There are a few common issues that can lead to missing or hidden messages in Vrbo or in Guesty. See common issues and how to handle them below.
Vrbo inquiry not showing in Guesty
Inquiry emails are communications with your guests regarding their booking. This can include questions about the property, booking details, and the check-in/check-out time.
However, inquiries without specified dates will not be received in Guesty. You will only be able to view and respond to these inquiries in Vrbo.
Cancellation request not received in Guesty
Booking change request messages are not received in Guesty. These messages are automatically generated and can be seen in the guest's thread on Vrbo. This includes special requests and cancellation requests.
Unable to receive messages from Vrbo in Guesty or vice versa
You can use the Guesty Inbox to send and receive messages from guests. However, there could be several reasons why you are unable to receive messages from Vrbo in Guesty or vice versa. See here for more details and troubleshooting steps to take.
Message sent to guest is missing from the Vrbo inbox
When a guest sends the user a message from the Vrbo inbox, Guesty automatically adds a proxy email to that guest that ends with the domain @messages.homeaway.com. This address is what enables the flow of communication between a booking channel's messaging platform, Vrbo in this case, and Guesty.
However, if the guest did not send any message from the Vrbo inbox, Guesty will not be able to add the proxy email to the guest, and any message the user sends in response will have no way of reaching the Vrbo inbox, including Automated Messages.
Note:
An exception to the above is when a guest sends a message along with the reservation. This first message will be delivered in another method (an API), and for this message, a proxy email will not automatically be attached. See more on the next issue.
A message was supposed to be sent through Vrbo but was sent to guest's private email
All of Vrbo's guest messages (including auto-messages) are delivered via Email - either the guest's private email or via Vrbo's inbox (=a proxy email).
When a guest creates a reservation via Vrbo and adds a message to it, the reservation and message are delivered to Guesty via API. In this case, the message will be displayed as being sent via HomeAway (Vrbo proxy email).
If the guest's primary email in Guesty is set as Vrbo's proxy email, messages will be delivered via Vrbo's proxy email only if the guest sends another message (in addition to the first message attached to the reservation). If the guest didn't send an additional message, he will receive your messages in his private email (as only following an additional message, the proxy email will be added to the guest).
Contact details hidden in Vrbo messages
Sometimes, Vrbo masks messages a series of dashes or x's for unconfirmed reservations, such as when they detect words or numbers that include contact information, references to other sites, external links, or content that violates their Content Guidelines.
Messages sent to guests do not include attachments in Vrbo
When sending a message to a guest in the Guesty Inbox via Channel Inbox, HTML formatting is not supported. Therefore, file attachments such as images, PDFs, or Word/Excel documents cannot be sent in guest messages.
Check-in form link is hidden on Vrbo
If you sent a guest an Automated Message with a link to a check-in form, but the link is hidden on Vrbo, this may indicate you sent it to an unconfirmed reservation. This can happen if the guest has an unconfirmed reservation and they message you from it regarding a confirmed reservation: Guesty will receive the proxy email associated with the unconfirmed reservation, even though you and the guest are really discussing a confirmed reservation.
Inbox error message: Integration is disconnected
If you previously managed your Vrbo account via a channel manager and switched to the direct connection, reservations that were created via the channel manager are migrated to the direct connection after switching.
Messages sent from Vrbo by these guests are not expected to be received in Guesty, since these reservations are associated with the channel manager's integration email. We recommend moving to email communication with these guests.
Important:
If you connected to Vrbo before 19 Feb 24, follow the information under the "Pro users" tab
Unable to receive messages from Vrbo in Guesty or vice versa
You can use the Guesty Inbox to send and receive messages from guests. However, there could be several reasons why you are unable to receive messages from Vrbo in Guesty or vice versa. See here for more details and troubleshooting steps to take.
Message sent to guest is missing from the Vrbo inbox
When a guest sends the user a message from the Vrbo inbox, Guesty automatically adds a proxy email to that guest that ends with the domain @messages.homeaway.com. This address is what enables the flow of communication between a booking channel's messaging platform, Vrbo in this case, and Guesty.
However, if the guest did not send any message from the Vrbo inbox, Guesty will not be able to add the proxy email to the guest, and any message the user sends in response will have no way of reaching the Vrbo inbox, including Automated Messages.
Note:
An exception to the above is when a guest sends a message along with the reservation. This first message will be delivered in another method (an API), and for this message, a proxy email will not automatically be attached. See more on the next issue.
A message was supposed to be sent through Vrbo but was sent to guest's private email
All of Vrbo's guest messages (including auto-messages) are delivered via Email - either the guest's private email or via Vrbo's inbox (=a proxy email).
When a guest creates a reservation via Vrbo and adds a message to it, the reservation and message are delivered to Guesty via API. In this case, the message will be displayed as being sent via HomeAway (Vrbo proxy email).
If the guest's primary email in Guesty is set as Vrbo's proxy email, messages will be delivered via Vrbo's proxy email only if the guest sends another message (in addition to the first message attached to the reservation). If the guest didn't send an additional message, he will receive your messages in his private email (as only following an additional message, the proxy email will be added to the guest).
Contact details hidden in Vrbo messages
Sometimes, Vrbo masks messages a series of dashes or x's for unconfirmed reservations, such as when they detect words or numbers that include contact information, references to other sites, external links, or content that violates their Content Guidelines.
Messages sent to guests do not include attachments in Vrbo
When sending a message to a guest in the Guesty Inbox via Channel Inbox, HTML formatting is not supported. Therefore, file attachments such as images, PDFs, or Word/Excel documents cannot be sent in guest messages.