VRBO API Connection

[Tom Scott]

The channel manager I was using up until this weekend was working great but their connection with VRBO has become unstable and it no longer is able to sync anything.  This channel manager was using the "active session" style connection (you log in to VRBO through the channel manager's website) and this is the connection style I would prefer.  The active session connection, from what I know, allows you a unified inbox and pricing control without taking full control over VRBO in the way that OwnerRez does.  I'm not really interested in processing guest payments and it's easier to leave the tax burden with VRBO rather than myself but at the same time, I want the unified inbox or else the channel manager is nearly worthless.  

(1) Does anyone use a channel manager with the full VRBO API and find it less annoying than I'm assuming it will be?

(2) The only other mainstream platform I know with the active session style connection is Hospitable and I spent some time this weekend trying it out.  Hospitable seems great and a bunch of people on here endorse it but it seems like I would have to layer in Pricelabs to control pricing which just feels like I'm slowly adding costs and suddenly, I'm paying $100/month for software.  Anyone have any thoughts here?  Does anyone know of other channel managers that use an active session connection to VRBO?


I read in at least one other post that VRBO would force every channel manager to the full API at some point so maybe it's just a matter of time until there aren't any other alternative options.