The verdict in three sentences
A group of 3 hotels in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale that sells half its nights through Booking.com or Expedia pays 15 to 25% commission on each one, well over a million dollars a year. A multi-property website with a booking engine costs USD 25,000 to 60,000, plus an engine billed at 1 to 3% of bookings or USD 250 to 700 per month, with card, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Moving 20% of nights to direct saves around USD 156,000 a year for a 220-room group, and USD 468,000 at 40%.
What a hotel group website costs in Miami in 2026
The VP of sales at a South Florida hotel group serves three audiences: leisure travellers comparing on mobile, corporate accounts wanting negotiated rates, and groups and events (weddings, incentives, conferences). The site must let each book in under 3 minutes on mobile, at a price at least equal to the OTAs.
| Component | 2026 range | Role | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-property site, EN and ES, custom design | USD 15,000 to 33,000 | One group brand, one page per hotel | Essential |
| Booking engine and channel manager integration | USD 3,500 to 9,000 | Availability and rates synced with OTAs | Essential |
| Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay | USD 2,500 to 7,000 | Deposits or prepayment, fewer no-shows | Essential |
| Corporate area (negotiated rates, company code) | USD 2,000 to 5,500 | Corporate account retention | Strongly advised |
| Meetings and events pages with RFP form | USD 1,500 to 3,500 | Function space and F&B revenue | Strongly advised |
| Local SEO and Google profiles for the 3 hotels | USD 1,000 to 2,500 | Visibility on "hotel Miami Beach" | Essential |
| Maintenance and hosting | USD 450 to 1,200/month | Engine uptime | Essential |
Delivery takes 8 to 12 weeks, including 2 to 4 weeks for merchant setup and rate configuration in the channel manager. Card payments must go through a PCI DSS compliant hosted payment page, so card numbers never touch your servers.
Choosing the booking engine pricing model
Booking engines charge either a percentage of bookings (1 to 3%) or a flat subscription (USD 250 to 700 per month for 3 properties). The right choice depends on the direct volume you target.
| Annual direct revenue | 2% of bookings model | USD 500/month subscription | Better model |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD 200,000 | USD 4,000 | USD 6,000 | Percentage |
| USD 300,000 | USD 6,000 | USD 6,000 | Equal |
| USD 1,500,000 | USD 30,000 | USD 6,000 | Subscription |
| USD 3,000,000 | USD 60,000 | USD 6,000 | Subscription |
| USD 6,000,000 | USD 120,000 | USD 6,000 | Subscription |
A group starting direct sales can begin on percentage pricing, then switch to a subscription once direct revenue passes USD 300,000 a year.
Commission savings by direct share of nights
Assumptions, 2026 order of magnitude: 220 rooms, 75% occupancy, about 60,000 nights a year, average rate USD 260. Today 50% of nights come through OTAs (18% commission) and 10% direct online; the rest is corporate, groups and walk-ins. Direct sales cost 8% (engine 2% and acquisition through Google Hotel Ads, metasearch and social 6%).
| Direct share of nights | Direct nights | OTA nights | OTA commissions | Direct sales cost | Annual saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% (today) | 6,000 | 30,000 | USD 1,404,000 | USD 124,800 | Baseline |
| 20% | 12,000 | 24,000 | USD 1,123,200 | USD 249,600 | USD 156,000 |
| 30% | 18,000 | 18,000 | USD 842,400 | USD 374,400 | USD 312,000 |
| 40% | 24,000 | 12,000 | USD 561,600 | USD 499,200 | USD 468,000 |
Each night that moves from an OTA to the site adds about USD 26 of margin. The levers that move the direct share: a member rate 5 to 10% lower, free breakfast or parking when booking direct, a corporate code, and post-stay email follow-ups.
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Mini case study
Daniel, VP of sales for a group of 3 hotels (2 in Miami Beach, 1 in Fort Lauderdale), invests USD 45,000 in the site and takes an engine at USD 500 per month, a total of USD 51,000 in year one. With a 20% direct target, savings reach USD 156,000 a year: the project pays back in about 4 months at target pace. He puts part of the savings into a member rate and free valet for direct bookers, which accelerates the shift.
FAQ
Can OTAs penalise us if the site is cheaper?
It depends on the parity clauses in your contracts. Common practice is to show the same public rate and reserve a member rate 5 to 10% lower for signed-in guests, which most contracts tolerate.
Do we need a channel manager on top of the engine?
Yes, as soon as you sell on 2 or more OTAs. It prevents overbooking and usually costs USD 150 to 400 per month for 3 properties, sometimes bundled with the engine.
Which payment methods matter most?
Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay cover nearly all US and international guests. Processing fees run around 2.5 to 3.5%, and wallets raise mobile conversion noticeably.
One group site or one site per hotel?
A group site with a rich page per property concentrates SEO authority and costs 30 to 40% less than 3 separate sites. It can also suggest a sister hotel when one is full.
How long to reach 20% direct?
Plan 9 to 18 months with a member rate, optimised Google profiles and an acquisition budget of about 6% of direct revenue.
Let's scope your project. Send us your room count, current OTA share and booking engine or channel manager: we price the multi-property site, integrations and payments, with a commission savings calculation. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
