How do you sync your Booking.com calendar via iCal?

Can you use calendar synchronisation?

Booking.com doesn’t enable the feature for every property. According to its Partner Help, these conditions must be met:

• Your property is open.
• You have permission to access “Rates & Availability” in the Extranet.
• Your property has no more than 20 room types.
• Each room type has no more than one unit.
• You don’t use a Connectivity Provider, such as a channel manager connected to Booking.com.

Booking.com gives these examples: Three studios, each with their own room type and one unit, will work. Five identical double rooms under one room type won’t.

Step 1: How do you copy the Booking.com link?

1. Log in to the Extranet.
2. Click “Rates & Availability”, then “Sync calendars”.
3. Find the unit and click “Add calendar connection”.
4. Click “Skip to export” and give the connection a name, such as “Stovita”.
5. Click “Copy link”.

Step 2: How do you add it to Stovita?

1. In Stovita, open “Properties”, then “Platforms”, and click “Connect calendar”.
2. Select the property and paste the Booking.com link into the “Platform calendar link” field. Stovita recognises Booking.com from the link.
3. Save and click “Copy calendar link”.

Step 3: How do you import the Stovita link into Booking.com?

1. Go back to “Sync calendars” in the Extranet.
2. Click “Complete setup” next to your connection.
3. Add the Stovita link as an external calendar that Booking.com imports bookings from. Name it, for example, “Stovita”, and click “Next step”.
4. Click “Finish”.

Booking.com then shows the status on the “Sync calendars” page. “OK” means the calendars are synced. “Import only” or “Export only” means one direction is missing. “Connection problem” means Booking.com recommends checking the links and settings.

How often does Booking.com sync?

According to its Partner Help, Booking.com automatically imports all linked calendars every two hours. Click “Import now” to update it straight away. Booking.com says the sync isn’t in real time and changes can take up to two hours.

Stovita checks the Booking.com link every 15 minutes, so a Booking.com booking appears in Stovita quickly. Booking.com won’t see a direct booking until the next import. For last-minute direct bookings, it’s worth clicking “Import now”.

What does the link transfer?

Booking.com exchanges booked and blocked dates via the calendar link. Prices, guest details and payments aren’t included. It’s not always clear whether an entry in the Booking.com link is a guest booking or a blocked night. Stovita blocks the nights in both cases and flags any overlap as a conflict, so no guest is missed.

According to its own Help, Booking.com doesn’t offer calendar synchronisation with Google Calendar. So connect your private calendar in Stovita using the “Block only” setting.

What common errors can occur?

• Feature missing from the Extranet: Check the requirements above. Calendar synchronisation isn’t available if you use a Connectivity Provider.
• Typo in the link: Booking.com recommends checking the URL for typos. Always copy the whole link.
• Wrong unit: Each unit has its own connection. In Stovita, connect each property to its own unit.
• One-way sync only: If Booking.com shows “Export only” or Stovita says “Never fetched”, the Stovita link is missing from Booking.com.
• Double booking despite syncing: Booking.com says this can happen because syncing isn’t in real time, and refers you to its Support team. Stovita shows you the overlap and emails you. Cancel the booking on the platform where the guest booked.

More about commission and payouts: Booking.com in Switzerland.