Websites for B&Bs, Inns and Cottages on the South Shore
How a South Shore B&B, inn or cottage takes direct bookings: what your own website needs, what the platforms charge, and why guests come back to it.
Your own website is how a B&B, inn or cottage gets bookings without paying a platform for each one. Airbnb and Booking.com bring new guests. Your website is where they book the second time, and where the guests who find you on Google book directly.
Most of your guests are from away. They plan on a phone, often months ahead, and look at every photo before they choose.
What the platforms cost
Airbnb now takes 15.5 percent from most hosts, on every booking. It moved most hosts outside Europe to that fee by September 2026. Booking.com's standard commission is about 15 percent.
That is fair for a guest who would never have found you. For a guest who has stayed before, or found you on Google, it is money you can keep. Keep your listings. Add a way to book direct.
What your site needs
Photos of every room
Every bedroom, every bathroom, the kitchen, the deck, the view. Guests want to see exactly what they get. Real, bright photos sell more nights than anything you write.
Rates and the season
Say your nightly rates, or a range, and your season. If you have a minimum stay in July, say so. Guests who know the price before they ask are ready to book.
A way to book
There are three ways, from simple to full:
- A phone number and an email.
- A short form: dates, guests, a phone number.
- A booking calendar, so guests see what is free and book on the spot.
Start with the first two if you like. Add the calendar when the bookings justify it.
Your registration number
Nova Scotia requires short-term rentals to register with the province, and you need the registration number to advertise on Airbnb or Booking.com. Show it on your own site too. Guests take it as a sign you are the real thing.
What is nearby
"A ten minute walk to the Lunenburg waterfront." "Five minutes from Mahone Bay's three churches." Guests choose a place for where it is as much as for the room.
How to get there
Directions, parking, check in time, and how they get the key.
What to skip
- A long history of the house before the photos.
- Photos so edited the room looks bigger than it is.
- A booking form that asks for everything up front.
Getting found
Set up your Google Business Profile, with your photos and a link to your site. Ask every guest for a review before they leave. Getting on Google Maps explains how.
Then put your website's address in your welcome book and your thank you note, so your guests book direct next time. My South Shore offer builds a site like that for $500, with no monthly fee.
Questions hosts ask about websites
Should I leave Airbnb if I have my own website? No. Most hosts keep the platforms for new guests, and use their own site for repeat guests and people who find them on Google.
Do I need a booking calendar? Not at first. A phone number and a short form take bookings fine. Add a calendar when you are busy enough to need one.
What photos matter most? The bedrooms, the bathroom and the view. Take them in daylight, with the lights on.
