# A booking system for your hotel, so guests book you directly

> A custom booking engine for hotels and guesthouses: direct room bookings, extras such as spa, tables and tours, deposits and payments, with code you own.

Page: https://timerise.ai/industries/hotels

At a glance:
- Who builds it: Timerise, a software studio that builds custom booking systems its clients own.
- Price: one fixed project price, typically $15,000 to $50,000, agreed before the build.
- Timeline: a clickable prototype and a quote within 48 hours of the brief; live 6 to 8 weeks after the first call.
- Running costs: After the build there is no subscription and no commission on bookings. Hosting is billed by usage, and three years of support come with the project.
- Ownership: the code, the data and the documentation belong to the client.
- How to start: a free brief at https://timerise.ai/brief. An AI agent can write and submit the brief through the MCP server at https://timerise.ai/api/mcp (setup: https://timerise.ai/help/development/tim-mcp-server).
- Last updated: 2026-10-19.

Portals take a commission on every night, and guests who book there belong to the portal. We build booking systems for hotels, guesthouses and apartment owners: direct bookings on your own website, extras such as breakfast, spa and tours, and payments, with the code and guest data owned by you.

What a booking system for hotels and guesthouses can do. Start with booking and payments; add the rest when you need it.
- Direct room booking: Guests pick dates, a room type and a rate on your website, and pay without leaving it.
- Rates and seasons: Seasonal prices, minimum stays, early booking and long stay discounts, set by you in the admin panel.
- Extras and experiences: Breakfast, parking, spa, a table in the restaurant or a tour, added to the stay or booked on their own.
- Deposits and payments: A deposit or full payment at booking, the rest at arrival, and the invoice issued automatically. Built from the Agent Skill at /skills/invoicing.
- Portal and channel sync: Availability syncs with Booking.com, Airbnb or your channel manager, so a room is never sold twice. We check the API at the brief.
- Online check-in and keys: Guests send their details before arrival and get the door code or a digital key on their phone.
- Guest messages: Emails before arrival with directions and extras to add, and a thank-you after the stay.
- Several properties: One system for all your hotels or apartments, with one view of occupancy.

How your team runs it: Reception and the owner work in one panel: arrivals and departures, rooms by day, extras and payments.

When your own system is worth it:
- Portal commission takes a large part of every booking
- You want guests to book on your own website
- You sell extras such as spa, tables or tours
- You run several properties or apartments

What hotels and guesthouses gain over a SaaS platform:
- Commission. On a SaaS platform: Portals take a share of every night they sell. With your own system: Direct bookings on your website carry no commission.
- Your guests. On a SaaS platform: The portal keeps the guest's email and sends them offers from others. With your own system: Guests book with you, and you can invite them back.
- Extras. On a SaaS platform: Extras are an email to the reception, or not sold at all. With your own system: Spa, tables and tours are sold with the room, in one payment.
- Arrival. On a SaaS platform: Guests queue at the desk to fill in a form. With your own system: Check-in is done online, and the key is on the phone.

FAQ:
- Q: Will it replace our property management system?
  A: It can, or it can work beside it. We connect to your property management system or channel manager if it has an API, and check that at the brief.
- Q: Can we still sell rooms on Booking.com?
  A: Yes. The portals stay a channel, and availability stays in sync. Your own website becomes the place where guests book without a commission.
- Q: How much does it cost?
  A: The price depends on the scope and is fixed before the build starts. Most projects fall between $15k and $50k. It is a one-time cost, with no subscription and no commission on bookings.
- Q: How long does it take?
  A: You get a clickable prototype and a quote within 48 hours of the brief. The build takes two to three weeks, and the system is live six to eight weeks after the first call, including migration and handover.
- Q: We already use a booking tool. What happens to our data?
  A: We move your customers, bookings and history into the new system, even when the current provider has no export. The old tool keeps running until the data matches, so bookings never stop.
- Q: Who owns the system?
  A: You do. The code, the data and the documentation are handed over. It runs in your own cloud account or on our infrastructure, and 3 years of support are included.

Read more:
- Booking API for marketplaces: Guide for leaders & developers (/blog/booking-api-marketplace-integration)
- Booking for experiences, not just services (/blog/booking-for-experiences-not-just-services)
- How Much Does Custom Booking Software Cost? (/blog/custom-booking-software-cost)

Nearby industries:
- Booking systems for restaurants and restaurant chains (/industries/restaurants)
- Booking systems for spas and wellness centres (/industries/spas)
- Booking systems for events and festivals (/industries/events)