Is There a Widget for Direct Bookings?

Are you searching for a tool that enables a direct booking widget without the hassle of complex setups or extra fees, on any website platform? Thus, you can maintain control over the booking process and minimize reliance on third-party platforms for your hotel or holiday home. Not only does this save on commission fees, but it also builds direct relationships with guests. And it’s a matter of a few button clicks to embed a widget, manage reservations, and set up payments with BNBForms! 

What Is BNBForms?

BNBForms is a cost-effective solution that lets guests make online bookings directly from a rental property website. 

No matter what content management system your website is built with, BNBForms helps you enable online reservations for at least 1 night. You’ll need to embed a custom code snippet to add the BNBForms direct booking widget to your site.

Cost: one fixed yearly subscription price ($119 per year)

Free Trial: 1 month

Showcase: Real Client Website Examples

What are the benefits of integrating the BNBForms direct booking system into your website?

1. Step-by-step booking widget for short-term rentals.
2. The ability to add any number of rental units. 
3. The channel manager will sync reservations from multiple channels.
4. Various payment gateways.
5. Flexible rates and tiered pricing.
6. Automated communication with guests.
7. Customizable booking rules and extra options.

Read Also: How to Create a Hotel Booking Website with BNBForms

How to Add a Direct Booking Widget with BNBForms: a Step-by-Step Guide

Before adding a travel booking widget to your site, you should configure some property settings. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Get started with the BNBForms account

1. Sign up with BNBForms.
2. Confirm your email address.
3. Log in to your BNBForms account.

Is there a free booking widget for website? It’s worth noting that you can test out all the functionalities for one month at no cost.

Step 2: Add Accommodations

Next, you should add your rental properties and their detailed descriptions, including:

• Photos;
• Amenities (bedroom comforts; bathroom essentials, heating, etc.);
• Category/type;
• Capacity;
• Extra services (free or paid): car renting, parking, indoor restaurant, etc.;
• Custom fields.

Step 3: Create Seasons

Seasons are required to set up price differences (e.g. winter, Easter, holiday, etc.). They are related to the Rates menu.

Step 4: Customize prices & rates

Once you’ve defined seasons, you can set variable rates based on a season, number of guests, length of stay, or extra amenities.

Also, it takes a few clicks to add coupons for discounts via the dedicated menu.

Step 5: Include taxes & fees in the final charge (optional)

If necessary, BNBForms allows you to add taxes and fees and specify them in the charge or include them in the room rate.

Step 6: Enable payment gateways

When it comes to payments available within an online booking system, BNBForms supports various payment options: Test Payment, Pay on Arrival, Direct Bank Transfer, PayPal, 2Checkout, Stripe, Braintree, and Beanstream/Bambora. Navigate to Accommodation > Settings > Payments to enable and set up the required.

Step 7: Choose a confirmation mode

You are free to choose the way a booking will be confirmed:

• Manual confirmation;
• Confirmation via email;
• Automatic confirmation upon payment.

Step 8: Set up automated email notifications

As for automated email messaging, BNBForms equips you with ready-to-go email templates along with an online booking widget. Sent to both an admin and customers, they come in handy to inform them about reservation details. It’s easy to customize text, colors, and a subject to make them branded.

Step 9: Sync availability from multiple channels

BNBForms is a direct booking website builder solution that allows you to synchronize bookings across online travel agents (OTAs) that support iCal (Booking.com, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and others).

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Step 10: Customize booking rules & search property form

If you need to set minimum and maximum days to stay in, block booking for selected rooms, or define default arrival and departure dates, BNBForms provides flexible booking rule options. 

On top of that, this reservation software enables you to use or edit the standard search property form. For example, change labels, add custom fields, and more.

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Step 11: Add a direct booking widget to a website

Once you’ve come through all settings, you are all set up to embed a widget. We’ll take a Squarespace booking widget as an example. 

1. In your BNBForms account, navigate to ‘Widget Script’ and copy the script.
2. Go to the Home Menu of Squarespace > Settings > Advanced > Code Injection (available only for Squarespace premium Business and Commercial plans).

3. Paste the script into the appropriate Code Injection fields. 

4. Save the changes. 

5. Test the Book Now button on the front end of your website.

How to create a booking widget website on other platforms? Explore these step-by-step guides:

• WordPress Booking
• Wix Booking
• Drupal Booking Calendar
• HTML Booking Widget
• GoDaddy Booking
• Joomla Booking
• Weebly Booking
• Shopify Booking
• PromoteMyPlace

We can’t help mentioning that it’s possible to customize the colors of a responsive booking widget so it suits your site’s design.

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Step 12: Manage bookings with no hassle

Now, you can accept online bookings and manage them from your dashboard. BNBForms makes it easy to:

• View all reservations in a centralized calendar;
• Keep track of payment history;
• Add bookings manually;
• Check out analytical reports.

Free resources for your vacation rental business:

• Social Media Hotel Templates for Instagram and Facebook
• Hotel Booklet Templates for Print
• Welcome Gift Ideas For Guests
• Hotel Reservation Cards

Wrapping Up

So, you can build vacation rental website powered by a direct booking widget with BNBForms! Suitable for any type of rental property and CMS, it gives everything you need to start accepting online bookings with no extra commissions – just pay a fixed subscription fee. BNBForms combines a booking engine, channel manager, online payments, seamless booking management, and more features. 

Check out all its capabilities for free and power up your website with a fully-operating booking system.

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