Connecting your Booking website to your own domain is a straightforward process that allows you to establish a professional online presence. This guide walks you through six clear steps to help you connect your Holidu website to your own custom domain.

Before You Begin

Before you get started, make sure you have access to your domain provider's settings (such as AWS, Vercel, GoDaddy, Namecheap, or similar providers). Please note that if you already have a website live on that domain, it will be replaced by your Direct Booking website once this process is complete.

Step 1: Enable Your Website and Initiate the Domain Connection

The first step is to set up your website in the Holidu application:

• Click on "Enable website" if it is not already enabled
• Click on "Connect my domain"

After you start the setup and enter your existing domain name, a DNS tab will appear in your Holidu application. Here, Holidu will generate specific DNS values that you will need for the next steps. Make note of these values as you will copy them to your domain provider's settings.

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

Now you need to log in to your domain provider and create a new DNS record. Follow these instructions:

• Log in to your domain provider's control panel
• Look for an option to create a new DNS record or edit DNS settings
• For the "Type" field, select CNAME
• In the Holidu application, copy the "NAME" value from the CNAME line and paste it into the name field of the new record
• Copy the "VALUE" from the same CNAME line in Holidu and paste it into the value field of your domain provider
• The fields "TTL" and "Routing policy" can usually keep their prefilled values
• Save and create the record

Here is an example of how this looks in AWS:

Important: If there are already DNS records saved for the domain you want to use, please delete those first. This will disconnect your existing website from the domain, making it no longer accessible to customers. 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

The next step is to create a CAA (Certification Authority Authorization) record. This helps secure your domain:

• In your domain provider's control panel, create another new DNS record
• For the "Type" field, select CAA
• Copy the "NAME" value from the CAA line in your Holidu application and paste it into the name field
• Copy the "VALUE" from the CAA line in Holidu and paste it into the value field
• Some domain providers may require a special format for the value field, such as 0 issue "http://awstrust.com". In this case, add the value from Holidu in quotation marks
• The fields "TTL" and "Routing policy" can usually keep their prefilled values
• Save and create the record

Here is an example of how this looks in AWS:

Step 4: Verify Your DNS Records in the Holidu Application

Once you have added the CNAME and CAA records in your domain provider's settings, return to your Holidu application to verify them:

• Go back to the domain connection section in your Holidu admin panel
• Holidu will automatically check the DNS settings you just added
• This verification process typically takes around 5 minutes

If everything looks good and your domain is verified, you will be guided to the final step of the setup.

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

After Holidu verifies your domain, there is one more DNS record to add. This is the final technical step:

• Holidu will provide you with the values needed for the ALIAS record
• Go back to your domain provider's settings
• Create a new DNS record and set the Type to ALIAS
• Copy the Value provided by Holidu for the ALIAS record
• Paste this value into the Value field in your domain provider's settings
• Save the record

Before proceeding to the final step, verify that your domain provider settings now include all three required records:

• ALIAS
• CAA
• CNAME

All three records are essential for your Direct Booking website to connect properly to your custom domain.

Step 6: Complete Final Verification

The final step is to complete the verification process:

• Return to the domain connection section in your Holidu admin panel
• Wait for Holidu to automatically verify all the DNS records you have set up
• This final verification may take a couple of minutes

Once the verification is complete and successful, congratulations! You can now access your Direct Booking Website using your own custom domain.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you experience any issues during this process, here are some helpful tips:

• DNS changes can take some time to propagate. If verification fails on the first attempt, wait a few minutes and try again
• Double-check that you have copied the DNS values correctly from Holidu to your domain provider
• Make sure all three records (ALIAS, CAA, and CNAME) are present in your domain provider's settings
• Verify that you have deleted any previous DNS records that were pointing to your old website
• If your domain provider uses a different format or naming convention for DNS records, contact their support team for guidance

Summary

Connecting your Booking website to your own domain enhances your professional image and makes it easier for guests to find and remember your website. By following these six steps carefully, you will have your Direct Booking Website connected to your custom domain in just a few minutes. If you need additional assistance, our support team is here to help you at every stage of the process.