How to Connect Your Booking Website to Your Own Domain

Already have a domain you want to use? You can connect it to your Holidu booking website to drive more direct bookings under your own brand. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each step of the process, making it easy to establish your online presence with your own domain name.

Before You Start: Important Prerequisites

Before beginning the domain connection process, make sure you have:

• Access to your domain provider's settings (such as AWS, Vercel, GoDaddy, Namecheap, or similar)
• Your domain name ready and available
• Administrator access to your Holidu account

Important: If you already have a website live on that domain, it will be replaced by your direct booking website once this process is complete. Please ensure you have backed up any important content before proceeding.

Step-by-Step Guide to Connecting Your Domain

Step 1: Enable Your Booking Website and Start the Domain Connection

Begin by setting up your booking website in the Holidu app:

1. Click Enable website if it is not already enabled on your account
2. Click Connect my domain to initiate the connection process
3. Enter your existing domain name when prompted
4. A DNS tab will appear with specific DNS values generated for your domain

Tip: The DNS values generated by Holidu will be used in the following steps. Don't worry if you're not familiar with DNS settings—we will guide you through each step. Copy these values and keep them handy as you'll need them for your domain provider's settings.

Step 2: Create a New CNAME Record in Your Domain Settings

Log in to your domain provider's control panel and look for an option to create a new DNS record or CNAME record. Follow these steps:

1. Select CNAME as the record type
2. Copy the "NAME" value from the CNAME line in your Holidu app (marked as 1 in the example below)
3. Paste this value into the name field of the DNS record you're creating
4. Copy the "VALUE" from the same CNAME line in Holidu (marked as 2 in the example below)
5. Paste this value into the value field of your DNS record
6. Leave the "TTL" and "Routing policy" fields with their default pre-filled values
7. Create the record by clicking the appropriate button in your domain provider

Example (AWS):

Important: If there are already DNS records saved for the domain you want to use, delete those first. This will disconnect your existing website from the domain, so it will not be accessible to visitors anymore. This step is necessary so you can connect the domain to your new direct booking website.

Step 3: Add a CAA DNS Record in Your Domain Settings

Next, create another DNS record with the CAA type:

1. Create a new DNS record in your domain provider
2. Select CAA as the record type
3. Copy the "NAME" value from the CAA line in your Holidu app (marked as 3 in the example below)
4. Paste this into the name field of your new record
5. Copy the "VALUE" from the CAA line in Holidu (marked as 4 in the example below)
6. Paste this value into the value field
7. Note: Some domain providers may require a special format for the value field, for example: 0 issue "letsencrypt.org". In this case, add the value from Holidu in quotation marks
8. Leave the "TTL" and "Routing policy" fields with their default values
9. Create the record

Step 4: Verify Your DNS Records in the Holidu App

Return to your Holidu app to verify that the DNS records you've added are recognized:

1. Head back to the Holidu app where you initiated the domain connection
2. Holidu will automatically check your DNS settings
3. This verification process typically takes around 5 minutes, though it can sometimes take longer depending on your domain provider
4. If everything is configured correctly, your domain will be verified and you'll be guided to the final steps

Helpful tip: If verification doesn't succeed immediately, double-check that all the values you entered match exactly what Holidu provided, and ensure you've created all required records. DNS changes can take time to propagate across the internet, so patience is important here.

Step 5: Add an ALIAS DNS Record in Your Domain Settings

Once Holidu has verified your domain, there is just one more DNS record to add to complete the process. Holidu will provide you with specific values for this final record:

1. In your domain provider, create a new DNS record
2. Change the record type to ALIAS
3. Use the name and value provided by Holidu for this ALIAS record
4. Create the record with the provided information

Verification checklist: Before moving on to the final step, make sure your domain provider settings now include all three of the following records:

• ALIAS record
• CAA record
• CNAME record

All three records are required for your direct booking website to connect properly to your custom domain.

Step 6: Final Verification and Launch

You're almost there! Complete the final verification process:

1. Return to the Holidu admin dashboard
2. Wait for Holidu to verify that all your DNS records are in place and properly configured
3. Once verification is complete, your direct booking website will be live and accessible via your own domain

Congratulations! You can now access your direct booking website using your own domain. Your guests will see your custom domain in their browser, reinforcing your brand identity and building trust with potential bookers.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

DNS Records Not Being Recognized

If Holidu is not recognizing your DNS records after 5 minutes:

• Double-check that the NAME and VALUE fields match exactly what Holidu provided
• Ensure there are no extra spaces or special characters
• Verify that you've selected the correct record types (CNAME, CAA, ALIAS)
• Wait a bit longer—DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours in some cases
• Contact your domain provider's support if you're unsure about the configuration

Website Still Shows Previous Content

If your old website is still appearing after completing these steps:

• Clear your browser cache completely
• Try accessing the domain in an incognito or private browsing window
• Wait for DNS records to fully propagate—this can take several hours
• Contact Holidu support if the issue persists beyond 24 hours

Key Takeaways

Connecting your Holidu booking website to your own domain is a straightforward process when you follow these six steps:

1. Enable your website and start the domain connection in Holidu
2. Create a CNAME record with values from Holidu
3. Add a CAA record for security
4. Let Holidu verify your DNS records
5. Add the final ALIAS record
6. Complete final verification and launch your site

By establishing your booking website on your own domain, you strengthen your brand presence and create a more trustworthy experience for your guests. This direct connection enhances your professional image and can lead to increased direct bookings.

If you encounter any issues during this process or have questions about any step, don't hesitate to reach out to Holidu support for assistance.