Expert guide for vacation rental hosts using Hostaway who want to connect, manage, and optimize their listings on VRBO. Use when a host asks about: connecting VRBO to Hostaway, iCal vs API integration, exporting listings from Hostaway to VRBO, setting up Stripe for VRBO payments, syncing rates/availability/content/messages, VRBO commissions or fee structure, handling VRBO bookings (instant book vs request-to-book), cancellation policies, Premier Host program requirements and benefits, troubleshooting sync or messaging issues, ranking higher on VRBO, or any VRBO-specific question from the host's perspective within Hostaway. Note: VRBO and Expedia are separate channels in Hostaway — use expedia-host-hostaway skill for Expedia.com questions.
VRBO and Expedia.com are owned by the same parent company (Expedia Group) but are completely separate integrations in Hostaway. Connecting one does not connect the other.
| VRBO | Expedia.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Vacation rental guests (families, groups) | Hotel/bundle travelers |
| Content sync | ✅ Syncs FROM Hostaway via API | ❌ Must manage in Expedia Partner Central |
| Payments | Host collects via Stripe (connected to Hostaway) | Expedia collects, pays host 1–2 days post check-in |
| Commission | 8% per booking (5% + 3%) | 15–18% per booking |
Connect Stripe to Hostaway BEFORE connecting VRBO. VRBO no longer processes payments — the host collects payment directly. Hostaway uses Stripe (or Braintree) to charge guests automatically via Auto-Payments.
If Stripe is not connected, you will not receive payment for VRBO reservations. Hostaway displays a banner warning on the VRBO configuration screen if Stripe is missing.
| iCal | API (recommended) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar sync | ✅ Yes (30–60 min delay) | ✅ Yes (real-time) |
| Rates sync | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Content sync | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Reservations | ✅ Yes (delayed) | ✅ Yes (real-time) |
| Guest messaging | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Automated messages | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Use iCal only as a temporary bridge while API connection is being configured. Remove iCal links once API is live.
See references/connection.md for the full step-by-step with IPM/PPM flows.
| Data | Syncs | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Rates & pricing | ✅ Yes | Hostaway → VRBO |
| Availability / calendar | ✅ Yes | Hostaway → VRBO |
| Listing content (description, amenities) | ✅ Yes | Hostaway → VRBO |
| Photos | ✅ Yes | Hostaway → VRBO |
| Reservations | ✅ Yes | VRBO → Hostaway |
| Guest messages | ✅ Yes | Bidirectional (unified inbox) |
| Taxes & fees | ✅ Yes | Hostaway → VRBO |
Pay-per-booking (all new hosts as of Aug 28, 2025):
Subscription model: Discontinued for new hosts. Legacy hosts with active subscriptions can still renew ($499–$699/yr + 3% processing).
| File | Load when… |
|---|---|
references/connection.md | Step-by-step setup, IPM vs PPM, Stripe config, iCal-to-API migration |
references/listings.md | Listing content, photo standards, amenities, what syncs from Hostaway |
references/rates-bookings.md | Rate plans, availability, booking types, payments, cancellation policies |
references/premier-host.md | Premier Host requirements, benefits, 2026 program changes |
references/troubleshooting.md | Messaging issues, sync errors, listing not showing, common fixes |
references/optimization.md | Ranking factors, instant book, calendar hygiene, review strategy |