· 6 min read
Airbnb Bans Checkout Chores: What Hosts Can No Longer Ask Guests (2026)
From November 20, 2026, Airbnb hosts can't require guests to wash dishes, strip beds or take out trash. What changes, how hosts are reacting, and what to do.
The Ownia Blog
Guides for vacation rental owners who want more direct bookings, lower platform fees and a business they actually own.
· 5 min read
Best Direct Booking Website Builders for Vacation Rentals (2026)
Ownia, Lodgify, Smoobu, Hospitable, Beds24, Hostaway and Boostly compared: what each costs for a direct booking website, and which fits your rental.
· 5 min read
Ownia vs Beds24: Pricing and Features Compared (2026)
Ownia vs Beds24 for vacation rental hosts: what each tool does, what direct bookings really cost per year, and which one fits your rental.
· 5 min read
Ownia vs Hospitable: Pricing and Features Compared (2026)
Ownia vs Hospitable for vacation rental hosts: what each tool does, what a direct booking website really costs per year, and which one fits your rentals.
· 6 min read
Ownia vs Lodgify: Pricing and Features Compared (2026)
Ownia vs Lodgify for vacation rental hosts: what each tool does, what a direct booking website really costs per year, and which one fits your rental business.
· 5 min read
Ownia vs Smoobu: Pricing and Features Compared (2026)
Ownia vs Smoobu for vacation rental hosts: what each tool does, what it really costs per year, and which one fits a single property or a growing portfolio.
· 7 min read
OTAs, Channel Managers, and Direct Booking Sites: Do You Need All Three?
What booking platforms, channel managers and direct booking sites each solve, who needs them, and the order in which to add them as your rental business grows.
· 4 min read
How Much Does Airbnb Really Cost Hosts in 2026?
Airbnb now charges most hosts 15.5% per booking, up from 3%. What the fee covers, how it compares to Booking.com and Vrbo, and what it costs per season.
· 5 min read
Airbnb vs Direct Booking: Which Earns More?
Airbnb's 15.5% fee vs a direct booking site: a per-booking and full-season comparison from a Cannes villa, plus when platforms still win.
· 6 min read
How to Get Direct Bookings for Your Vacation Rental (Without Paid Ads)
Five free tactics that turned 10% of my Cannes villa's bookings into direct bookings in the first season, and kept growing: no paid ads needed.
· 6 min read
How to Reduce Your Dependency on Airbnb Without Losing Bookings
The four risks of relying on one platform, and a step-by-step plan to build a direct booking channel alongside Airbnb without hurting occupancy.
· 5 min read
How to Create a Vacation Rental Website That Actually Converts
Why most vacation rental websites fail to turn visitors into bookings, and the six things your direct booking site needs to convert like Airbnb.