Direct Booking.com Connection, Flexible Pet Fees Setting on Airbnb, and Vrbo Cancellation Policy Updates
August has brought a wave of meaningful enhancements at GuestWisely, designed to make property management more seamless and effortless. From our new direct Booking.com connection, to added flexibility with Airbnb pet fees, and the required Vrbo cancellation policy updates, these upgrades give you greater control over your rental business.
Stay ahead with these updates that simplify communication, enhance pricing flexibility, and ensure compliance across major OTAs.
Direct Booking.com Connection
Our new direct integration with Booking.com empowers property managers to manage every guest interaction and build their reputation confidently, all from one central hub.
What’s new:
Communication Manager
- Review all Booking.com guest chats directly in your GuestWisely inbox.
- Read and respond to messages from guests without leaving the platform.
Impact: Centralized communication, keeping all conversations in one place and delivering better guest experiences.
Reviews Management
- Access Booking.com guest reviews directly in the Guest Review section of GuestWisely.
- Respond publicly and choose whether to display reviews on your website.
Impact: Streamlined reputation management, helping you build trust with new guests while staying on top of feedback.
More Flexibility with Pet Fees on Airbnb
Managing pet-friendly stays just got easier. With our new flexible enhancement, you now have more ways to map pet fees to Airbnb, making it simpler to host furry guests.
How it works:
- Per Stay: Charged once for the entire booking.
- Per Night: Charged daily.
- Per Occupant: Treated as “per pet.”
- Per Occupant Per Night: Treated as “per pet per night.”
Impact: Dynamic pricing options for pet fees, maximizing revenue while keeping pet-friendly stays transparent and easy to manage.
Vrbo Cancellation Policy Update – Action Required
Vrbo now requires hosts to adopt one of their standard cancellation policies: Flexible, Moderate, Strict, Firm, or No Refund. This update aims to standardize cancellation rules across the platform, ensure guest protection, and clarify policy expectations.
How to stay compliant:
- Select your cancellation policy directly in the Policies tab of each property.
- Look out for a pop-up notification on your next login, prompting you to set a default Vrbo cancellation policy.
- Apply a default policy to all properties, with the option to adjust individual listings as needed.
Action required:
- Review your Vrbo listings and select your preferred cancellation policy by September 1, 2025.
- If no selection is made, the Moderate policy will be applied to all connected properties.
- If your current cancellation settings cannot be mapped, the strictest policy will apply by default to prioritize guest protection.
Impact: Policy compliance, keeping your listings visible on Vrbo while giving you control to balance guest expectations with your business needs.
August at a Glance
August has been a month of exciting improvements at GuestWisely. We’ve rolled out:
- A direct Booking.com connection, enabling centralized communication and streamlined reputation management.
- A flexible pet fees setting on Airbnb, allowing greater control over pricing.
- A Vrbo cancellation policy update, ensuring compliance while enhancing visibility.
Keep your rental business on the right track: explore these enhancements, stay up-to-date with OTA changes, and leverage GuestWisely to unlock flawless property management.
Ready to make the most of these updates? Connect with our support team or join us on LinkedIn. We’re here to guide you every step of the way!
