Connect Airbnb and Booking.com
2 min read
Going direct does not mean quitting the OTAs overnight. Most hosts keep their Airbnb and Booking.com listings and let the channel manager keep everything in sync while direct bookings grow.
How the connection works
Stayblox connects to the big platforms through certified channel partners, Channex and Rental United. Between them they reach Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia and over 100 other channels. You manage everything from your Stayblox calendar, and the connection handles the rest:
- Availability syncs in both directions. A booking on any channel blocks the dates everywhere, which is what actually prevents double bookings.
- Rates push from Stayblox to your listings, so you change a price once.
- Reservations from every channel land in your Stayblox calendar next to your direct bookings.
Connecting your first channel
The channel manager is an app you install from the App Store, priced separately from your base plan, with the cost shown on the app's page. Once it is installed, follow the steps for the platform you want. The important part is mapping: each OTA listing must be matched to the right Stayblox unit. Take your time here. A wrong mapping means bookings land on the wrong room.
Before you rely on it, do a quick check: block a date in Stayblox and confirm it closes on the OTA, then make sure your rates came through correctly.
Two habits that keep it clean
Keep one source of truth. After connecting, make every rate and availability change in Stayblox, not on the OTA. Edits made on the channel side are the most common cause of sync confusion.
Connect before you go live, not after. If you already have upcoming OTA bookings, connect the channel first so those dates are blocked on your own site from day one.
If you only need basic date blocking with another calendar, iCal sync is a lighter option. The next guide explains when it is enough.