Guesty and Vrbo communicate through a specific integration system which allows you to manage all your guest communications from one place. However, there are a few common issues that can lead to missing or hidden messages in Vrbo or in Guesty. Use our checklist below to avoid pitfalls, and learn how to resolve common issues below.
Terminology
- Proxy email: A unique email address, ending in @messages.homeaway.com, that Guesty generates when a guest messages you through Vrbo.
- Integration email: The email address, ending in @user.guesty.com, that connects your Guesty and Vrbo accounts and syncs messaging.
- Limited vs. full sync: Message syncing depending on your setup and actions your guests take. Learn what data is synced between Vrbo and Guesty and where to manage it.
Setup checklist
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Enable message syncing
A guest must first message you through Vrbo to activate syncing. This triggers Guesty to generate a proxy email. Without this first guest message, automated messages will not sync between platforms.
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Verify your Vrbo integration email address and account
- Locate your integration email address.
- Add yor integration email to your Vrbo account:
- Log in to your Vrbo account.
- Navigate to Account Settings and then Account information:
- In the "Email 2" field, add your Guesty integration email.
- In the "Email 3" field, add your forwarding email address, if applicable.
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Update each property's contact information:
For each property listing in Vrbo, navigate to the Contacts section and ensure the the integration email is listed as a contact.
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Check email delivery settings
- Check your spam or junk folder for missing messages.
- Review any email filters or rules that might redirect Vrbo messages.
- Ensure the domains for Vrbo and Guesty are not on your blocked email list.
Limited sync
Message sent to guest is missing from the Vrbo inbox
You replied to a guest from Guesty, but the message doesn't appear in the conversation thread in the Vrbo Inbox. Since limited sync integrations don't have access to the Vrbo messaging API, this is expected behavior.
- Guest messages: Messages sent by the guest from the Vrbo Inbox sync to Guesty.
- Your responses: Responses sent from Guesty sync to the guest's private email address only. They don't sync back to the Vrbo Inbox.
For critical communications, use both Guesty and direct Vrbo messaging.
Messages sent to guest's private email instead of the Vrbo Inbox
Messages are routing to the guest's email rather than Vrbo. If no proxy email exists, the system defaults to private email.
- Verify the guest has sent at least one message through Vrbo.
- Check that your integration email is correctly set up in Vrbo.
- For existing conversations, if you require the message to appear in Vrbo, reply directly through the Vrbo platform.
Contact details hidden in Vrbo messages
Phone numbers or emails are masked as Vrbo's security measures prevent sharing contact information before booking confirmation.
- Avoid including phone numbers, email addresses, or external links in pre-booking messages.
- Use Vrbo's secure messaging system for all pre-booking communications. After booking confirmation, contact details can be shared more freely.
Missing messages
Messages exchanged before adding the proxy email don't sync. Additionally, attachments aren't supported in Vrbo messages.
Review Vrbo's content guidelines.
Full sync
Previous channel manager messages are missing
If you switched from Vrbo via a channel manager to Guesty's direct connection, reservations that were created via the channel manager were migrated to the direct connection. Since these reservations are associated with the channel manager’s integration email, messages sent from the Vrbo Inbox by these guests aren't expected to be received in Guesty. We recommend moving to email communication with these guests.
Vrbo inquiry not showing in Guesty
Vrbo inquiries are messages sent by guests via the "Contact Host" button on the Vrbo listing page and contain questions about the property, booking details, or check-in/check-out times. When a guest submits an inquiry, a reservation is generated in Guesty and marked as "Inquiry". For inquiries to become confirmed reservations, guests must click Request to book or Book now on the Vrbo listing. Inquiries won't block calendar availability or sync with Guesty until they become confirmed reservations through one of these options.
Read below why Vrbo inquiries may not appear in your Guesty Inbox and how to resolve this:
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Inquiries submitted without stay dates only appear in your Vrbo dashboard and don't sync to Guesty. Vrbo flags these inquiries with a visual indicator
Monitor your Vrbo dashboard: Regularly check your Vrbo dashboard for inquiries missing stay dates, as these won't appear in Guesty. Look for Vrbo's visual indicator for missing dates.
Reply via Vrbo: For inquiries missing stay dates, reply directly to the guest through the Vrbo platform to ensure timely communication and avoid missed booking opportunities.
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If message sync is disabled in your Vrbo integration settings, inquiries won't appear in Guesty.
Add you integration email address: Verify that you've added the integration email to your Vrbo account to ensure inquiries are generated as reservations in Guesty and are accessible in your Guesty Inbox.
Enable message sync: Ensure message sync is enabled in your Guesty settings for Vrbo inquiries. This ensures future inquiries sync properly with Guesty and can be managed directly within your inbox.
Cancellation request not received in Guesty
Vrbo automatically syncs guest cancellations, so no manual action is required. Learn more about canceling reservations.
Verify if the message complies with Vrbo's content guidelines. If the cancellation is not processed correctly, it may need to be checked directly in Vrbo.
Message sent to guest is missing from the Vrbo inbox
When a guest messages you from the Vrbo Inbox, Guesty generates a proxy email address to the guest, ending in @messages.homeaway.com, which enables communication between Vrbo and Guesty.
However, if the guest doesn’t initiate a message from the Vrbo Inbox, Guesty can’t generate a proxy email address. This means that any messages sent from Guesty, including automated messages, won’t reach the Vrbo Inbox.
Note:
If the guest sends a message along with the reservation, it will be delivered via API without a proxy email.
A message was supposed to be sent through Vrbo but was sent to guest's private email
Vrbo guest messages, including automated ones, are sent via email - either to the guest's private email or through Vrbo's inbox via an integration email.
When a guest adds a message to a reservation, it’s delivered via API, showing as “sent via HomeAway”. If the guest’s primary email in Guesty is Vrbo’s integration email, further messages will be delivered through the integration only if the guest sends another message. Without an additional message, subsequent messages are sent to the guest’s private email.
Contact details hidden in Vrbo messages
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Hidden contact details: Vrbo masks the following guest content information to prevent off-platform interactions before a booking is confirmed:
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Third-party websites or external links
- Company names
- Any marketing material content
- Attachments and HTML formatting not supported: Vrbo doesn't support HTML formatting or attachment such as images, PDFs, or Word/Excel documents. Send such messages directly to the guest’s private email.
- Spam or junk folder: Check these folders if messages are missing from your inbox.
- Email filters or rules: Ensure no filters are blocking or redirecting emails from Vrbo or Guesty.
- Blocked emails: Verify that Vrbo and Guesty emails aren’t blocked by your email provider.
See here for more information on Vrbo's content guidelines.
Inbox error message: Integration is disconnected
If you previously managed your Vrbo account via a channel manager and switched to a direct connection, reservations that were created via the channel manager are migrated to the direct connection after switching.
Messages from reservations initially created via the channel manager won't be received in Guesty. In these cases, communicate with guests via email.
Inquiries and cancellation requests for Vrbo listings distributed on Expedia
For Vrbo listings distributed on Expedia and managed via Vrbo reservations, the Vrbo Messaging API doesn't work. Communication in such cases must occur directly on the Expedia platform.
Listing not connected/archived/hidden in Vrbo
If your listing is disconnected from Vrbo, message sync between Guesty and Vrbo stops. Ensure the listing remains active on both platforms to prevent communication interruptions.
Missing cancellation policies
If a listing has at least one rate plan created in Guesty, cancellation policies from the listing level won't be available. Learn more about rate plans.
For further assistance, contact us with screenshots of your Vrbo Inbox, the "Email 2" field, and contact section.
Links and URLs are hidden on VRBO inquiries
Vrbo inquiries have the following message limitations:
- The body text must be in plain text format.
- URLs are only visible as plain text on confirmed reservations and don't function as a hyperlink.
- HTML tags are not supported.
Unable to send messages '"via Vrbo"
The option to send a message "via Vrbo" from the Inbox is not supported for reservations that originate from Expedia.
Message automations contain HomeAway hooks
- HomeAway auto-created hook for altered reservation
- HomeAway auto-created hook for confirmed reservation
These message automations have no impact on you or your account and can be ignored.
If the issue persists, contact us with the following:
- Screenshots of:
- Your Vrbo Inbox showing the missing messages
- The "Email 2" field in your Vrbo account
- The Contacts section of your property
- The reservation ID experiencing issues
- Timeline of when messages were sent/expected