General Connection Setup

Follow the standard flow to connect most OTAs—create the channel, set currency and options, map rooms/rates, then activate and verify with a small price update.

Use this flow for most OTAs. Some steps vary per channel—use the channel‑specific guide if something differs.

Before You Start

  • Make sure rooms and rates exist in Hostel Mate

  • Have the OTA property ID or login ready (OAuth for Airbnb)

  • Disable legacy iCal feeds on the OTA to avoid conflicts

1) Create the Channel

  1. Go to Channel Manager and click Create (top right)

  2. Choose the OTA (Booking.com, Airbnb, etc.)

  3. Add a Title for easy identification

2) General Settings

  • Currency: leave Auto unless you have a specific need

  • Connection Settings

    • Channel ID: paste the ID from the OTA (or use login for OAuth-based channels)

    • Min Stay Type: Arrival or Through, based on your policy

    • Booking Total Type: pick the value that matches your reporting (Payout, After Tax, Including Commission)

  • Pricing Type (if shown): choose Standard or OBP as required by the OTA

  • Click Test Connection (if available)

3) Mapping

  • Open the Mapping tab

  • Map each OTA room/rate to your rooms in Hostel Mate

  • Click Refresh to pull the latest rooms and rates

4) Channel Settings

  • Add Derived Rate modifiers if needed (amount or percent up/down)

  • Save when finished

5) Activate and Verify

  1. Save and activate the connection

  2. Push a small price change and confirm it appears on the OTA

  3. Check that occupancy/availability looks correct

Troubleshooting

  • Missing rooms: Refresh mapping; verify rooms exist and are active in the OTA

  • Prices not updating: confirm mappings and derived rates, then retry syncing

  • Wrong totals: adjust Booking Total Type to match how the OTA reports numbers

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