Channel Manager: How it works and how to set it up
The Channel Manager in HotelFriend is a powerful tool that connects your Property Management System with multiple Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) such as Booking.com, Airbnb, and others. It automatically synchronizes:
- Room availability
- Prices
- Restrictions
- Incoming reservations
This keeps your property information consistent across all platforms and helps prevent overbookings or pricing discrepancies.
Before you start
Before getting started with the Channel Manager, complete the following steps in your PMS:
- Create your room stock (add all room types).
- Set up base Room Rates with the source marked as Channel Manager.
- Import all existing reservations.
- If your OTAs are still connected to another system, deactivate that connection first. Then, send connection requests to Channex.io to link them with HotelFriend.
- For Airbnb: Assign a unique Room Type to each individual room you plan to sync.
How to set up a Channel Manager
- Log in as Hotel Admin and go to the Channel Manager module.
- Complete “Step 1: Connect Hotel”
- Complete “Step 2: Connect Room Types”
- Complete “Step 3: Connect Room Rates”
- After completing the primary setup, follow the OTA connection guide or contact our support team for assistance with linking specific OTA channels.
Click Connect Hotel and then click Connect in the modal window. Wait for the step to be marked with a green checkmark to ensure completion.
Click Connect Room Types. You must have at least one Room Rate with the source set to Channel Manager. If not, the system will prompt you to create one. Use the toggles to select the Room Types you want to sync and click Save.
Click Connect Room Rates. In the modal window, use the toggles to activate the Room Type and Room Rate combinations you want to sync and click Save.
Note: Currently, monthly rates are not supported.
Requirements before connecting OTAs
When connecting to OTAs, it’s crucial to apply the “Mirror Concept” — your room types and configurations must be identical in both HotelFriend and each OTA.
Example: If you have a Single Room, Double Room, and Family Room in HotelFriend, you must have the same room types with the same setup on your OTA (e.g., Booking.com).
Decide how you want to sell your room types before initiating the OTA connection and make sure the structure is aligned across all platforms.
! HotelFriend synchronizes availability, prices, and restrictions only. You must manually ensure that your cancellation policies in the OTAs match those set in HotelFriend.
If you have any further questions or additional requests, please do not hesitate to contact the HotelFriend Support Team.
Explore more articles about the Channel Manager:
