Direct booking engine
Book a dorm bed or private room on your website, quick on mobile, with direct-only rates and perks.
Hostel booking software: dorm beds, tours & extras
Hostels: beds, tours and extras booked direct. Fewer fees, more travellers.
Beds sold through platforms that take a cut, bunks juggled on a spreadsheet, tours sold at reception by whoever's on shift and a queue out the door every time the bus pulls in. We build direct booking systems for backpacker hostels that handle dorm beds properly, sell the tours and extras and get guests checked in before they arrive. Then we host them and look after them.
Looking for hostel booking software that handles dorm beds, tours and extras properly?
A backpacker hostel is a bed business, a tour desk, a bar, a laundry and sometimes a job agency all under one roof. Most hostels run it on a property system built for hotels, a booking platform that takes a slice of every bed and a clipboard at reception for tours, linen and lockers. Allocating bunks, selling the Whitsundays trip and chasing the weekly rent from long stayers all end up done by hand.
Wollopit builds custom hostel software around how your hostel actually runs. Guests book a specific dorm and bed type direct on your website. Tours, linen, lockers and the airport shuttle get added at checkout. Check-in happens on their phone on the bus. Long stayers pay weekly without a reminder from the desk. We connect the channel manager and PMS you're happy with, replace what's holding you back and look after the lot on our own servers.
01The problems
What we hear from backpacker hostels
Does your hostel have these problems? Here's how we'd fix them.
Most hostels we talk to are full of good vibes and great staff, held together by a PMS that thinks every bed is a hotel room. It works fine until peak season hits.
- The problemEvery bed pays commissionMost bookings come through the big platforms and a good chunk of every night goes straight back to them, even for return guests.How we fix itA fast direct booking engine on your website with member rates and perks that make booking direct the obvious choice.
- The problemBunk allocation is a puzzleGroups get split across three dorms, couples end up on separate floors and someone gets moved mid-stay to make a booking fit.How we fix itBed-level allocation that keeps groups together, avoids mid-stay moves and fills gaps automatically.
- The problemDorm rules done by memoryFemale-only, mixed, 4-bed and 10-bed dorms all sold the same way, so guests land in the wrong room and reception sorts it out at 10pm.How we fix itDorm types with their own rules and rates so guests can only book the bed that suits them.
- The problemTours sold by whoever's onThe K'gari trip, the sailing day and the skydive get sold at the desk if staff remember. Operator commission is tracked on paper.How we fix itTours offered during booking and on the guest's phone, with seats from the operator and commission tracked automatically.
- The problemThe bus arrives and so does the queueForty travellers, forty passports, forty key cards and forty bond payments at 9pm with one person on the desk.How we fix itOnline check-in before arrival with ID upload, bond and payment taken, so arrival is a quick key pickup.
- The problemKeys and bonds in an envelopeCash key deposits in a drawer, lost key cards and nobody sure who's paid back what at checkout.How we fix itCard bonds held and released automatically, key cards linked to each guest and lost keys charged without an argument.
- The problemExtras sold at the deskLinen hire, towels, locker padlocks, breakfast and the airport shuttle all sold one by one at reception.How we fix itExtras added online at booking or later from the guest's phone, paid up front and on the housekeeping list.
- The problemLong stayers paying lateWorking holiday guests stay for weeks, pay weekly in cash or not at all and the rent ledger lives in a notebook.How we fix itWeekly rates, automatic weekly charges, rent reminders and a clear ledger for every long-stay guest.
- The problemHousekeeping guessingCleaners walk every dorm to see which bunks checked out, which need fresh linen and which are being stayed in.How we fix itA housekeeping list on staff phones showing every bed's status, with beds marked clean the moment they're done.
- The problemNo-shows hold empty bedsA dorm bed sits empty all night for a guest who never turned up and the walk-in got sent down the road.How we fix itDeposits at booking, automatic no-show charges and released beds going straight back on sale.
02What we build
Solutions
What we build for backpacker hostels. Usually all talking to each other.
Pick the one that's hurting most or join the whole lot up. Everything is built around how your team works, not the other way round.
Bed allocation
Bed-level planning that keeps groups together, respects dorm rules and fills the gaps without mid-stay moves.
Dorm types & rules
Female-only, mixed, ensuite and private rooms with their own rates, minimum ages and length of stay rules.
Tour & activity sales
Tours offered at booking and on the guest's phone, with operator seats, pickup times and commission tracking.
Extras & add-ons
Linen, towels, lockers, breakfast, laundry tokens and shuttles sold online and paid up front.
Online check-in
ID upload, guest details, bond and balance taken before arrival, so check-in is a key handover.
Key cards & bonds
Card bonds held and released automatically, key cards linked to guests and lost keys charged properly.
Long stays & weekly rent
Weekly rates, recurring charges, rent reminders and a ledger for every working holiday guest.
Guest phone app
Wi-Fi details, house rules, tonight's events, tour bookings and extras on the guest's phone with no download.
Events & bar nights
Pub crawls, BBQ nights and trivia with sign-ups, wristband sales and capacity limits.
Housekeeping board
Bed status on staff phones, checkout lists, linen counts and maintenance jobs logged with a photo.
A website that books
Hand-built, quick on mobile, with live availability and built to rank for 'hostel near me' and your town.
03The systems
The big ones
Your whole hostel, on one system.
These are the systems hostels ask us about most. Each one works on its own and they get properly clever when they're joined up.
Bed bookings
Dorm beds booked direct. Bunks allocated for you.
Guests book the exact dorm type they want on your website without paying the platform's cut. Beds are allocated at bed level so groups stay together and nobody gets shuffled mid-stay.
- Direct booking engine on your site
- Dorm and private room bookings
- Female-only and mixed dorm rules
- Bed-level allocation
- Groups kept in the same dorm
- Gap filling without mid-stay moves
- Direct-only rates and perks
- Deposits and no-show charges
- Works with your channel manager
- Occupancy by dorm and night
Tours & extras
Sell the trip before they reach the desk.
Tours, activities and extras are offered while guests book and again on their phone once they arrive. Seats come from the operator, commission is tracked and reception stops being a sales counter.
- Tours offered at booking
- Tour sales on the guest's phone
- Operator seats and pickup times
- Commission tracked per operator
- Linen, towels and lockers online
- Breakfast and laundry add-ons
- Airport and bus station shuttles
- Pub crawl and event tickets
- Bundled stay and tour deals
- Sales by tour and by staff member
Check-in & keys
Checked in on the bus. Key in hand in a minute.
Guests upload ID, sign house rules and pay their bond before they arrive. When the bus pulls in reception hands over key cards instead of filling in forms.
- Pre-arrival check-in link
- ID and passport upload
- House rules signed online
- Card bonds held and released
- Balance paid before arrival
- Key cards linked to guests
- Lost key charges
- Arrivals list by bus time
- Late check-in instructions
- Guest phone page with Wi-Fi and info
Long stays
Working holiday guests who pay without being chased.
Weekly rates, recurring charges and a clear ledger for every long-stay guest. The desk stops chasing rent and everyone can see who's paid up and who's due.
- Weekly and monthly rates
- Automatic weekly card charges
- Rent reminders by SMS and email
- Ledger for every long stayer
- Bed kept for the whole stay
- Notice and checkout dates
- Long-stay house rules
- Receipts for every payment
- Payments straight into Xero
- Arrears report for the manager
04How it changes
Before and after
A busy summer arrival, wolloped.
Here's how one guest's stay could change. Every hostel is different, so we map yours first.
Before
- Booked through a platform that takes a cut
- Bunk picked by hand on a spreadsheet
- Queue at the desk when the bus arrives
- Cash key bond counted into an envelope
- Linen and locker sold at reception
- Tour only sold if staff remember
After
- Booked direct on your website
- Bed allocated with the rest of their group
- Checked in online on the bus
- Card bond held and released automatically
- Linen and locker paid at booking
- Tour added at booking with commission tracked
05Services
Everything under one roof
Software, websites and systems for backpacker hostels.
Whether you're starting fresh or upgrading what you've got, it's one team from the first sketch to the support call.
Custom software for backpacker hostels
Built around how your hostel actually runs: direct booking engine, bed allocation and the admin in between, in one system you own.
Websites for backpacker hostels
Fast, hand-built websites that rank for the searches your customers make and turn visits into enquiries, bookings or orders.
Hostel system upgrades
Running on spreadsheets, old software or a platform you've outgrown? We move your data across and upgrade in stages so the business never stops.
Apps and portals for backpacker hostels
Dorm types & rules and tour & activity sales: customer and staff portals that work on any phone without an app store.
Integrations and automation
We connect Cloudbeds, Little Hotelier and RoomRaccoon so information moves on its own and nobody retypes it.
Hosting, support and care
Managed hosting, updates, backups and security for your hostel, looked after by the people who built it.
06Integrations
Connections
Plays nicely with what you already use.
We connect to the tools you rely on, work alongside the hostel platforms you're happy with or replace the ones holding you back.
- Cloudbeds
- Little Hotelier
- RoomRaccoon
- Mews
- SiteMinder
- Hostelworld
- Booking.com
- Expedia
- Rezdy
- Bókun
- Square
- Stripe
- Xero
- MYOB
- Mailchimp
- Google Business Profile
- Deputy
07How we work
The process
Some people dip their toe in. We turn up in a rebreather.
We get properly below the surface of your hostel: the systems, the busy days and the jobs everyone hates. Then we fix the bits that matter most first.
- 01
Think
We spend time at reception, on the housekeeping round and at the tour desk, then work out what's actually slowing you down.
- 02
Archi-tech
We plan it before writing code: your dorms, bed rules, tours, extras, long stays, channels, hosting and cost.
- 03
Build
Real engineering, shown to you early and often. Usually the most painful bit first, so you get a win before peak season.
- 04
Look after
We host it, maintain it and keep improving it. When something breaks you call the people who built it.
08Questions
FAQ
Things backpacker hostels ask us.
Something else on your mind? Ring 0423 011 252 and ask the people who'd build it.
Can it handle mixed and female-only dorms?
Yes. Dorm types and rules are set up so guests can only book the bed that suits them. Groups can be kept together in the same dorm.
Will direct bookings actually save us commission?
Every bed booked direct is a bed you don't pay a platform for. We build a quick booking engine with direct-only perks so guests have a reason to book with you instead.
Do we have to switch our PMS or channel manager?
No. If Cloudbeds, Little Hotelier or SiteMinder is doing its job we build around it, adding direct bookings, tours, extras and check-in on top. If it's holding you back we'll show you what replacing it would involve first.
Can we sell tours from local operators?
Yes. Tours can be offered at booking and on the guest's phone, with seats from operators using Rezdy or Bókun where possible and your commission tracked.
Can it handle working holiday guests on weekly rent?
Yes. Weekly rates, automatic weekly charges, rent reminders and a ledger for every long stayer so the desk stops chasing payments.
How much does a hostel system cost?
It depends on what you need, so we quote up front once we understand it. No surprise invoices, no lock-in and you own what we build.
How long does it take?
Smaller jobs like online check-in or extras at booking can be quick. Bigger systems are planned in stages so you get the first win early instead of waiting for everything at once.
Who looks after it once it's built?
We do. We host it on our own managed servers and keep it updated and secure. When you need something you ring the people who built it.
We already have systems. Can you upgrade them instead of starting again?
Usually, yes. Most backpacker hostels we work with keep what's working and upgrade the rest in stages. We move your data across, connect the old and new while we switch and retire the old system only when the new one is proven.
Contact
Got a hostel problem? Consider it wolloped.
Tell us what's slow, broken, manual or missing. You don't need a spec, just describe what's going on.