📌 This article answers the following questions:
- How do I synchronise elloha with Airbnb via XML (full synchronisation)?
- How can I prevent overbooking between Airbnb and my elloha calendar?
- Which rates and availability details are automatically sent to Airbnb?
- How do I enable or disable Airbnb synchronisation from elloha?
Why is this important?
Having a listing on Airbnb is a major driver of growth for your business. However, manually managing two calendars is prone to errors. Full synchronisation allows you to:
Save valuable time by centralising everything on elloha.
Avoid pricing errors across your different booking periods.
Offer your guests peace of mind with availability that’s always up to date.
Follow the step-by-step guide
Step 1: Activate the Airbnb channel
To get started, go to the Distribution menu on the left-hand side of your screen, then select Sales Channels. Next, enable Airbnb.
Step 2: Set up the Airbnb connection
Next, click on ‘Set up’ to access the login screen.
Here, click on ‘Log in’ to open Airbnb.
Once on the Airbnb login screen, there are three possible scenarios:
Your Airbnb account is already logged in to your browser: you can simply select it to continue.
You wish to use a different account: Click on ‘Use a different account’ to go to the login page.
No account is logged in by default: you’ll be taken directly to the Airbnb login page.
⚠️ Please note: You must be the administrator of the relevant listing. elloha will not be able to retrieve the data or enable synchronisation if you only have:
Co-host status
Simple sharing of rights
Step 3: Authorise the connection between elloha and Airbnb
You can now accept Airbnb’s additional Terms and Conditions and click on ‘Authorise’.
Step 4: Synchronise your listing
From the Airbnb synchronisation screen, link your elloha listings to your Airbnb listings or create new content:
For each offer, select the corresponding Airbnb listing to synchronise.
If the property is not yet listed on the platform, click on ‘Create listing on Airbnb’.
⚠️ Please note: Once you have created your listing via elloha, you must approve its publication directly on Airbnb to activate synchronisation:
Log in to your Airbnb extranet.
Go to the newly created listing.
Complete the pending tasks requested by Airbnb to
Synchronisation will only take effect once the listing has been finally approved by Airbnb and automatically imported into your elloha account.
💡 Tip: Check that your listing details are complete in elloha before starting to create a new listing to optimise your visibility.
Step 5: Finalise the Airbnb synchronisation
To finalise the synchronisation of your listing and access the settings options, click on ‘Settings’ to the right of your listing’s row.
1. Select the desired level of integration between elloha and Airbnb:
Prices and availability: only your availability (calendar), rates and restrictions are synchronised. Descriptive elements such as photos and text must be managed directly in your Airbnb account.
Prices, availability and content: elloha synchronises your rates and calendars, whilst exporting your photos and descriptions to your Airbnb listings.
2. Set the standard rate to be sent to Airbnb.
⚠️ Please note: If you use a different currency in your Airbnb account
You can link your elloha account to your Airbnb account even if the currencies set up on the two platforms are not the same.
This setup allows you, for example, to synchronise an elloha account in euros (€) with an Airbnb account in US dollars (USD).
The link ensures that your rates and availability are transferred despite the difference in currency.
To ensure the technical validity of the link and the correct conversion of your rates, you must contact elloha support to have this configuration validated.
Step 6: Customise your content for Airbnb
In the ‘What would you like to display?’ section, configure the text information you send to the platform:
1. Set the title of your listing:
Enter the title of your Airbnb listing: choose this option to write a specific title in the field provided.
Use the elloha title: select this option to retain the original title of your accommodation.
2. Set the description:
Use the Airbnb description: allows you to write a customised text directly in the editor below.
Use the elloha description: this automatically uses the description set up in your basic listing. Any changes will then need to be made in your listing.
💡 Tip: View a real-time preview of your listing using the dynamic preview on the right-hand side of your screen.
3. Photos for your listing
You can also change the order of the photos and add more.
⚠️ Please note: These options are only available if your synchronisation mode is set to ‘Prices, availability and content’.
Step 7: Set up your Airbnb cancellation policy
When setting up your connection, you must select the cancellation policy that will apply exclusively to your bookings from Airbnb:
Flexible: Full refund up to 24 hours before arrival.
Moderate: Full refund up to 5 days before arrival.
Limited: Full refund up to 14 days before arrival.
Firm: Full refund up to 30 days before arrival.
Strict: 50 per cent refund up to 7 days before arrival.
Very Strict (30 or 60 days): 50% refund up to 30 or 60 days before arrival.
💡 Tip: A more flexible policy can reassure your guests and increase your conversion rate, whilst a strict policy provides greater protection for your booking calendar.
📌 Good to know: The ‘Non-refundable’ option.
By selecting this option via the dedicated radio button, you allow your guests to benefit from a lower rate in exchange for a policy with no refunds whatsoever.
💡 Tip: With the Smartconnect feature, you can easily apply an automatic mark-up to your rates on Airbnb (to cover commissions, for example), whilst keeping your direct booking prices attractive.
Please note
Airbnb does not currently allow the synchronisation of special offers and promotions; only standard prices can be synchronised.
The commission charged by Airbnb is entirely your responsibility for this Airbnb channel (approximately 15 per cent).
Once synchronisation is set up, the ‘Deferred Booking’ option on Airbnb will no longer work, and all bookings made via Airbnb will automatically be instant.
The different pricing types offered by elloha (per person, per service and combined) as well as the extra bed can be synchronised with Airbnb.
Airbnb allows your guests to specify the number of children when booking, but it is not possible to set a different price for them as Airbnb only recognises the concept of ‘traveller’. If you have set up combination-based rates in your elloha account, children’s rates will therefore not be taken into account by Airbnb.
Regarding the various charges set up in your Airbnb account, such as cleaning fees, linen charges or management fees, once synchronisation between elloha and Airbnb has been completed, these details must be managed on Airbnb.
A set of rules (Airbnb-specific rates) can only be configured on the Airbnb side if your rates are defined per service (per room or per property)in elloha.
Airbnb cannot be synchronised with elloha via iCal.