1. Cloudbeds
  2. Channels & OTAs
  3. Recommended OTAs
  4. Airbnb API

Airbnb API - Room mapping and settings guidelines

Lorena Pamplona
Updated

While connecting Airbnb API, the mapping process may differ depending on the room setup that you have on Airbnb (if you have individual listings, room types, or shared dorms). Check in this article the instructions to map your room setup accordingly and how to edit room configuration details such as discounts, pricing rule and availability rules.

Room mapping

Choose the room setup scenario of your property:

1 - Mapping individual Airbnb listings with individual Cloudbeds PMS accommodations

This mapping type suits you if you have 1 Cloudbeds PMS private room type with 1 room (unit) in it which corresponds to only 1 Airbnb listing.

  1. If that is your case, all you need to do is mapping the corresponding Airbnb listing from dropdown menu so it corresponds to the Cloudbeds PMS room type.

Example: Cloudbeds Accommodation (Deluxe) -> Channel Accommodation (Deluxe listing)

2 - Mapping several Airbnb listings of the same type to Cloudbeds PMS room type

If you have one Cloudbeds PMS room type with several units and 1 listing on Airbnb - you can simply map it with the corresponding Cloudbeds PMS room type.

But if you sell room types in Cloudbeds PMS and several individual listings in Airbnb each corresponding to a specific unit - you will need to do the following:

Example:

In Cloudbeds PMS, you have Deluxe Studio (room type) with 5 units: Studio 1, Studio 2...

On Airbnb, you have 5 separate listings and these rooms have the same settings and description (mandatory): Studio 1, Studio 2, Studio 3...

While mapping the rooms in Cloudbeds PMS Room Mapping step, you will be able to map only 1 listing to your room type - so how can this be done?

  1. Go to Airbnb Extranet and keep only 1 listing of the same type in status Listed (all the rest of the listings of this type should be Unlisted)
  1. Go to the Distribution page in Cloudbeds PMS
  2. Open Airbnb API Room Mapping page
  3. Link the room type to the listing with Listed status on Airbnb
  4. Save

How this configuration will work if my other listings are unlisted?

If Cloudbeds PMS room type has availability (no matter how many rooms (units)) > the listing will be bookable on Airbnb until all units are reserved. Your calendar will be opened for reservations.

If Cloudbeds PMS room type has no availability > the listing will not be bookable on Airbnb.

Therefore, all other listings should be unlisted otherwise you will be selling rooms that are not controlled by Cloudbeds PMS, which may cause inconveniences and overbookings.

3 - Mapping dorm beds on Airbnb with Cloudbeds PMS shared rooms (dorm beds)

Scenario A

If you have one shared room type with 8 Beds in Cloudbeds PMS and 1 shared listing on Airbnb that corresponds to the room type that you sell on Cloudbeds PMS - you can simply map the Cloudbeds PMS room type to an Airbnb listing. Your guests will be able to take multiple bed/room bookings from Airbnb.

You don't need to create additional listings on Airbnb.

Check the example below:

Listing configuration on Airbnb extranet: 1 bedroom with 8 beds that fits 8 guests

The number of beds must be equal to the number of guests. The bedroom - which corresponds to the room type - is always 1, even if you have multiple rooms types of this category as you will see in the scenario B , Cloudbeds PMS will send the availability to the same listing.

In Cloudbeds PMS, map the shared room type with their corresponding shared room listing in Airbnb.

Scenario B

Let's suppose that you have 1 shared room type with 2 or more units with 2 Beds each in Cloudbeds PMS - in such case, if you already have 1 listing on Airbnb for this corresponding shared room that you sell on Cloudbeds PMS, you do not need to create additional listings.

However, if on Airbnb you have several listings each of them representing a dorm bed in one shared room and you need to map them into 1 shared room (room type) in Cloudbeds PMS.

In that case, follow the instructions below:

In Airbnb extranet: Keep only one Airbnb listing representing dorm bed in status 'Listed'

  1. Go to Airbnb Listings page
  2. Among all the listings representing dorm bed from 1 shared room, keep only one listing in status Listed.
  3. All other beds from the shared room should be in status Unlisted
  1. Go to the Listed listing and open the Listing Details by clicking on its name. For example, bed in 6 beds dormitory - click on the name:
  1. On the right side of Rooms and spaces, click on Edit
  1. Under the Bedroom section, click on edit the Sleeping arrangements
  1. Choose the number and type of beds.

Be attentive to your bed type configuration in Airbnb.

If you have bunk beds on your bedrooms - which is common for dorm rooms - Airbnb will multiply the number of bunk beds to have the corresponding number of beds. If you choose 3 bunk beds, the total number of beds will be 6.

  1. Click on Done to save.
  1. Back to the Listing Details, scroll down to Property and Guests section
  2. Select the number of guests equal to the number of beds, in this example, 6 guests.

The number of beds must be equal to the number of guests. The bedroom - which corresponds to the room type - is always 1, even if you have multiple rooms types of this category.

In Cloudbeds PMS: Map the listing to Cloudbeds shared room

  1. Go to the Distribution page
  2. Search for Airbnb API and open the Room mapping page
  3. Map the shared room type in Cloudbeds PMS with the listing on Airbnb:

Room settings

The Room Settings page will be displayed when you are following the Step 3: Set Up/Edit Room Configuration Details in Airbnb API connection process.

Once you click to configure a listing, three options will be available:

  1. Price Settings
  2. Taxes
  3. Pricing Rules and Discounts

Check the sections below for further details:

Mandatory settings are highlighted with a red asterisk (*). If you skip them in the mapping process, the room will not be correctly updated in the channel.

1 - Price Settings
  • General
    • Listing Currency: the currency chosen here must match the currency you want your rates to be sent in.
    • Rates: Base Price: rates are controlled by Cloudbeds PMS calendar. Any dates that do not have a rate entered in Cloudbeds PMS will default to this rate.
    • Number of guests included in this price:  (only for private rooms) add the maximum number of guests included in this rate.
    • Extra Guest Fee per night: (only for private rooms) add the extra guest fee you will charge per night*.
  • *Extra person fee (per night):
    • For Private rooms: Add (if applicable) this extra fee in a fixed amount per night.
      • This amount will be added to the base price once the reservation is created with more guests than the max number of guests included in this price. Example: 2 guests are included in the base rate of $100 and the Extra Person fee is $20. If a person simulates a reservation in Airbnb with 3 guests, they will see a total $120/night.  
  • Fees: Select the fees that you need to apply and the amount. Per some fees you can select whether the fee is per booking or per person.
    • Cleaning fees: Add the details of your cleaning and linen fees and if they are charged per guest or reservation.
    • Other fees: add here extra fees applied to your property, including the Deposit Amount if you charge deposit.
    • Pet fee: if you accept pets, add the extra fee here.

Airbnb will send the total amount inclusive of fees (except guest and host service fees) to our system as room revenue. Therefore, these fees will not be included in your rate breakdown. As a workaround, you can set up inclusive fees for Airbnb channel so that your reservation breakdowns will include these fees.

It is not possible to create an inclusive flat fee/tax per reservation/per accommodation in Cloudbeds PMS.

If any assistance is required with setting up your Airbnb fees, reach out to Airbnb team at https://www.airbnb.com/help.

2 - Taxes

Airbnb may already collect taxes on your behalf, depending on your location. To avoid double-charging guests, click here for a full list of where Airbnb directly collects and remits taxes.

  1. Click on Add if you want to configure new taxes
  2. Click on the Pencil icon if you want to edit your tax details
  3. Click on the "x" icon if you want to delete a tax
3 - Pricing Rules & Discounts

If you have multiple discounts configured of the same type, threshold and date but with different discount values, Airbnb will only apply one of the discounts.

  1. EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

An early bird discount is an exclusive offer which is only available to those who book a room during a certain timeline, typically, if a guest books very early before check-in date.

  1. Set up when the discount ends - x months before arrival
  2. The discount amount in percentage
  3. Add a specific check-in date range (optional)
  4. Save
  1. LAST-MINUTE DISCOUNT

Offer special discounts for reservations created x days before arrival:

  1. Set up when the discount starts (how many days before arrival)
  2. Set up the discount amount in percentage
  3. Add a specific check-in date range (optional)
  4. Save
  1. NIGHTLY PRICING RULES

Add or decrease the base rate pricing according to pre-defined rules in this field. For example, if there is a holiday that you want to increase 6% of the pricing, you can add this rule here and add the corresponding dates.

  1. Choose + or - (%) rule and the amount
  2. Click on Add to add specific check-in date range
  3. Save
  1. LENGTH OF STAY DISCOUNTS

Add discounts for the guests that stay longer than a few nights at your property:

  1. Set the Weekly Discounts %: Airbnb will calculate the weekly rate based on this discount if your guest selects 7 or more nights.
  2. Set the Monthly Discounts %: Airbnb will calculate the monthly rate based on this discount if your guest selects an entire month.
  3. Save
  1. CUSTOM LENGTH-OF-STAY DISCOUNT

Set up custom length of stay discounts according to the number of nights your guest is staying.

  1. Select the number of nights the guest must stay to have this discount
  2. The corresponding discount in percentage
  3. Select the date range this discount will be applied (optional)
  4. Save
Examples

Since Airbnb will only apply one of the discounts if you have multiple discounts configured of the same type but with different discount values, Cloudbeds PMS will apply the discount that results in the highest price.

Example 1

You have three discounts of the same type, threshold and date:

  • Long term Stay (nights) - more than 10 days - 20% for period x
  • Long term Stay (nights) - more than 10 days - 10% for period x
  • Long term Stay (nights) - more than 10 days - 24% for period x

Only the Long term Stay (nights) discount - more than 10 days - 10% will be applied as it results in the highest price.

However, if different types of discounts are selected for the same date, they will apply both:

Example 2
  • Long term Stay (nights) - more than 10 days - 24% for period x
  • Early Bird discount - more that 20 days in advance - 15% for period x

Both discounts will be applied.

Example 3

The room rate is $100 and the available discounts of the same type are: 30% discount and 20% discount.

  • 30% discount results in a new room rate of $70
  • 20% discount results in a new room rate of $80

In this case, Cloudbeds PMS will send the rate of $80 to Airbnb (since it's the highest rate).

Was this article helpful?
2 out of 8 found this helpful

Comments

0 comments

Please sign in to leave a comment.