Short answer: to sync Airbnb and Booking.com calendars with StayOye, use iCal links in both directions. Copy StayOye’s export link for a room into Airbnb or Booking.com so they close the nights you sell, then paste the site’s own calendar link into StayOye so its bookings block that room here. iCal shares only which nights are taken, and it runs on a schedule — so close same-day bookings by hand. Calendar sync is included on StayOye Professional and Enterprise.
If you list the same apartment or room on Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo — and also take direct bookings on WhatsApp — sooner or later one night gets sold twice. Calendar sync is the simple fix most hosts use. This step-by-step guide explains what iCal is, how to set it up both ways, and the honest limits you should know before you rely on it.
What iCal is (in plain words)
iCal is a private calendar link that ends in .ics. Almost every booking site can read one and give you one. The link only says which nights are taken. It carries no guest names, phone numbers or prices — that is why imported nights arrive in StayOye as blocks, not full reservations.
Sync works in two directions — you need both
| Direction | What you do | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| StayOye ➜ Airbnb / Booking.com (export) | Copy StayOye’s export link for the room and paste it into the other site | The other site closes nights you sold in StayOye |
| Airbnb / Booking.com ➜ StayOye (import) | Copy the site’s own calendar link and add it in StayOye as an import feed | Nights booked there are blocked on that room in StayOye |
Do one direction only and you are protected only half the time. Set up both for every room or unit you list.
Step 1: set up iCal in StayOye
- In StayOye, open Channels and click Add connection. Pick iCal and save. One iCal connection per property holds all its links.
- Open the connection. You will see two cards: Export links and Import feeds.
- Under Export links, click Export link, choose One room (or a room type) and create it. Copy the link.
Listing a whole room type on one site? Use a room-type export link: it shows a night as taken only when every room of that type is sold.
Step 2: connect Airbnb
- On Airbnb, open the listing’s calendar settings and find Connect calendars (sometimes called Sync calendars).
- Choose Import calendar, paste the StayOye export link, name it “StayOye” and save.
- In the same place choose Export calendar and copy Airbnb’s link.
- Back in StayOye, add an Import feed for the same room, paste Airbnb’s link and click Import now.
Step 3: connect Booking.com
- In the Booking.com extranet, open the property’s calendar sync settings.
- Add a calendar connection: paste the StayOye export link to import it, and copy Booking.com’s own export link.
- In StayOye, add an Import feed for the same room with Booking.com’s link, then click Import now.
Good to know: Booking.com usually offers calendar sync only to homes, apartments and single units. Multi-room hotels normally update availability in the extranet by hand until a direct connection is available. StayOye’s direct connections with Booking.com, Airbnb, Agoda and Expedia will switch on after partner approval — until then, iCal is the way to sync.
Step 4: Vrbo and other sites
On Vrbo, open the property calendar and choose Import & export. Paste the StayOye link to import it, copy Vrbo’s link, and add it in StayOye as an Import feed. Any site that accepts an .ics link works the same way — look for “iCal”, “calendar sync” or “import calendar” in its settings. You can even add a StayOye export link to Google Calendar (Other calendars ➜ From URL) to see booked nights on your phone.
The honest limit: sync is not instant
iCal works on a timer. StayOye checks each import link every 60 minutes by default — you can set anything from 15 minutes to 24 hours. Airbnb and Booking.com read your export link on their own schedule, often every few hours. So two bookings made on two sites within that gap can still clash.
- Keep the import interval short (for example 15 minutes) for busy rooms.
- For a last-minute or same-day booking, close the night on the other sites by hand as well.
- Check the Health Center in Channels — it shows the last sync time for every feed.
What happens if two bookings clash?
If a synced booking lands on a night that is already taken in StayOye, StayOye refuses it instead of double-selling. You get a critical alert and a notification, and the Health Center shows the problem. Fix the clash on the other site too — cancel or move that booking there — so both calendars match again.
Which StayOye plan includes calendar sync?
Calendar sync (iCal) is included on Professional (Rs 10,000 per month, 3 channel connections) and Enterprise (20 connections by default). See the full comparison on pricing, or read how the channel manager works and how serviced apartment operators use it.
Questions hosts ask
Why do Airbnb bookings show as “blocked” instead of reservations?
An iCal link only says which nights are taken. StayOye won’t invent a guest or a price, so it blocks the room. You can add the reservation yourself if you want it on the front desk and in finance.
How often does Airbnb update my StayOye calendar?
Airbnb reads your export link on its own schedule, often every few hours. If the stay is soon, close the night on Airbnb by hand as well.
Is my guest data shared through iCal?
No. Export links show only which nights are taken — no guest names, phone numbers or booking references. Keep the links private all the same.
Can I sync a hotel with many rooms on Booking.com?
Booking.com usually limits calendar sync to homes, apartments and single units. Multi-room hotels update the extranet by hand until a direct connection is live.
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