Use this guide to connect supported channels to Hostaway, understand how channel syncing works, and find setup guides for Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and Vrbo.
Hostaway & Channels
If you're using a channel manager and PMS software, you'll have to link your channels to the software. With Hostaway, you can import your listings from Airbnb to get started quickly or create your listings manually within your new Hostaway account.
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In the short-term rental industry, there are no standards in terms of settings and the way of working.
Often, you will be prompted per channel about new and exciting functions, and you will be suggested great ways to improve the visibility of your listing, find new ways to rent out your listings, and upsell new activities.
Did you know that Airbnb has about 6 different "host" dashboards from time to time to test out new functions? Or that Booking.com will change the order of the menu to see if it helps you find new functions quicker? They do this to improve the software, just like many other companies, including Hostaway.
It is important to be aware of this, as not all functions are or can be supported at the moment they become available on the channels. Sometimes they are planned, and Hostaway can prepare and implement them as soon as they go live; sometimes they are not, and we need to wait for official support from channel management partners.
When you start working with any new channel, channel management, or property management software, it is strongly advised to keep in mind to ALWAYS read the documentation. Never assume how it works; always test your integrations and changes, and keep testing them regularly.
Once you connect, the channel management software can often import the latest data from your channels to sync. However, this does mean that most changes would need to be made by the channel management software and not on the specific channels.
For example, when you connect Airbnb to Hostaway, it imports the reservations, rates, and other settings the first time. After this, rates, availability, content, etc. would all need to be maintained within the Hostaway software and will not be automatically re-imported or exported again to all channels. Please review the sections for specific channels to see what each channel can do with the Hostaway connection. Here you can also watch a quick channel section overview.
Interested in more channels? Have a look at our Marketplace.