Leaving Hostaway because of their booking fee?

Google Vacation Rentals Connectivity Partner

Status: Released 370 Votes
Shawn H
Mar 13, 2024 10:41 AM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2021 257 posts

Hello all! We have some exciting news (that happens to coincide with Vacation Rental Week 2024). Google Vacation Rentals is now self-service for all users! We wanted to get the word out as soon as possible, but more details are coming in a Product Update blog post later this week. In the meantime, you can read on for a few details and use the links to the current support articles for more information.

We thank those who participated in the Private Beta to help us make it a robust integration!

Please note:

1. Once you turn on Google Vacation Rentals, it's a 2-3 week wait on the Google side before your listing(s) start showing up.

2. Users are no longer required to have an OwnerRez Hosted Website (premium feature) to use Google Vacation Rentals. If you turned on a Hosted Website just for GVR, you no longer need it, unless you want to keep it. Instead, we have released a "The OwnerRez global landing page" option under the Google Vacation Rentals API settings. Prospective guests will be sent to this new landing page where they can see the quote details of the dates they've selected; they can change any of those selections before they click "Book Now," which will send them to the current guest quote acceptance booking form. It will also show any branding you have set up under Theming. Here's a screenshot below of what it looks like, generally.

3. If you have a hosted website and want to use it, you can. You are not required to use the global landing page option.

Support article links:

Google Vacation Rentals Overview

Google Vacation Rentals Setup & Connecting

Google Vacation Rentals Common Issues & Questions

Scott J
Jan 31, 2022 7:33 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 197 posts

Please become a Google Vacation Rentals Connectivity Partner.

I get direct bookings via Google search, and I believe I'd get significantly more if found via Google Vacation Rentals. Unfortunately the only way to do that is via a connectivity partner. Right now other channel managers are serving as such. Would you take another look at this and seriously consider it?

I don't know about others, but I have gotten more direct bookings via Google search than bookings via Booking.com, and total zilch via Houfy, Find Rentals, and Home2Go -- all of which OR has set up with API.

Alex G
Feb 23, 2022 12:20 AM
Joined Feb, 2021 6 posts

I agree 100% we have seen more traffic via Google Search and Vikings directly with our company via Google than any other sites and would love to see the direct connect API through OwnerRez! 
Hoping this is in the near future for OwnerRez! 

Dewey Getaway
Mar 1, 2022 12:11 AM
Joined Feb, 2020 49 posts

100% agree. Actually thinking of ditching owner Rez if this doesn’t happen very soon

Ken T
Mar 1, 2022 4:49 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1706 posts

We've had discussions with Google. but at present they are oriented towards large operations bringing hundreds of properties in each account, rather than a large number of smaller operators with a handful of properties as is more typical of OwnerRez.  They plan to move in that direction, at which point we'll integrate with them.  But right now our large number of clients would swamp their onboarding, and they're not scaled for that.

Julie S
Mar 1, 2022 10:42 PM
Joined Jun, 2020 4 posts

Have been researching this opportunity and would also like to see integration with Google. It would definitely provide further independence from big OTAs. 

BlueMtnCabins
Mar 25, 2022 3:02 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1133 posts

Trade dependence on OTA for dependence on Goog. 

Drift Away™️
Mar 25, 2022 6:41 PM
Joined Dec, 2020 2 posts

Not trading one for the other. This would be an additional venue for guests to find our OwnerRez STR’s. Another arrow in the quiver 😄

Trade dependence on OTA for dependence on Goog. 

 

Laura M
Mar 26, 2022 8:07 PM
Joined Jan, 2022 1 post

Agreed- this would be fantastic

Jeremy and Caitlyn J
Mar 26, 2022 9:19 PM
Joined Feb, 2019 5 posts

I’m honestly not sure how I added myself to this thread, but I’m glad I did since we have found that many of our direct bookings have come from Google searches. I have a very dumb question, somebody above stated “Google Vacation Rentals”. What does that mean? Is there a Google search function just for rentals with API integration? He also mentioned “Right now other channel managers are serving as such”. Like Lodgify? I love OR but would love it more if we were able to speak directly with Google searches. 

PS off topic, but does anybody know how to make your Google pin into the purple bed icon. My 3 rentals show up on Google with pins, but just generic grey icons. And yes I have added descriptive ‘services’ to my profile.

here’s one:

Door County Cabin Collective (Porte Haven)
(414) 614-3322
https://goo.gl/maps/zg4FvFR2dMVeQrR9A

 

tdblanchard
Mar 27, 2022 8:05 AM
Joined Oct, 2020 10 posts

Anytime I hear about a Google product not “ready to scale”, I gotta wonder. I mean, for real??

I absolutely love OwnerRez and can’t find another platform that comes close to offering the level of support and features that you offer BUT

I’m  wondering if maybe there’s a platform we can use for just this purpose while staying on OR.

Being directly integrated into Google Search is of paramount importance when trying to build direct bookings…

Hannah & Sherene 4
Mar 27, 2022 10:28 AM
Joined Jan, 2018 27 posts

I too would love to find a way to make this connection sooner rather than later......

Is there any kind of work around?

Great Smoky Vaca
Apr 17, 2022 7:04 AM
Joined Sep, 2020 9 posts

Is there a work around?
I used to be on Fantastic stay.  They were absolutely horrible.  But they are on the list.
I don't like the restrictions on Lodgify with the messaging.
I love the OwnerRez Facebook group.
How are these other companies getting on the Google Vacation Partners?
Mary Beth Schaefer

Scott J
Apr 17, 2022 10:47 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 197 posts

"How are these other companies getting on the Google Vacation Partners?"

- This is a good question.

Can someone from OwnerRez provide an answer to this?

Ken T
Apr 18, 2022 12:17 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1706 posts

We're investigating that - have a few theories, but don't want to guess publicly.

Ken T
Apr 18, 2022 4:19 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1706 posts

At the moment, there are a number of nonobvious limitations in the GVR system.  In particular, their onboarding process is largely manual, requiring a good bit of manual effort by Google, the client (you), and the CM (OwnerRez).  You can think of it as somewhat similar to connecting up the Vrbo API which takes time and a Vrbo rep, compared to the Airbnb API which is basically automatic and "just works" in most cases once you turn it on.

Google is planning on adding a much more automated API system in the fall, and we're anticipating that, at that point, it would make sense to integrate without swamping the support systems.

We are very interested in the experiences of those who have used GVR - are you, in fact, getting many/any bookings?

 

Ventura County V
Apr 18, 2022 4:41 PM
Joined Mar, 2022 122 posts

I applied manually some weeks ago.  Very intensive process and I have zero visibility into if I'll be approved or even if the form has been reviewed.  Since I'm a small operator, I'm not holding my breath.  For now they pull from some of the otas and that's been good enough for me... For now.  Just wish the OTA they pull from was integrated with OR.  Right now, they aren't integrating with anyone new.

Aunger Vacation
Jul 7, 2022 8:05 PM
Joined Apr, 2021 52 posts

Quite a few connected partners with Google if it is so manual how is it: 

Google is removing ad listings if you are a vacation rental and not in there program.. 

 

https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/11946834?hl=en&ref_topic=10062823 

Approved connectivity providers

If you have fewer than 5,000 properties, we strongly recommend working with one of the connectivity providers listed below to get your properties shown on Google.

If you're already working with a connectivity partner that's not listed above, encourage them to follow the steps outlined in this guide. If you'd like to become a connectivity partner with Google, or if you think direct integration is the right path for you, follow the same steps to get started.

Scott J
Jul 7, 2022 11:42 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 197 posts

It's really a bummer that OwnerRez is not wanting to do this. Something I don't understand.

Scott J
Jul 7, 2022 11:51 PM
Joined Mar, 2019 197 posts

Since as is pointed out, a whole slew of other channel managers are doing it.

Scott J
Jul 14, 2022 1:26 AM
Joined Mar, 2019 197 posts

Tons of other channel managers are hooking their hosts up to Google Vacation Rentals.

If it's supposed to be so difficult, how are they able to do it?