Connecting to Airbnb

Minimum requirements to connect

In order to connect the Property Manager’s (PM’s) property to the Airbnb, the following requirements must be met:

• Property name contains minimum 8 characters;

• Licence number must be filled if the property is located in certain locations, for example France or on a French-administered territory, but you may be asked to fill it in for other locations, too. Please, refer to your local law.

• Address: Country and Post code are provided;

• Geo-coordinates are provided;

• Location: Property must not be located in certain locations. For a current list of restricted locations, please, refer to Airbnb.

• Amenities: At least 5 amenities are selected;

• Description contains minimum 50 characters;

• Photos: minimum 7 photos uploaded, the minimum size is width: 800 px and height: 500 px;

• Prices and availability are provided for some seasons;

• Number of beds matches the Maximum number of guests;

Property Settings - Airbnb

See how the new Property Page page looks like for Airbnb, which is a Holiday Rental Website. These channels' characteristics is that you rent a single apartment to your guests. The view consists of the following elements:

• 5 - Filtering and viewing options

• 6 - Clusters

In case of Airbnb, one cluster is created per account and contains all properties ascribed to it. Clusters can be folded and expanded. Even while folded, clusters' top bars take colors of the properties' statuses, so that you can easily spot accounts that require your attention without the need to manually click them.

When unfolded, properties in the cluster are sorted by their status. This means that you will see properties requiring your action on top. Other elements are the following:

• 1 - Airbnb listing name

• 2 - Number of properties per account

• 3 - Property name and PropertyID

• 4 - Property connection status in the channel

• 5 - Rates (1 rate possible)

Connecting properties

Follow the below procedure if you already have some properties created in Channel Manager and you want to connect them to Airbnb.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Connect the property.

   Depending on whether you already have some properties connected to the Airbnb or not, you are presented with two different options.

   • If it is the first property to be connected, click the Connect your first property button.

     

   • If it is the next property to be connected, click the Add more properties button.

     

2. A dialog window appears with the question if the property is already published in Airbnb.

   • If the property is listed in Airbnb, terminate the process and map your properties to the Airbnb listings.

   • If the property is not listed in Airbnb, click No.

3. If needed, provide the required information and click Next.

   Note: Some channels require different information to successfully identify your account. For Booking.com it is Legal Entity ID, for Agoda it is Chain ID, for Expedia it is PM Name. If you cannot find this information, please contact the channel.

4. Start typing the property name or scroll down through the dropdown list. Select one or more properties to be connected to Airbnb.

   

5. Click the Next button.

6. The content quality is analyzed. The process should take up to a few minutes.

7. The summary of properties’ content is displayed.

   

   If some properties are not ready to publish, improve the content.

8. If the properties are ready to publish, adjust the markup for each of your properties.

   

9. Click the Create new listing button.

10. The published properties enter the  Pending status. The channel reviews your properties and their status will be updated automatically. The properties get available almost instantly in the Airbnb website and the status changes from Pending to  Active. From now on, the connection is active and reservations can be made.

Setting Channel Manager

In order to fully utilize the capabilities of Channel Manager and make the linking of the two systems possible, you need to set Channel Manager as the connectivity provider in Airbnb. For example, this is required in order to enable mapping properties to the listings in the channel. Please, perform the following.

With this procedure, you may add more Airbnb accounts to the already existing connection.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

4. Click Synchronize your first account or Connect another account.

5. You are directed to the Airbnb website and may be asked to log in. Read carefully the terms and conditions and confirm by ticking the checkbox. Click Allow.

Mapping properties to existing listings

If you have created properties in Channel Manager and you already have corresponding properties in Airbnb, you may create a link between the two properties in these systems. Before you do this, make sure that you selected Channel Manager as your Connectivity Provider, following the steps at Setting Channel Manager.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

4. Connect the property.

5. Depending on whether you already have some properties connected to Airbnb or not, you are presented with two different options.

• • If it is the first property to be connected, click the Connect your first property button.

    

  • If it is the next property to be connected, click the Add property button.

    

6. A dialog window appears with the question if the property is already published in Airbnb.

• • If the property is listed in Airbnb, click Yes.

  • If the property is not listed in Airbnb, terminate the process and start with connecting your properties.

7. A list of unmapped listings for that cluster is retrieved from Airbnb.

8. Click Connect this listing button next to the listing you want to map.

9. From the dropdown list, select the Channel Manager property to map.

• • If you want to change the property to map, click the Modify button.

  • If the property is ready to map, go to next Step.

  • If the property is not ready to map, improve the content.

    1. Verify if any data is missing or incorrect.

    2. Correct the content indicated in the report. Save.

    3. Come back to the Property List page and click the Improved, check again button.

12.From the dropdown list, select the type of data synchronization.

• • Limited Sync - synchronization of availability (availability, minimum stay and changeovers and prices (prices, fees and taxes, extra guest price).

  • Sync Everything - full synchronization (availability, prices and property descriptive content). Note that this option overrides information provided in the Airbnb dashboard.

13. If needed, adjust the mark-up value.

14. Click the Link & Connect button.

15. The published properties enter the  Pending status. The channel reviews your properties and their status will be updated automatically. The properties get available almost instantly in the Airbnb website and the status changes from Pending to  Active.

Editing rates

The information in this chapter is useful when you already have properties connected or mapped, but you want to introduce changes to rates that will affect only Airbnb.

Quick editing data for single rates

With these settings, you can override the property data you have. Before the property data is sent to Airbnb, it is modified with additional configuration you can apply now. Note that whatever you set right now will apply only to this channel.

1. Click the Manage button.

   

2. The Management page opens. Scroll down to the Advanced settings section.

   

   • Mark-up - indicates the value that the prices in Channel Manager should be adjusted by;

   • Synchronization model - it denotes the scope of data that is synchronized with Airbnb;

   • Cancellation Policy - it indicates the amount to be paid by the guest in case the reservation is cancelled;

   • Number of people in price - it refers to the Standard number of guests the price is calculated for. Here, it is possible to overwrite the value set for this property.

   • Minimal price per night - you can set up a minimum price for this property in Airbnb; then, in case this property's prices are set below this level, they will be increased.

   • Additional amount per day - you can specify an additional amount that will be charged each day of the reservation. It may cover for additional services available at this rate.

     Example: If you offer a breakfast service to your guests, you can create a rate for this purpose and cover it in the additional amount per day.

   • Overwrite minimum stay - it is possible to overwrite the property's minimum stay in this particular rate.

     Example: Minimum stay from Monday to Friday is 2 nights, from Saturday to Sunday is 4 nights.

     • If you set the overwrite minimum stay value to 1 or 2, nothing will happen.

     • If you set the overwrite minimum stay value to 3, only the Monday to Friday season will be overwritten.

     • If you set the overwrite minimum stay value to 5, the Monday to Sunday season will be overwritten.

3. Click the Save changes button.

   Note: Changes introduced here will not affect any other channel than Airbnb and will only apply to this rate.

Manual options for all rates in a group

With these settings, you can override the property data you have in the Edit property page for the reservations coming only from the Airbnb channel.

1. Click the Manage rates button.

   

2. Scroll down to the Manual options section and click the Activate manual options button.

3. Adjust the available options.

   

   • You can verify the availability of a single rate, as well as the total availability of all rates in the Availability summary row.

   • You can verify and temporarily update total availability by typing the new value. If the field has been edited, it is highlighted in blue. To undo the manual settings, click the blue field, delete the value and click away. The field now contains the default value.

     Example: You received a reservation from 26 May 2021 to 30 May 2021 for Property 15 from another channel. The availability is blocked. However, you already know that the reservation is cancelled, but the availability has not been updated yet. You may still want to rent the property at this time, hence you can temporarily update the availability and receive reservations for this time.
     Important: Bear in mind that once you change anything in manual options, the settings will be persisting until you manually undo them! For example, if you bump up the availability and a reservation comes in, the availability will not be automatically closed and overbookings are possible! You will have to reset the settings in manual options.

   • You can verify and temporarily update price and minimum stay by clicking the pencil icon next to the relevant rate and typing the new value. The field now contains the default value. If the field has been edited, it is highlighted in blue. To undo the manual settings, click the blue field, delete the value and click away.

     

   • You can also update availability, price and minimum stay for one rate for multiple days.

     

     1. Click the Batch edit button.

     2. Select rate from the dropdown.

     3. Specify dates.

     4. Update availability, price and / or minimum stay.

     5. Click Save changes.

     Edited fields are highlighted in blue. It is not possible to undo manual settings in batch. To undo the manual settings, click the blue field, delete the value and click away. The field now contains the default value.

Updating listings

This section includes instructions to be performed after the property descriptive content is updated . Note that Airbnb retrieves the data from Channel Manager every 6 hours, but in case you want to trigger an update immediately, follow the instructions below.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Click the Manage rates button.

   

2. Click the Push details button to trigger the update in the channel.

   

3. Channel Manager synchronized the latest data to Airbnb and updates the listing in their system.

Deactivating properties

In this section, you can find more information on how to stop renting your properties on the Airbnb channel.

Remove listing from Airbnb website

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Click the Manage rates button.

   

2. Click the three dot menu button and click Unlist this property option.

   

3. Channel Manager prompts the Airbnb to remove this listing from their website. This means that guests will no longer see your property on the Airbnb booking website and will not be able to book it. Hence, you will no longer receive any reservations for this property coming from Airbnb. Note, however, that this property will be still visible in the Property Settings in Channel Manager for Airbnb and the Airbnb dashboard.

Removing the property connection

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Search for the property you want to remove by scrolling down or filtering the property out.

2. Hover over the three dot menu on the right and select the Remove property option.

   

3. Confirm the action by clicking the Confirm removal button.

   

   Channel Manager requests a confirmation from Airbnb whether this listing exists in the channel or not. In case your listing is still available in the channel, there is a pop-up message displayed prompting you to remove the listing from Airbnb first. If you have not performed it yet, do it now.

   Once you confirm that this listing does not exist in the Airbnb dashboard, then the connection is removed from Channel Manager database and the property is also removed from the list in Property Settings.

Handling notifications

Channel Manager constantly validates and monitors the quality of your properties’ content in our system as well as in the connection between Channel Manager and the channels. Hence, you can easily check the current status of your connection and take proper steps in case improvements are needed.

Notifications may be displayed on two levels: the property level and the rate level.

In order to learn more about the received notifications, click the Check notifications button. In most cases, you are prompted to see what can be done to clear the notification away. Depending on an notification type, you can either:

• Retry - Rentals United attempts to synchronize your property content again

• Clear all - you confirm you read the notifications, but intend no action

• Manage - you need to manually adjust the property’s content according to the prompt

Bulk actions

With Channel Manager, you can easily avoid repetitive and time-consuming tasks, which is especially valuable when you manage a large inventory of dozens or hundreds of properties. With bulk actions, the management tasks become less frustrating and you everyday job - more effective. Bulk options differ across channels, so do not expect identical options for all channels you are connected to. Have a look below what bulk options you have in connection with Airbnb and how they work.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Airbnb from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Click the Bulk actions button on top of the page.

   

2. You entered the bulk flow and you can update all your listings at once. Select the option and follow the steps:

   Update mark-up for all properties
   Connect all disconnected properties

   Disconnect all connected properties

3. After the operation is finished, you will be prompted that it was successful. Click the OK button and you will be moved to the Property Page.

   

   Note: If any process fails for some properties, you will be presented information which properties were not updated and you can try again.

   

   Note: If any process fails for some properties, you will be presented information which properties were not updated and you can try again.