Guesty Lite users:
If you're connecting Vrbo after 19 Feb 2024, this information is not relevant. See here for Vrbo connection instructions.
Before you begin
Please review the information here to understand what the connection process entails, how long it can take, and what you should have prepared in advance for an efficient integration.
Decide on a Vrbo brand to connect
Note:
Vrbo has stopped integrating properties into its platform in Asia due to lack of support for required languages and currencies. What remains on Vrbo in Asia are legacy listings, exclusively on the Vrbo platform and not integrated elsewhere.
Vrbo operates a variety of international brand websites, such as www.abritel.fr in France and www.homeaway.co.nz in New Zealand. During the account set-up step below, you select which brand to connect.
The brand you choose does not affect the way your listings are distributed. For example, a listing in Australia will appear on other Vrbo international websites, such as the German or American brand websites.
However, each Vrbo brand supports only certain language and currencies. If your company does not fit into one of the categories below, you must select a Vrbo brand based on the currency first and then the language. See full details on page 35 in Vrbo's Self-Service Onboarding guide.
You must make sure the listing language and listing currency in Guesty match the brand you select.
At the time of connection, the Guesty listing's content must be written in the brand's native language. For example, if your chosen brand is Abritel, all listing content must be written in French.
Guesty automatically checks each listing's content language against the Vrbo brand selected when you publish the listing to Vrbo. If it does not match, an error will occur in Guesty.
Once a Vrbo account has been connected to Guesty, it is not possible to change the brand. You can connect multiple Vrbo brands to Guesty by connecting multiple Vrbo accounts, each with a different brand.
Connect step 1: Account set-up in Guesty
- Contact Vrbo's support team, or your Vrbo account manager if relevant, to request a software switch. Advise that you will be switching from your channel manager to a direct connection with Guesty. Vrbo will send a contract to be signed electronically.
- Switch your listings to "Quote and Hold" during the integration process, which typically spans several days.
Step by step:
- Sign in to your Guesty account.
- In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Growth mode.
- Click Distribution.
- Click the HomeAway/Vrbo thumbnail.
- In the top right corner, click
- Fill in the relevant account settings (see explanations below) then click Next.
Account nickname: Give your Vrbo account a nickname to easily recognize it in Guesty. This is useful when connecting multiple Vrbo accounts.
- The nickname is only visible within Guesty.
(Optional) Company name: Enter the name of your company as you would like it to appear to guests in Vrbo.
Vrbo brand to connect: see information at the top of this article.
Rental agreement: If you choose to send a rental agreement to guests to sign prior to arrival, you can upload your own or use Guesty's sample rental agreement. Click I accept the Legal terms of use when done.
- NOTE: The rental agreement will apply to all of your listings. Uploading a different rental agreement per listing is not possible.
Currency: Enter the currency in which listings should be displayed in your Vrbo account, based on the brand selection explained above.
- If any of your Guesty listings are set with a different currency, Guesty automatically converts the listing's pricing to the selected currency when updating the prices in Vrbo.
- When reservations are received, Guesty will automatically convert the pricing to the Guesty listing's currency. This enables payments to be collected via Stripe.
Primary guest minimum age: Specify the minimum age required to make a reservation. This is the age of the primary guest, not the age for all guests allowed to stay at the property.
- TIP: Setting can also be edited on the listing level
Booking settings: Choose if you would like guests to make reservations instantly, or whether they need to make a request to book. Vrbo does not allow same-day reservations.
- TIP: Setting can also be edited on the listing level
Cancellation policy: Choose a cancellation policy from the options provided, or create a custom policy as the default for your Vrbo account.
- TIP: Setting can also be edited on the listing level.
Payment methods: Choose from the following options:
- In Guesty via Stripe, using Auto Payment rules set up in Guesty.
- If you are located in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, this is the only option available as per Vrbo requirements.
- Collect manually outside of Guesty, then document the transaction in Guesty.
- Select accepted payment options for guests.
- TIP: Setting can also b edited on the listing level.
Once you receive email notification from Vrbo that your connection is activated, syncing will start immediately. However, it can take up to 24 hours for the status to be updated to "Connected" in Guesty.
Connect step 2: Select listings in Guesty
When switching to an integration with Guesty from Vrbo directly or another channel manager/PMS, all existing listings in your Vrbo portfolio must be published to and managed by Guesty.
Step by step:
- Click Add your listings.
- Wait for your listings to load. This may take a few minutes.
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Select the listing(s) you wish to publish to Vrbo, noting the following:
- If you have an existing Vrbo account, you must select all listings.
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Bulk publishing is only available during initial connection.
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If you have any listings that can't be added, it means that they don't meet Vrbo's requirements. They will appear on the right ride under "X listings could not be added". You must fix the specific errors for these listings before you can publish them to Vrbo.
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Click Add X listings to Vrbo to proceed.
Connect step 3: Contact Vrbo
Now that your account is connected and listings are added, it's time to complete the setup process with Vrbo.
Step by step:
- Review Vrbo's Self-Service Onboarding guide, then fill out Vrbo's Self-Service Onboarding form.
- If you already had a Vrbo account follow steps for "Existing users"
- If you are creating a new Vrbo account as part of this process, follow steps for "Net New users".
- Add the property's registration information in the Vrbo dashboard.
- An Onboarding Specialist from Vrbo will contact you within 3 working days to schedule a training call. You must be responsive to Vrbo's communication. If unresponsive, the process will be canceled by Vrbo automatically after 5 days.
Have your Guesty Advertiser ID ready for Vrbo's verification.
During this stage of the process if you have any questions or encounter issues, please contact Vrbo support promptly.
Once the account has been successfully connected, your properties will switch from "Pending" to "Connected" in Guesty after 3 days. If your properties are stuck in "Pending" for more than 3 days, contact us. For other listing errors, see here.
Next steps for all users
Enable messaging between Guesty and Vrbo
Once your account is connected, check that your Guesty integration email address is entered in your Vrbo account. This ensures that messages from guests are received in Guesty, and vice versa. Follow these instructions.
Configure auto payments
You must set up Auto Payment rules in Guesty for each listing you want to publish to Vrbo or an error will occur. The Auto Payment rules must be set to collect full payment before the guest checks out.
Additional steps for users with existing Vrbo accounts
Manage Pre-existing Vrbo reservations
Pre-existing reservations should not be imported or uploaded into Guesty. You will need to create a manual reservation in Guesty for recording purposes and to block the calendar on Guesty to avoid double bookings.
IMPORTANT: When creating the manual reservation, under "Channel" use "Vrbo" as the source. Do not use “uploaded_VRBO”.
Pre-existing Vrbo reservations are not imported automatically. It is your responsibility to upload all existing reservations received through the current Property Management Software into Guesty to be managed in Guesty.
Vrbo requires that you upload all future bookings with a check-out date in the future, plus reservations with a check-out date within the last 45 days.
You can add them manually using the source "uploaded_VRBO" to Guesty. Alternatively, we provide a template that you can fill out and submit to Guesty. We will map the reservations within Vrbo.
Any new Vrbo reservations received during the onboarding process and before your Vrbo project is activated must be added manually or via template sent to us.
IMPORTANT: Failure to manually create reservations or complete the template results in these reservations being considered "offline" by Vrbo. Consequences include:
- Inability to edit reservations
- Non-refundable traveler service fees and Vrbo commissions; amounts vary by region
If you managed your Vrbo account via Rentals United (RU), and RU is already connected to Guesty, the pre-existing reservations already exist in Guesty as RU reservations.
After the "software switch" from RU to Guesty, those reservations are migrated to the direct integration with Vrbo, so that any alterations made will be synced to Vrbo. However, the reservation confirmation codes will remain as Rentals United (RU-XXXXXX).
Manage guest payments
Guest payment methods are not transferred to Guesty. You will need to manage the payments directly from your Vrbo account. Alternatively, you can contact guests for their payment details and add them to Guesty, or send them an invoice.
Manage guest messages
Messages for pre-existing reservations may not be received in Guesty, since these reservations are associated with the channel manager/PMS integration email. We recommend moving to email communication with these guests.