General Airbnb information
Difference between Airbnb and other OTAs
As you might already know Airbnb works differently than other OTAs you work with. Methods of room distribution to sale are different. Let´s take a look at one example:
I have a Apartment Deluxe category in Previo which contains four different and not occupied apartments. Apartment Deluxe category is connected with similar category from Airbnb. If someone would book the apartment now, he would be able to book just one of the four available apartments.
When we receive a reservation for this apartment, channel manager checks the remaining availability and sees that there are still three more available rooms of this type. Therefore only one apartment from three is released back to sale.
This system works until all four apartments from the certain category are sold out (or occupied by reservations from different sources). Airbnb sells them one by one.
If you want to offer every room separately on Airbnb, you need to create a separate room category with one particular room for each and every room / apartment you have in Previo.
Which data can we transfer to Airbnb?
- Occupancy and prices
- Discounts (first and last minute, special prices)
- Restrictions for length of stay and arrival/departure days
And few more information about discounts:
- Discountes are counted together (eg. FM/LM + Long term)
- Surcharges can be used just for Action price
- First minute must be set to more than 28 days
- Last minute must be set to less than 28 days – if you set for example 35 days we will still send max number which is 28
- First minute works only with multiples of months, if you set FM to 70 days, we will send the discount for 90 days (3 months)
Connection
First it is neccessary to go through basic Airbnb settings in the extranet (more information bellow) and then we can continue with the connection.
How to prepare your Airbnb profile for channel manager connection?
We will definitely need your login credentials to start with the connection. You should also already have your rooms created (and activated) with correct settings (see the text bellow).
Once this portal is activated you are not able to make any changes in settings without interrupting the connection.
Room and price calculation settings
After loging in got to section Hosting dashboard in Host section.
Switch to Listings. You will see full list of your rooms and you can edit the parameters or create new ones. Do not forget that the connection of rooms works differently than you are used to from other OTAs (see text above).
It is neccessary to have at least 7 picture loaded for each room and name of each room must contain at least 8 characters.
There are four major things that you need to set in order to make connection work properly.
Select price calculation method and let us know about your choice. Airbnb has two different price calculations and possible methods of connection.
- Each possible room occupancy costs the same price (triple room for one / two / three person will always cost 50€)
- Price is set only for one person. Cost of other possible occupancies of room is calculated with additional fee per person (we calculate with price for one person + 10€ for each additional person). Fee can be set in room editation in Standard fees and charges section.
In first case we would send price for three person straight from Previo. In second case we would send price for just one person in room from Previo. Prices for two and three person in the room will be automatically calculated using basic price + fee(s).
Deactivate Smart pricing. With this function active we cannot guarantee that correct prices and occupancy will be send to Airbnb.
Unify the price currencies for all your Airbnb rooms. We are capable to send prices in just one currency to certain OTA. We cannot send price for certain rooms in CZK and for other ones in EUR.
Currency settings can be changed while editing certain room right under Standard fees and charges.