Self-Hosted Site |
Setup | Managed in Hospitable | Requires external website |
Design control | Limited to available settings | Full control |
Hosting | Included | Managed by you |
Booking engine | Built-in | Embedded via widgets |
Maintenance | Handled in Hospitable | Split between your site and Hospitable |
Choosing the Right Option
Choose a Hospitable-hosted site if you want:
A quick setup
Minimal technical work
Everything managed in one place
Choose a self-hosted site if you want:
Full control over your website
Custom design or integrations
To use an existing site
Can You Use Both?
Yes. Some hosts:
Use a hosted site as their main booking site
Embed widgets on additional websites or landing pages
Both options use the same inventory, pricing, and booking system.
Important Things to Know
Both setups use the same booking flow and payment system
Property eligibility is required for both options
Changes to pricing and availability update across both automatically
Widgets only control booking functionality, not full site content