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Why Pay-Per-Stay is a must for profit-first hotels

Written by Caitlin Hogan | Feb 16, 2026 11:59:51 AM

Pay-Per-Stay is Profitroom’s performance-based metasearch solution that places your direct rate on comparison platforms...and the best part? We only charge you only for completed stays.

Instead of paying for clicks, impressions, or cancelled bookings, you pay only when a guest checks out.

Built for hotels that prioritize margin, control, and measurable return, Pay-Per-Stay helps you compete with OTAs at the exact moment guests are ready to book.

Pay-Per-Stay was built for a specific moment in the guest journey: the moment of decision.

This is when guests have firm dates in mind, are comparing prices, and are choosing exactly where to book. Unfortunately, it’s also the moment where OTAs are aggressively fighting for those bookings. Your property is at risk for losing margin if you’re not visible with your direct offer.

Pay-Per-Stay focuses exactly on that point.

Bottom-funnel visibility, where it actually matters

No one really books the first time they see a hotel anymore. Instead, people like to compare.

Pay-Per-Stay places your direct rate on popular comparison platforms like Google Hotel Ads, Trivago, and TripAdvisor. Then, when guests click on your direct price, they are taken straight to your Booking Engine to complete the reservation with you.

These are bottom-funnel channels, used by guests who are about to book and deciding between offers. With our clients, we’re currently seeing particularly strong performance from Google Hotel Ads, reinforcing its role as the primary decision-stage channel for many travellers.

We’re seeing clients winning bookings back at the final step.

Performance-based pricing, without upfront risk

Traditional digital advertising often asks hotels to spend first and hope it pays off later. Our Pay-Per-Stay model works differently.

There are:

  • No media budgets
  • No setup or maintenance fees
  • No payment for cancelled bookings

You only pay for completed stays.

That makes Pay-Per-Stay accessible to properties of all sizes and removes the risk typically associated with paid acquisition. If a booking doesn’t result in a stay, you simply don’t pay.

We’re already seeing strong results across destination regions

Pay-Per-Stay is delivering strong performance across multiple markets, with particularly encouraging results in destination-driven regions like the Nordics.

Hotels in countries such as Iceland and other Nordic destinations are seeing high volumes of direct bookings coming through metasearch. These markets tend to attract highly intentional travellers who carefully compare options before booking, making this type of visibility especially effective.

We’re also seeing solid traction in markets like South Africa, Poland, Germany, Spain, and the UK, showing that the model works across both leisure-led destinations and city properties.

Designed to protect margins, not inflate costs

We know you’re not just interested in booking volume, you’re looking at net revenue.

Pay-Per-Stay helps protect your margins by:

  • Competing with OTAs at the comparison stage, without matching their commission-heavy models
  • Driving guests directly to your own booking journey
  • Keeping distribution costs predictable and tied to real outcomes

Instead of paying for clicks, impressions, or exposure, you pay for results that actually land in your revenue line.

A smarter way to compete with OTAs

OTAs will always be present on comparison platforms. The question is whether your direct offer is visible alongside them.

Pay-Per-Stay levels the playing field without asking you to be a marketing expert or manage campaigns yourselves. Everything is handled end to end, while you retain control over pricing, availability, and the guest relationship.

Ready when you are

If you’re already a Profitroom Suite user, great! Pay-Per-Stay is available directly in your Suite’s Growth Hub, making it easy to discover, understand, and activate when the timing is right for you.

If you’re interested in finding out more, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and see how Profitroom Booking Engine + Pay-Per-Stay can increase your revenue.

Contact us today to learn more about how you can boost your profit potential in just a few clicks.