This article will walk you through the entire process of mapping your myfrontdesk and Airbnb listings using iCal files.
Please note that such type of connection is very limited (see "Airbnb iCal Connection Limitations" section below) and will work differently than normal connection type (API). For example, only availability can be updated, no rates or any other stay restriction. Check the following article to learn more about calendar-based channels.
You can also connect Airbnb using normal API connection. For more information please refer to the article: Connecting Airbnb API to myfrontdesk
Airbnb iCal Connection Limitations
As a part of Airbnb’s ongoing efforts to minimize exposure of guest information, Airbnb no longer displays certain guest information reservation details via their iCal feed.
Please check further information on this article: Airbnb iCal Announcement and Next Steps - December 2019
Airbnb iCal reservations are imported in myallocator only 1 year prior to check-in date. For example, if a guest booked 1 year and 11 days prior to check in date, you need to wait 11 days until the reservation could be imported in myallocator.
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Airbnb iCal connection only supports the following:
- Availability updates
- Booking Downloads
- Automatic Adjustments
- Airbnb iCal connection does not support rates. You must enter rates directly into the channel's extranet.
- Airbnb iCal connection does not support cancellations. If you receive an Airbnb cancellation, you must cancel the booking manually in myfrontdesk.
- Because of how the calendar URL system is designed, Airbnb iCal is only able to connect to one of the rooms of a myfrontdesk room type at a time.
- Make sure to disable Airbnb instant booking: Airbnb iCal pulls availability data from myfrontdesk every hour. Because of this, we recommend turning off "Instant Booking" when using Airbnb. When Instant Booking is turned off, the property is always asked to "confirm" the booking. Since the property has the opportunity to verify that the requested room is still available, unexpected bookings can more easily be prevented. This also allows you to check the guest's reviews and make sure they are a good fit for your property
- Reservations from Airbnb (iCal connection) does not contain any guest specific information, including guest’s name.
- The iCal calendar sync description for reservations display only the last 4 digits of the guest phone number, along with a link to the reservation details page
- The guest’s name and contact information do not appear on event titles, and the calendar sync export listing calendar information for future dates only
How to connect Airbnb iCal to myfrontdesk
If you do not have an account on Airbnb:
- First, you need to create an account on Airbnb. Here is the signup link: https://www.airbnb.com/signup_login
- Then, please proceed with Step 2.
If you do have an account on Airbnb:
Go ahead and proceed with Step 2.
- Go to myfrontdesk and open the Channels page
- Search for Airbnb (iCal) and click on Not Setup, Click to Setup button
3. Click Enable channel
1. Choose the first room type that you want to sync and copy the myfrontdesk link (or click on copy link)
Remember that calendar-based channels do not provide the number of guests in a reservation, so bookings for shared/dorm rooms will be imported as 1 bed by default, even though there could be more. It's safest not to update/sell dorm rooms on this channel.
In another tab, log into your Airbnb dashboard and follow the steps below
- Click on Host
- Then go to Listings tab
- Click on the listing you are trying to map
- Click on the listing's Availability tab
- Scroll down to Sync calendars section
- Click on Import Calendar button
- Paste the URL from Step 2 into your Airbnb Calendar Address (URL) field and give it a name.
- Choose Import Calendar
Repeat the steps above for ALL of your Airbnb rooms you'd like to sync with myfrontdesk.
On your Airbnb 'Listings' page, follow the steps below
Obtain your Airbnb export calendar URL:
- Click on the listing you are trying to export
- Click on the listing's Availability tab
- Scroll down to Sync calendars section
- Click on Export Calendar button
- Obtain your Airbnb export calendar URL
For Windows: "Ctrl-A" to select all and "Ctrl-C" to copy
For Mac: "Command-A" to select all and "Command-C" to copy.
- Once you have copied the URL from your Airbnb account, go ahead and paste the Airbnb URL into the Exported calendar URL in myfrontdesk
- Click the Sync button for the room you have just set up.
Repeat the steps above for ALL of your Airbnb rooms you'd like to sync with myfrontdesk.
Once you finish all your rooms:
- Click Continue, in myfrontdesk
- Perform a Full Refresh to send an update from myfrontdesk to the channel
