How much commission does Booking.com charge rural hotels in Spain
Booking.com charges between 15% and 25% commission on every booking they send you. For most rural hotels in Spain, the real rate is around 18%. With 10 bookings per month at an average of €80 per night, that's €144 per month, €1,728 per year you don't see.
What Booking.com actually charges
There is no fixed percentage. Booking adjusts the commission based on several factors:
| Factor | Impact on commission |
|---|---|
| Property type | Hotel: 15-18% / Rural house: 17-22% / Apartment: 18-25% |
| Genius programme | +3-5% if you participate (more visibility, more cost) |
| Promoted listings | Variable, based on bid |
| Guest country | International bookings sometimes carry higher commission |
| Free cancellation | Doesn't affect commission, but increases cancellations |
The base commission for a typical rural hotel in Spain sits between 17% and 20%.
The real numbers for your property
| Bookings/month | Avg price/night | 18% commission/month | 18% commission/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | €60 | €54 | €648 |
| 10 | €80 | €144 | €1,728 |
| 15 | €100 | €270 | €3,240 |
| 20 | €90 | €324 | €3,888 |
Use the commission calculator to see your exact situation.
Why the real cost is higher than it looks
Booking also charges VAT on their commission. In Spain that's an additional 21% on top of the percentage you already pay. If your commission is 18%, the real cost is 21.78%.
And if you participate in the Genius programme (levels 1, 2 or 3), you offer those guests discounts of 10-20%. That's not technically a commission, but it is revenue you lose.
More than 1,200 hotels in Spain have sued Booking over abusive commission clauses in their contracts.
The alternative: what a direct booking website costs
A website with direct bookings costs from €1,150 (one-time payment, no monthly fees). With the commissions you stop paying, the investment pays for itself in under 8 months.
Booking gives you visibility. Your own website gives you the money.
45% of travellers who see you on Booking search for your website before booking. If they find it, with photos and a booking system, many will book directly. No commission.
To see exactly how much you're paying in commissions right now and how quickly you'd recoup the investment in a direct booking website, use the calculator. It takes 30 seconds.
Or if you'd prefer to talk it through, get in touch and I'll work it out for you.