Linking calendars from other channels (full article here)

We connect to Airbnb using their official partner API. During this connection process, Airbnb will remove any iCal links that you may have connected to your listings, sorry but it is something that Airbnb enforces.

However, we have made it really easy to connect calendars from other channels on our platform. You should ensure that you reconnect the calendars of other channels immediately to ensure you don't receive double bookings.

During the connection process, Airbnb also reset the settings you have in place for guest requirements:

The guest requirements simply need to be switched back on in the Airbnb listings after you have finished connecting your account to the Hometime platform.

Host-only Fee or Simplified Pricing (full article here)

Airbnb has introduced a new pricing structure similar to other channels like Booking.com and Vrbo where the guest doesn't see or pay a service fee. This means that the service fee is taken from the host. This doesn't apply to hosts where most listings are in the following countries United States, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Argentina, Taiwan, Uruguay.

This is a good thing as it helps to convert guest bookings as the service fee on Airbnb is often questioned by guests during the booking process. However, you need to ensure that your prices are increased to account for the service change.

Simply put, you need to increase your nightly rate and cleaning fees by the increase in the host service fee. The guest still pays the same amount as they would have previously as they no longer see the service fee.

If you use a dynamic pricing tool like Pricelabs, you can easily adjust prices based on their article here.

Adding Users, Cleaner and other contractors (full article here)

We have designed the tool so that anyone you work with can have access, which helps save you time as everyone is working from the same place. You can create custom roles for Users that allow you to control what they can view and manage throughout the platform.

You can also control which listings they can see in your portfolio. It isn't advisable to add cleaners or other contractors as Users, and we have designed a specific user type for them called Suppliers & Contractors.

You can add cleaners and other contractors to the platform and they will see tasks and jobs that you have assigned to them. However, if you need to give them additional permissions like messaging guests or updating property information, you can add them as users.

Connecting payout information (full article here)

We provide a way of easily reconciling payments from reservations through a special connection with Airbnb. To make this payment information available, you will need to reconnect your account to Airbnb by following these instructions.

If you manage and receive funds for homeowners, this is a great way to ensure that you have reconciled and received the payments before transferring them to your homeowners.

Start saving time

Now to some of the fun stuff, automation. We provide three key things to assist you when it comes to running an STR business at scale:

a. Automated Messages: Create powerful and personalised automated messages for events like check-ins/outs, specific days of the week or after someone has booked. Read more about it here.

b. Task Automation: Limit the back and forth between cleaners and also ensure you can control quality. You can automate the creation of cleaning jobs based on reservations and assign them to the right cleaners. Create your own checklists and have your cleaners upload photos at each clean. Track costs and manage your cleaning invoices with our finance tracking functions. Read more about it here.

c. Digital Guest Guide: Gone are the days of the paper guest guide covered in coffee stains. We provide you with a digital guest guide that presents information in a clear and easy-to-read format for guests. Each guide is done for a specific reservation and you can add notes about specific amenities and attached details of user manuals if required. Read more about it here.