"The domain? The guy who built our website in 2016 manages it. I don't know if it's still in our name." "Google Ads? It's in the agency's account." "Our Google profile was created by a former receptionist using her own email."

These seem like details — until you change agency, the supplier disappears or a colleague leaves. Then you discover your website, campaigns and data… aren't really yours. Here's the checklist of logins and data every hotelier should keep under control.

The principle: the hotel owns, partners get access

Every important account must be owned by the hotel (in the company's name, with a business email you control). Agencies, freelancers and colleagues get user or admin access, which you can revoke at any time.

The checklist

Domain and website

  • ☐ Domain registered to the company, with access to the registrar's panel.
  • ☐ Hosting: credentials and contract in the hotel's name (or guaranteed access).
  • ☐ Website: admin access to the CMS (e.g. WordPress) or platform.
  • ☐ Backups of the website and content (copy, photos) in your possession.
  • ☐ Business email on your domain, managed by you.

Google

  • ☐ Google Business Profile: you as primary owner.
  • ☐ Google Analytics 4: you as property administrator.
  • ☐ Google Search Console: you as verified owner.
  • ☐ Google Ads: account owned by the hotel, with the agency as a user (or linked to its manager account, without losing ownership).
  • ☐ Google Hotel Center, if used: access or visibility through your provider.
  • ☐ Google Tag Manager, if used: you as administrator.

Social and Meta

  • ☐ Facebook Page and Instagram profile linked to your Business Manager (Meta Business Suite).
  • ☐ Meta ad account owned by the hotel.
  • ☐ Meta pixel in your Business Manager.

Distribution and sales

  • ☐ OTA extranets (Booking.com, Expedia and others): hotel credentials, named users for colleagues.
  • ☐ Channel manager, booking engine, PMS: contracts and admin logins in the hotel's name.
  • ☐ Booking data export possible at any time.

Guest data and marketing

  • ☐ Contact database (emails with consent) exportable and in your possession.
  • ☐ Newsletter platform registered to the hotel.
  • ☐ Consent records properly kept.

Content

  • ☐ Photos and videos: original files and clear usage rights (including photographers' work).
  • ☐ Logo and graphics: original files.

How to sort it out (in one afternoon)

  1. Create a dedicated business email for accounts (e.g. marketing@yourhotel.com), not a personal one.
  2. List every account using the checklist above.
  3. For each, check: who's the owner? Who has access?
  4. Where needed, ask suppliers and agencies to transfer ownership or add you as admin.
  5. Store credentials in a secure password manager.
  6. Remove access for anyone you no longer work with.

When you change agency or supplier

With ownership in hand, switching is simple: revoke the old partner's access and give it to the new one. Without it, you risk losing campaign history, Analytics data and website rankings. See how to choose a marketing agency for a small hotel.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal for an agency to create accounts in its own name?

It happens, but it's not good practice. Ask for the main accounts to be created in the hotel's name, with the agency accessing them as a user.

My website supplier refuses to give me access: what do I do?

Check the contract and who the domain is registered to. If the domain is yours, you can always move the website. For the future, put ownership of the website and content in writing.

Do I need access even if I don't use these tools?

Yes. You don't have to use them yourself, but you must be able to control and transfer them.

Want to secure your logins?

With our free marketing audit we also check the ownership of your hotel's domain, accounts and data, and help you fix anything that isn't in your name.