Switching from the 365Villas Channel manager to direct integrations with VRBO and Airbnb
Firstly, ensure your property is fully configured in 365Villas by checking the Property Status tab in the Portfolio Manager:
- Review the property status tab, in the Portfolio Manager Section.
Here you can check whether your properties are ready or in need of updating:
- Review the cancellation policies in the Policies tab of your Property Settings. Make sure to review it and to update the Airbnb specific section:
Ensure that all properties have the Tax ID number (often called TOT) properly set. This field is mandatory in the US, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean.
Moving to our Airbnb Direct Connection
When switching to our Airbnb connection, it is important to disconnect your properties and then reconnect them immediately. This process, described below, is done during a live call with a 365Villas connectivity manager. You will need to be logged into your 365Villas and Airbnb account for this call. Only Host Airbnb accounts are supported. (Unfortunately, co-host accounts are not supported.)
To start the direct connection, go to the Channel Manager panel and select the Airbnb tab. The 365Villas connectivity manager will then make contact. To ensure a timely response, you may also want to notify your Account Manager of this request.
After initiating the request you will receive the following message:
Once approved by our team, you can continue with the connection by following these steps:
- Check the activation status of the connection on the Airbnb tab:
By clicking, you will be redirected to your Airbnb account where you must remove the current connection. From the “Sharing and Services” panel of your Airbnb account, remove your current Provider (Quick Connect) and then connect directly to your 365Villas account. A message will appear indicating that it is only possible to have a connection with one channel manager at a time. The connection with Airbnb must be disconnected and connected again instantly.
After this is done, you can return to your 365Villas account, still in the Airbnb tab.
Go to the “Property Connections” tab and start connecting the properties one by one:
Select the property:
– Select the property.
– Choose the synchronization type:
– Limited sync allows you to synchronize dynamic information such as availability, pricing (including taxes and services), and cancellation policies.
– Full sync also pushes static information such as descriptions, pictures, and photos and overrides any.
– Set up the mark-up you wish to apply.
– Then, check and view the status of the properties (the icon of the house in light blue means that the property is connected, and the icon in gray means that it is disconnected). Any update can be performed from this page by clicking on the icon of the pencil on the right side of the screen.
Once the connection is complete, it will be possible to check the status of all your listings from the property connections page.
Additional notes:
– Set up the mark-up you wish to apply.
– You can also activate the Airbnb Chat bolt-on option to be able to see, manage, and automate communications with your guests.
Moving to Vrbo Direct Connection
Moving to Vrbo direct Connection
The Vrbo and Airbnb connection processes are slightly different. From 365Villas, we initiate the connection. However, the process is then conducted by the Vrbo team. This final step shows how existing clients map the 365Villas properties to their Vrbo listings. New VRBO customers will receive instructions on how to access the VRBO extranet and use the Dashboard:
Connection Process
Section 1: Before you start
Before we initiate the connection process, ensure your properties are ready to be connected. In this initial step, the system reminds you of all the areas that need to be reviewed and where mandatory information must be filled in before any connection can be established. If any is missing, the connection will get rejected on the VRBO side.
The Property Settings pages highlight all the mandatory requirements. Ensure your properties are tagged as ‘Ready’ on the Property Status page on the Portfolio Manager before starting:
The same information can also be checked directly from the main portfolio manager menu.
Section 2: Required settings
Terms & Conditions
VRBO requires a PDF upload of your general terms and conditions. This document can include booking terms, house rules, and your cancellation policy. These terms may not be property-specific, but for your portfolio in general.
Choose Your Cancellation Policy
The system will use the cancelation policies set up under the Payment Policies. The following options apply only for old users.
Property-specific cancellation policies will override any selection made on this page.
Markup
If a markup is added, the system will add this percentage to the nightly price and extra guest fee, if any.
The markup is commonly used to cover the sales channel commission, although it can also be used to increase the price sent to VRBO compared to other sales channels or cover a possible card payment fee. The mark-up will be used for all listings.
VRBO Channel Fee Agreement
If you have a commission agreement with VRBO different from the standard 10%, use this option to set it up in 365Villas. The commission amount can be included on your Owner Statement as part of the Commissions settings in the Property Settings area.
Currency
You must select the correct currency in this section based on your location. When the allocated currency on Vrbo differs from the one set up in your 365Villas account, you can use the 365Villas multiple currencies feature to set a conversion rate.
Merchant Name
This is the name you used to create your payment gateway account.
Remember that once you connect to your Vrbo account via any software (for example, a PMS like 365Villas), you become the merchant of record, and Vrbo will provide you with guest card details, which you need to charge.
Once all information has been filled in correctly, remember to click Save at the end of the section.
Section 3: Sync Your 365Villas Account with Vrbo
On the left side, you will find a list of all the properties registered in 365Villas. On the right side, you will move all the properties you want to connect via Vrbo. Select each property you want to connect and save it. If there is a property that is not ready, it will be highlighted in red. You will be unable to select it from the list because it is not fulfilling the minimum requirements necessary for Vrbo’s connection.
If you want to terminate the connection of any property via Vrbo, you only have to move that property back to the 365Villas list (left side).
Section 4: Start the connection process.
Once you have chosen the properties you want to connect, go to section 4 and select Connect to Vrbo.
The system will redirect you to Vrbo’s onboarding page where you can continue with the process. You will be asked some basic questions related to your status as a user with them. If you already have an account with Vrbo, the system will detect it.
Once the onboarding questions have been completed and the user number has been confirmed, you will get a message from Vrbo informing you that the onboarding is in process and that a VRBO representative will contact you within a certain period to confirm the finalization of it. After that, your properties will go live.
Payment Process
Once your properties are live in Vrbo, 365Villas will help to automatically collect payments from the guests.
Once a reservation is confirmed via 365Villas, you, the property manager, will receive the Credit Card information of the guest to be able to make the applicable charges. Then Vrbo will charge you for their commission fee. Commissions will be charged once per month and must be guaranteed by a credit card number.
Channel Manager Option Pricing
Once connected to Vrbo and Airbnb direct connection, you can decide whether to use these direct channels at no extra cost as part of our Channel Manager pricing, or to use these channels exclusively as part of our Channel Manager Lite offering, which provides a 50% savings compared with our full Channel Manager pricing.
