When you connect your listings through the Vrbo Partner integration, guests continue to book, pay, and communicate through Vrbo. However, some parts of the reservation experience are handled by Hospitable behind the scenes.
This article explains what guests see throughout the booking journey, including payment charges, emails, messaging, installments, and refunds. It is intended for hosts. If a guest has questions about a charge from Hospitable, direct them to the guest-facing article Vrbo Guest Payments Processed by Hospitable.
The Booking Experience
For guests, the booking process remains largely the same.
Guests can:
Search for your listing on Vrbo
View your photos, pricing, and listing details on Vrbo
Complete checkout on Vrbo
Communicate through Vrbo's messaging system
Guests are not redirected to Hospitable during the booking process and do not need a Hospitable account to make a reservation.
Payment Charges Guests May See
One of the most common guest questions is about the charges that appear on their bank or credit card statement.
The Two-Charge Structure
For Vrbo Partner reservations, guests may see two separate charges:
Hospitable: the reservation amount, including accommodation charges, cleaning fees, taxes, and other applicable host fees
Vrbo: the Vrbo traveler service fee
Both charges relate to the same reservation.
The Hospitable charge includes a reservation reference, for example:
Hospitable VRBO-A2B3C1. This helps guests match the charge to their booking.
Why Hospitable Appears on the Statement
When a listing is connected through a property management system, Vrbo no longer processes the reservation payment.
Instead, the Merchant of Record processes the reservation payment on behalf of the host.
This payment structure is used for PMS-connected Vrbo listings and is not unique to Hospitable.
Emails Guests Receive
Hospitable sends certain payment-related emails directly to guests.
Currently supported emails include:
Booking confirmation emails
Booking cancellation emails
These emails are sent from a hospitable.com domain and are branded as Hospitable.
Guests may also receive documentation related to:
Reservation payments
Refunds
Payment receipts
A booking confirmation email sent to a guest for a Vrbo Partner reservation
Vrbo Emails Continue as Normal
Vrbo continues to send its own reservation communications, including:
Booking confirmations
Itineraries
Platform notifications
Hospitable emails supplement these communications and do not replace them.
Guest Payment Documentation
After a reservation is confirmed, guests can access payment-related documentation through the Guest Portal.
Available documents may include:
Reservation summaries
Payment receipts
Refund receipts
This allows guests to retrieve payment records without contacting the host.
Messaging on Vrbo
Guest messaging continues to work through Vrbo.
When you send messages from the Hospitable inbox:
Guests receive them through Vrbo
Guest replies appear in Hospitable
The messaging experience remains within Vrbo
Guests do not see Hospitable branding within the messaging experience.
Vrbo applies content filters to messages sent through its platform. Messages containing restricted content may not be delivered
Installment Payments
If your booking policy allows installment payments, guests see the payment schedule during checkout.
Guests may see:
An amount due immediately
One or more future payment dates
For Vrbo Partner reservations:
The first payment includes the full Vrbo traveler service fee
The first payment includes applicable taxes
Remaining installments are collected according to the payment schedule shown at checkout
As a result, the amount collected in the first payment may be higher than guests expect based on the installment percentage alone.
The payment schedule displayed during checkout reflects the actual amounts that will be charged.
Installment amounts displayed to guests are calculated by Vrbo and may not align exactly with the installment percentages configured in Hospitable.
Booking policy settings showing installment payment configuration for Vrbo reservations
Refunds and Cancellations
Guests continue to cancel reservations according to the cancellation policy assigned to the listing.
When a reservation is cancelled:
Guests receive a cancellation email
Refunds are issued to the original payment method when applicable
Refund timing depends on banking and card processing timelines
The Hospitable portion of the payment and the Vrbo traveler service fee may be handled separately. In some periods of the booking, the Hospitable portion may remain refundable while the Vrbo traveler service fee is already non-refundable. This is shown to hosts at the time of booking.
Refund Information Shown to Guests
For Vrbo Partner reservations, guests may receive cancellation-related emails from both Hospitable and Vrbo.
In some cases, Vrbo may send an email indicating that the guest is not eligible for a refund, even when the reservation is eligible for a partial or full refund according to the cancellation policy assigned to the booking.
When this occurs:
Hospitable calculates the refund according to the reservation's cancellation policy
Hospitable sends the guest the correct refund information
Guests can view refund details and payment records in the Guest Portal
If information in a Vrbo cancellation email differs from information provided by Hospitable or displayed in the Guest Portal, the refund calculation shown by Hospitable reflects the refund that will actually be processed.
Questions about refunds for the Vrbo traveler service fee should be directed to Vrbo Support.
Reservations Booked Before You Connected to the Vrbo Partner Integration
Some guest experiences differ for reservations that were booked before your listings were connected to the Vrbo Partner integration.
For these reservations:
Vrbo continues to manage the payment workflow
Guests do not receive Hospitable payment emails
Reservation updates may not appear in real time
Messaging continues to work through Hospitable as normal.
Setting Guest Expectations
Helping guests understand the payment experience can reduce confusion and unnecessary support requests.
Consider including a note in your booking confirmation or pre-arrival messages.
Example:
"You may notice a charge from 'Hospitable' on your bank statement. This is the payment for your reservation, processed on our behalf. You may also see a separate charge from Vrbo for the traveler service fee. Both charges relate to the same booking."
Frequently Asked Questions
My guest is asking why they have two charges. How should I explain it?
The reservation amount is processed by the Merchant of Record, while the traveler service fee is charged separately by Vrbo.
Both charges relate to the same reservation.
My guest does not recognize the Hospitable charge. What should I do?
Explain that Hospitable processed the reservation payment on behalf of the host.
Guests can use the reservation reference included in the statement descriptor to match the charge to their booking.
My guest did not receive a Hospitable email. Why?
Reservations booked before the Vrbo Partner integration was enabled do not receive Hospitable payment emails.
Guests should also check their spam or junk folders.
Will guests receive receipts?
Yes. Guests can access reservation summaries, payment receipts, and refund receipts through the Guest Portal for bookings with Hospitable as Merchant of Record.
Do guests need a Hospitable account?
No. Guests continue to book and interact through Vrbo and do not need a Hospitable account.
What happens if a reservation is altered?
If an alteration changes the reservation total, an additional charge or refund may be processed depending on the adjustment.
Guests will see receive an email to confirm or deny an alteration which is currently only initiated by the host on the Inbox for associated with the reservation.
Can guests use the Guest Portal?
Yes. Vrbo Partner guests can use supported Guest Portal features made available by the host, including check-in information and other enabled guest services.