Why direct booking is 12 to 18 percent cheaper, and the math behind it
The short answer is that direct is 12 to 18 percent cheaper. The long answer is more interesting, because the saving is not magic, and you should know exactly where the money goes when you skip the platform.
The platform side
Airbnb charges a host service fee of around 3 percent and a guest service fee that runs from 6 to 14 percent depending on the booking. Booking.com charges hosts 15 percent commission. On a 10-night stay at 380 USD per night, that is somewhere between 380 and 720 USD in fees, split between the platform and the guest.
We list on both, because they bring guests who would never find us otherwise. But when a guest books direct, all of that money stops going to the platform. We split the saving with you, our prices are set 12 to 18 percent below the same room on Airbnb or Booking.
What you also get
- A direct line to Made on WhatsApp. Not a help-desk ticket.
- Flexible reschedule. Move your dates up to 12 months ahead, no charge.
- Add-ons at our cost. Chef dinners, drivers, massages, no platform markup.
- Honest dates. The calendar you see is the actual calendar, not a yield-managed lure.
"I had three quotes for the same villa. Direct was 14 percent below Airbnb and Made answered in 12 minutes. There was no reason to book through anyone else."
Why do platforms still exist?
For discovery and trust. If you have never heard of Villa Leaf, Airbnb is the easiest place to find us, read 200 reviews, and feel safe. That is fair, and worth a fee for some travellers. But once you have found us, there is no reason to keep paying.
The simplest way to book direct
WhatsApp us your dates and how many guests. We reply within an hour with our best rate. If you have an Airbnb quote, send it, we will match or beat it.
