Booking.com: Troubleshooting Export and Sync Failures

When a Booking.com export or sync fails in Hostaway, retrying the export without fixing the underlying cause will not resolve the problem. This guide helps you identify the root cause and take the right corrective action.

Understanding Sync Failures

Sync failures between Hostaway and Booking.com typically fall into one of three categories:

• Export failure: the listing could not be published or exported to Booking.com.
• Availability or rate sync failure: changes made in Hostaway are not reflected on Booking.com.
• Content sync failure: photos, descriptions, or amenities are not updating on Booking.com. If photos fail with "The hotel's photo library has reached limit of 300 photos", the property has reached Booking.com's 300-photo limit, which counts the photos of all rooms in the property. See the photo limit in Booking.com: Listing Content Sync.

Step 1: Check the Sync History in Hostaway

1. Go to your Hostaway Dashboard > Listings.
2. Select the affected listing and click Edit.
3. Open the Channel Connections tab.
4. Locate Booking.com and click Sync History to review recent sync attempts and any error messages returned by the Booking.com API.
5. Note the specific error code or message; this will determine the next step.

Step 2: Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Rate Plan Errors ('Non-XML' or 'Not Mapped')

If your Booking.com Extranet shows rate plans labeled as Non-XML or Not Mapped, those plans are not connected to Hostaway and will block availability sync. Standalone rate plans are created and managed directly in Hostaway; see Booking.com: Manage Rate Plans. Derived/parent-child rate plans are always handled on the Booking.com Extranet.

1. Log in to Booking.com Extranet > Rates & Availability > Rate Plans.
2. Delete any rate plans marked as Non-XML or Not Mapped.
3. Recreate them as standalone rate plans (not derived or linked to another plan).
4. Return to Hostaway and remap the listing if required. 

'Price Missing' Error on Booking.com

This error appears on Booking.com when a rate plan exists, but no rate has been pushed for the relevant dates.

• Verify that a base rate is set in Hostaway for those dates under the affected listing.
• Check that the rate plan in Booking.com Extranet is set to receive rates from Hostaway (not manually managed).
• If using dynamic pricing, confirm the integration is active and pushing rates correctly.

Export Fails Repeatedly

If the Export button becomes available again after an attempt, it means the export did not complete. There is no single retry button in Hostaway; the failure must be diagnosed first.

• Check that all required Booking.com pre-connection requirements are met (see Channel Integration Requirements and Limitations).
• Confirm that each room category has a maximum of one room to sell (unless using multi-unit).
• Verify that all rate plans are standalone, not derived or linked.
• Ensure the calendar is not fully blocked on the Booking.com side.
• Check that Hostaway is selected as the Connectivity Provider in Booking.com Extranet > Account > Connectivity Provider.

Availability Not Reflecting on Booking.com

If availability changes in Hostaway are not appearing on Booking.com:

• Check that the listing is mapped correctly in Channel Manager > Channels > Booking.com > Configure.
• Verify the property is set as Open/Bookable in Booking.com Extranet.
• Check the Sync History for any API errors on the specific dates.
• Ensure you are making availability changes in Hostaway only; changes made directly in the Booking.com Extranet may be overwritten by Hostaway.

Step 3: If the Issue Persists

If the sync issue continues after following the steps above:

• Contact Hostaway Support with your Booking.com Property ID, the affected Hostaway Listing ID, the specific error message from the Sync History, and the dates or rate plans affected.
• Contact Booking.com partner support for issues on the Extranet side, such as rate plan configuration errors or connectivity provider settings.