Hostels run on thin margins and high volume — so every percentage point lost to Hostelworld and the OTAs hurts more than it would a hotel. At The Percentage Company we help hostels, guesthouses and budget properties grow direct, commission-free bookings, manage bed-based pricing and distribution cleanly, and turn one-time backpackers into a repeat community — the cheapest bookings you can get. Use our software with your own team, or let ours run growth for you. Explore some of our results below, or request a free, no-obligation proposal.
Every bed you sell through Hostelworld or the OTAs costs you commission you’ll never get back — and on hostel margins, that adds up fast. We move those bookings onto your own site with a fast, bed-based booking engine built for dorms, private rooms and hybrid inventory, supported by direct-booking incentives, member rates and conversion optimisation that make booking direct the easy choice. We drive the right travellers to your site through SEO, paid ads and metasearch, then make sure the booking journey converts them once they arrive. The result is a higher share of revenue that stays with you, not the platforms — and a direct channel you actually own.
Most hostels run on a patchwork of disconnected tools — one system for bookings, another for channels, a spreadsheet for rates, something else for payments and accounting. It’s slow, it’s error-prone, and it hides the numbers you need to make good decisions. Our platform brings booking, distribution, payments, CRM and reporting into one place, purpose-built for the way hostels actually sell rather than adapted from a hotel tool. Manage dorm beds, private rooms, long-stay and group bookings from a single dashboard, keep rates and availability in sync across every channel automatically, and see real-time performance without exporting a thing. Your systems finally talk to each other, and your team gets time back.
A guest who books with you twice is the cheapest, most profitable booking you can get — no commission, no ad spend, no acquisition cost at all. The problem is that most hostels never capture the guest relationship in the first place, because it sits locked inside an OTA. We help you own it. Automated pre-arrival and post-stay messaging, guest segmentation, member pricing and targeted email campaigns keep your hostel front of mind long after checkout, turning one-time backpackers into repeat guests and word-of-mouth advocates. For a high-volume, community-driven business, that repeat layer is where real, durable revenue is built.
Average increase in direct booking share within 12 months, moving properties from ~13% to over 30%.
Generated for our hotel, hostel, resort and attraction clients worldwide since 2018.
"There was one clear problem with an out-of-the-box booking engine provided by Cloudbeds; displaying a window to their site (through an iFrame) caused all sorts of issues, not least we could not track the effectiveness of our campaigns. This meant our digital marketing investment could not be allocated effectively and suppliers could not be judged on performance. Cloudbeds spoke very highly of Edward and his team. After the initial conversation we opted for a semi-customized booking engine, to allow for hostel specific features. The Percentage Team worked tirelessly to meet our tight deadline. Often providing input into Cloudbeds’ system with what can be possible for development. We’re extremely grateful to have found the team, who are considered an extension of our own digital team."
"We used The Percentage Company for our Data exports from our PMS to our cloud based accounting software and also as a booking engine for our accommodation domain. Edward and the team adjusted and managed all of our requests quickly and efficiently and as a result we had a seamless integration with The Percentage Company and had an instant increase in direct bookings. We were also impressed by the month to month subscription with no lock in contract. Thanks again!"
"The Percentage Team worked tirelessly to meet our tight deadline. Often providing input into Cloudbeds’ system with what can be possible for development. We’re extremely grateful to have found the team, who are considered an extension of our own digital team."
Most of our software and services are offered on a commission-only basis — you only pay when we deliver bookings and revenue, with no upfront fees and no hidden costs. Every hostel is different, so tell us about yours and we’ll send a free, no-obligation proposal with clear pricing built around your property.
We work with independent hostels, hostel chains, guesthouses and budget properties — our software and solutions work best for accommodation businesses in tourist destinations. We’ve built a set of tools and system partners that streamline operations and grow direct bookings. If that sounds like your property, reach out for a demo and a custom proposal.
Backpackers and budget travellers now book and pay online from their phones, and most of them start on Hostelworld or the OTAs — where every booking costs you commission. We give you the booking engine, distribution and marketing to win more of those bookings directly, so more of each bed stays as margin rather than going to the platforms.
Yes. Our booking engine is built for the way hostels actually sell — dorm beds, private rooms and hybrid inventory, with long-stay and monthly options, all managed in one place. It isn’t a hotel tool adapted for hostels; it’s designed for mixed inventory from the ground up.
We offer commission-only partnerships, or small fixed fees if you prefer. We believe marketing and technology can no longer be separated, so we bring both together — growing your direct sales while making day-to-day management easier. You can use our software with your own team, or have ours run growth for you.
Yes. Our booking engine and channel management connect with your PMS and the major OTAs, so your rates, availability and bookings stay in sync rather than scattered across disconnected tools. Many hostels start with our software and expand into our services once they’ve seen the results.
Curious how much more direct revenue your hostel could generate with the right technology and team behind it? Tell us a little about your property and we’ll come back with honest, practical recommendations and a free, no-obligation proposal — built around your hostel, not a template.