The verdict in three sentences
A serviced apartments operator that redesigns its site around a direct booking engine takes back control of its distribution and cuts dependence on OTAs, whose commissions reach 15 to 20 %. Budget 12,000 to 22,000 EUR excl. VAT for the redesign and 3,000 to 7,000 EUR for the engine in 2026, delivered in 9 to 12 weeks. Result: +25 % direct bookings and a markedly better margin per night.
Why redesign a serviced apartments website in 2026
Dependence on OTAs (Booking, Expedia and the like) eats into margin: every intermediated booking costs 15 to 20 % commission. An ageing site, with no strong booking engine and no direct best-price proof, pushes the traveller to book via the OTA even after discovering the property.
The 2026 redesign combines a direct booking engine (availability, rates, secure payment), a direct best-price guarantee, immersive apartment/service pages (photos, floor plans, amenities) and an optimised mobile journey, since most bookings happen on smartphones.
| Project item | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Audit + distribution strategy | 1,200 - 2,500 | 1-2 weeks |
| UX/UI design + apartment pages | 3,500 - 6,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| CMS build + content | 3,500 - 6,500 | 2-3 weeks |
| Booking engine + payment | 3,000 - 7,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| SEO + conversion tracking | 800 - 1,000 | ongoing |
| Total (redesign + engine) | 15,000 - 29,000 | 9-12 weeks |
What direct booking changes
Every night shifted from the OTA to direct saves the 15 to 20 % commission. Across a significant volume, the margin gain largely funds the redesign. The engine also enables upsell (breakfast, parking, long stay) and the collection of customer data usable for loyalty.
| Indicator | Before redesign | After redesign (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Share of direct bookings | 30 % | 55 % (+25 pts) |
| Average OTA commission | 17 % | 17 % (avoided on direct) |
| Site conversion rate | 1.8 % | 3.4 % |
| Average basket (with upsell) | 100 | 114 |
| Share of mobile bookings | 58 % | 71 % |
These 2026 orders of magnitude assume a fast engine, a credible direct best-price guarantee and a minimum of SEO/brand investment.
Mini case study
Sarah, director of a 60-apartment serviced residence in Dubai, invests 24,000 EUR excl. VAT (redesign 18,000 + engine 6,000). The residence sells 900 nights a month at an average price of 95 EUR, 70 % via OTAs at 17 % commission.
After the redesign, the direct share rises from 30 % to 55 %, meaning 225 extra direct nights each month. On those nights, the avoided OTA commission (17 % of 95 EUR = 16.15 EUR) represents 3,634 EUR of margin recovered per month, about 43,600 EUR a year. The 24,000 EUR investment pays back in about 7 months, before upsell and the value of collected customer data.
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FAQ
How much does a serviced apartments website redesign cost in 2026?
Budget 12,000 to 22,000 EUR excl. VAT for the redesign and 3,000 to 7,000 EUR for the booking engine. The budget varies with the number of apartment types and the level of PMS integration.
Does the booking engine replace OTAs?
No, it complements them: the goal is to shift a share of bookings to direct to cut commissions, not to drop OTAs that bring visibility. The balance is managed over time.
Can the engine connect to the PMS/channel manager?
Yes, it is recommended to avoid overbooking and synchronise availability and rates. The connection depends on your channel manager, to be scoped during the audit.
Is the direct best-price guarantee effective?
Yes, it reassures the traveller who compares and pushes them to book direct rather than via the OTA. It is a major lever for the direct booking rate.
How long to go live?
Budget 9 to 12 weeks depending on PMS integration and the number of apartment pages. Distribution scoping is the decisive initial step.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of apartments, your channel manager/PMS, your current OTA share, an indicative budget between 15,000 and 29,000 EUR excl. VAT and your timeline, and we will scope the direct booking engine. 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.
