Connect your WhatsApp Business account to the Guesty Inbox to centralize communication. This allows you to communicate with guests via WhatsApp directly from Guesty while maintaining consistent branding and ensuring a professional, personalized experience for your guests. Pictures received via WhatsApp from guests are fully supported and visible in Guesty.
Limitations
- WhatsApp integration is currently supported on desktop only.
- You can send free-text (non-template) messages through WhatsApp on mobile, but sending pre-approved template messages is only supported via the desktop version of Guesty.
- If a guest changes their WhatsApp number, messages sent before the change will not be displayed retroactively after the number is updated in Guesty.
- Once your number is connected to Guesty, it can no longer be used in the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business apps.
- Numbers starting with +1-555 must have display names approved by Meta in the WhatsApp Manager prior to use. Refer to Meta's documentation for more information.
- A connected WhatsApp number can only be used for messages related to reservations and not for general use.
Connect your WhatsApp Business account
To use WhatsApp in Guesty, you must connect your Facebook (Meta) account and your WhatsApp Business account. If you don't have these accounts, you can create them during the connection process.
If you're using a number that was previously connected to WhatsApp, update your WhatsApp settings to allow Guesty to import it. Once connected, the number will no longer be accessible via the WhatsApp app. If you wish to continue using WhatsApp outside of Guesty, use a different number for the integration.
Before you begin
- Verify your Meta Business account.
- Resolve any pending display name change requests.
- Ensure your existing WhatsApp Business Account and display name are approved.
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Disable two-step verification (2FA) for your number:
- If you own your WhatsApp Business Account, use the WhatsApp Manager to disable the F2A.
- If you don't own your WhatsApp Business Account, ask your previous provider to disable it for you.
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A WhatsApp number can only be registered to one WhatsApp account. To connect it to Guesty, it mustn't be linked to any other personal or business WhatsApp account.
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If the number is currently in use, you must delete the existing account first. Once deleted, the number can be used for Guesty.
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Alternatively, to avoid disrupting your current WhatsApp usage, we recommend using a separate number dedicated to the Guesty integration.
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Refer to Meta's official documentation for more information about migrating a business phone number.
Adjust your settings in WhatsApp
Follow the steps to enable Guesty to import an existing number from WhatsApp.
Step by step:
- Open your WhatsApp Account Manager.
- To the right of the relevant phone number, click
.
- Click Two-step verification and follow the on-screen instructions to disable two-step verification. If your WhatsApp Business account is owned by your BSP, contact them to request two-step verification be turned off.
Connect WhatsApp to Guesty
Follow the steps to connect your WhatsApp Business account to Guesty.
Step by step:
- From your desktop, sign in to your Guesty account.
- In the top navigation bar, click
.
- Click
at the bottom of the left-side menu.
- Click Connect WhatsApp Business.
- A Facebook widget will open within Guesty prompting you to log in to your Facebook (Meta) account. If you do not have a Facebook account, click Create new account to create one.
- Follow the prompts to connect your WhatsApp Business account to Guesty. If you don’t have a WhatsApp Business account, follow the prompts to create one.
Once the number is successfully connected, your WhatsApp account information will appear in the Inbox, and you’ll be able to send and receive messages via WhatsApp. Keep in mind that only conversations linked to reservations will be displayed.
Send a WhatsApp message using a custom template
Custom templates allow you to send structured, pre-approved messages to guests who have not messaged you within the last 24 hours. Once the guest responds, you can continue the conversation freely within the 24-hour window without a template. There is no limit to the number of templates that can be created on a single WhatsApp Business account.
If you don’t have templates in your WhatsApp account yet, go to Meta to create message templates for your WhatsApp Business account. WhatsApp templates require Meta approval, which can take a few hours.
Note:
If you edit a template in your WhatsApp Business Account, it will need to go through WhatsApp’s approval process again. During this time, the template won’t be available in Guesty, and any existing version of it will temporarily disappear until the updated version is approved.
Step by step:
- Sign in to your Guesty account.
- In the top navigation bar, click
.
- In the left sidebar, click
.
- Click the relevant message thread.
- At the bottom of the page, click Type your message here.
- Select via WhatsApp from the dropdown menu.
- To initiate a message via WhatsApp with a guest, click Select template.
- Select one of your templates and click Next.
- Click the variable name to replace it with the required information.
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Click Send template. The message will be sent to the guest.
If the guest is not a WhatsApp user, an error message will appear. Select an alternative communication method and attempt to send the message again, or delete the message.
