Online Reservation Systems

[Highlands John]

I don't know how International they are, but I recently switched to freetobook. No commission on bookings, easily plugs into your own website, channel managers into other systems like b.com. Doesn't do your marketing for you though..

I don't know how International they are, but I recently switched to freetobook. No commission on bookings, easily plugs into your own website, channel managers into other systems like b.com. Doesn't do your marketing for you though.

How do you like them so far? I hear a lot of good comments about the free version. Do you have to have the paid version to use the channel manager or do you have to get a separate channel manager?
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I don't know how International they are, but I recently switched to freetobook. No commission on bookings, easily plugs into your own website, channel managers into other systems like b.com. Doesn't do your marketing for you though.

How do you like them so far? I hear a lot of good comments about the free version. Do you have to have the paid version to use the channel manager or do you have to get a separate channel manager?

My setup is a bit weird, because I've written my own PMS years ago and want to continue to use that. My main reasons for using freetobook is I get a free listing on visitscotland website and freetobook will post availability to them. I'm a member of visitinvernesslochness and again freetobook posts availability on their website. All of that is free.
The bits I pay for are about 8% on bookings that come through those two channels, which is very few, although strangely I do get quite a lot of people book on our own website who say they found us on these two others. I pay for their booking engine on my mobile site because basically my system isn't great on smart phones and I can't be bothered to update it for this. I pay to use their diary download in ICAL format facility, my PMS downloads this once a day, runs a comparison with it's own and flags up any discrepancies, help me make sure I keep them both in sync.
I do like their system, it's easy to use with block-outs, availability changes, etc. I've also met one of the brothers who originally designed the system and set the company up and they do honestly seem to want to supply a system that's free to use for small businesses.
Still on my todo list for this winter is to get our local DMO to use their "together" facility so potential guests can do availability searches on our DMO website.
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Still on my todo list for this winter is to get our local DMO to use their "together" facility so potential guests can do availability searches on our DMO website.
Look at BedPosts.uk. They have a Cotswolds page that works the way you are thinking. They would have more of them if more groups of B & Bs in an area would sign up. And there is NO COMMISSION on bookings. Club membership is 50 quid per year.
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Still on my todo list for this winter is to get our local DMO to use their "together" facility so potential guests can do availability searches on our DMO website.
Look at BedPosts.uk. They have a Cotswolds page that works the way you are thinking. They would have more of them if more groups of B & Bs in an area would sign up. And there is NO COMMISSION on bookings. Club membership is 50 quid per year.

It's a little more complicated than that. freetobook charge around £500 to set you up a search results page which is basically designed to look like it belongs to your website. they also charge £50-£60 per business per year who was to join "together". At least that's what they quoted to us.
the fortwil liam accommodation marketing group are using it, as are the inveressgue sthouse association.