This is a little behind-the-scenes note for fellow accommodation hosts.
At Little Valley Summerhouse, we use Lodgify as our direct booking system. They recently showcased us on their socials, which was lovely. More importantly, it’s become our preferred partner for managing direct bookings.
Why use Lodgify for direct bookings?
Quite simply, it's easy to use.
Guest communication is clear and seamless, and it keeps bookings - and funds - closer to home rather than disappearing overseas via large OTAs such as Airbnb.
Using Lodgify also means we have a direct line of communication with our guests, including personal messages and phone numbers. Many people don’t realise that some OTAs use proxy mobile numbers, allowing them to read all SMS conversations alongside in-app messages. For us, having transparent, direct communication feels important.
What the setup is really like
There is a bit of time and effort involved in setting up Lodgify, but it’s no different from creating a listing on an OTA. Once it’s done, it’s done - and it works quietly in the background.
Lodgify provides everything needed to manage a short-term or vacation rental business in one place. This includes tools to:
• build a clean, professional website
• accept online bookings with credit card payments
• manage reservations from a single dashboard
Channel management and synchronisation
Their channel manager allows synchronisation with major platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Google Vacation Rentals, Vrbo / HomeAway, Expedia and others. This keeps availability and pricing aligned without constant manual updates.
Our experience so far
If you’re thinking about setting up direct bookings for your own accommodation, this is a platform we genuinely enjoy using and feel comfortable recommending.
We’ve included our special Lodgify trial rate with 15% off below for anyone curious to explore it further.
Where is the Little Valley Summerhouse?
Little Valley Summerhouse is located in the Wollombi Valley, in the Lower Hunter Valley, New South Wales. It sits on our working alpaca farm, Little Valley Farm, surrounded by rolling paddocks, dams and bushland, with uninterrupted rural views.
We’re approximately:
• 90 minutes north of Sydney
• 1 hour from Newcastle
• 40 minutes from Pokolbin and the Hunter Valley wine region
This makes Little Valley Summerhouse an easy weekend escape for guests travelling from Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle and regional NSW, while still feeling a world away once you arrive.
The Summerhouse itself is set privately by the pond, overlooking alpaca and donkey paddocks. It’s an off-grid stay, powered entirely by solar, and designed to sit lightly within the landscape. There’s no traffic noise, no neighbours in sight - just farm life, bird calls and wide open skies.
Wollombi Village is a short drive away and is one of the oldest villages in Australia, home to historic sandstone buildings, local pubs, cafes and small cellar doors. The area is known for its relaxed pace, scenic back roads and strong sense of place.
Little Valley Summerhouse suits couples, friends, or families (adults-only), looking for a quiet country stay in the Hunter Valley that feels personal, thoughtfully designed and genuinely connected to its surroundings.
Whether guests book direct through our website or discover us via trusted platforms, the experience remains the same: calm, rural and grounded in everyday farm life.