Request to Book (RTB) allows guests to submit a booking request that a host can review before accepting or declining.
On Vrbo, RTB works differently than on other channels because of how reservation updates are shared between Vrbo and Hospitable. To help prevent booking issues and potential Vrbo penalties, specific timing rules apply to Vrbo RTB reservations.
At a Glance
For Vrbo Request to Book reservations:
Guests cannot submit new RTB requests within 48 hours of check-in
Instant Book reservations are not affected
Hosts have just under 24 hours to accept or decline an RTB request
RTB requests automatically expire before the 24-hour mark if no action is taken
No payment is collected for expired RTB requests
The remaining response time is displayed in the Hospitable inbox
Guest portal links may not work during the initial sync period after an RTB is accepted
A Vrbo Request to Book reservation displayed in the Hospitable inbox with available actions
How Hospitable and Vrbo Stay in Sync
Vrbo receives reservation and calendar updates from Hospitable on a scheduled sync cycle.
Because of this, some Request to Book actions may not appear immediately on the Vrbo side after they occur in Hospitable.
After you accept a Request to Book reservation in Hospitable, the reservation may take up to 24 hours to appear in Vrbo. The reservation is confirmed immediately in Hospitable and does not need to be accepted again.
This sync timing also affects how close to check-in a Request to Book reservation can be submitted.
Last-Minute Request to Book Limitations
Hospitable automatically prevents new Vrbo Request to Book reservations within 48 hours of check-in.
Because Vrbo may take up to 24 hours to receive accepted Request to Book reservations from Hospitable, last-minute Request to Book reservations cannot be confirmed reliably before arrival. To help prevent booking issues, Vrbo Request to Book reservations are limited to stays that begin more than 48 hours in the future.
New RTB requests close at 09:00 UTC two days before the check-in date.
For example:
Check-in date: 27 May
RTB cutoff: 25 May at 09:00 UTC
After the cutoff, guests can no longer submit a new Request to Book reservation for those dates.
Instant Book reservations are not affected by the 48-hour Request to Book limitation and remain available according to your listing's booking settings.
How the 48-Hour Restriction Is Enforced
To prevent guests from submitting Request to Book reservations that cannot be processed in time, Hospitable automatically closes the next 48 hours of availability for Vrbo Request to Book reservations on a rolling basis.
As Vrbo availability updates are sent, Hospitable continuously advances this cutoff window to prevent new last-minute Request to Book requests.
This restriction is specific to Vrbo Request to Book reservations. It does not automatically block availability on other connected channels.
In the calendar, affected dates may appear as blocked for Vrbo with a source similar to Vrbo Request to Book cutoff.
Calendar day blocked for Vrbo due to the Request to Book cutoff rule
Responding to a Request to Book
When a guest submits a Request to Book reservation, you must respond within the available response window.
You can:
Accept the request
Decline the request
The remaining response time is displayed directly within the reservation conversation in the Hospitable inbox.
Hosts should respond as soon as possible rather than waiting until the end of the response window.
A Hospitable inbox conversation showing the remaining time before a Vrbo Request to Book expires
Automatic Expiration
Vrbo Request to Book reservations automatically expire shortly before the 24-hour response window ends.
If no action is taken before expiration:
The request automatically expires
The reservation is cancelled
The guest is not charged
Automatic expiration helps prevent situations where a delayed response could be interpreted by Vrbo as a host-initiated cancellation.
Once a Request to Book reservation expires, it cannot be accepted. The guest would need to submit a new request if the dates remain available.
Guest Portal Links and Message Timing
After a Request to Book reservation is accepted, Vrbo may temporarily redact guest portal links while the reservation is still syncing from Hospitable.
If a message containing a guest portal short code is sent during this period, the guest may receive a blank or non-functional link.
To avoid this issue, configure guest portal messages to send after the reservation has been fully created and synced.
If you use guest portal short codes in automated messages, we recommend sending them from an "After a New Reservation" message rule rather than during the Request to Book workflow.
Why These Limits Exist
Vrbo receives reservation and availability updates from Hospitable on a scheduled sync cycle rather than in real time.
Because of this, actions taken too close to check-in or too late in the Request to Book workflow may not reach Vrbo quickly enough to prevent booking conflicts or guest confusion.
The Request to Book cutoff and automatic expiration rules help reduce the risk of:
Booking confusion for guests
Delayed reservation updates
Host penalties on Vrbo
Listing suspension risks associated with late responses
Instant Book vs Request to Book
Instant Book and Request to Book follow different workflows.
With Instant Book:
Guests can complete a reservation immediately
No host approval is required
Last-minute booking availability follows your listing settings
With Request to Book:
Guests submit a booking request
Hosts must review and respond
Additional timing restrictions apply
Hosts who want to accept last-minute Vrbo reservations should consider using Instant Book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the Request to Book limitations apply to Instant Book reservations?
No. The Request to Book cutoff and expiration rules do not affect Instant Book reservations.
What happens if I do not respond to a Request to Book?
The request automatically expires before the end of the response window.
The guest is not charged, and no reservation is created.
Can I accept a Request to Book after it expires?
No. Once a request expires, it can no longer be accepted.
Where can I see how much time is left to respond?
The remaining response time is displayed in the Request to Book component within the Hospitable inbox conversation.
Why can't a guest submit a Request to Book for dates that are available?
If the check-in date is within 48 hours, new Request to Book reservations are not accepted.
Instant Book reservations may still be available depending on your listing settings.
Why doesn't my accepted Request to Book appear in Vrbo immediately?
Vrbo may take up to 24 hours to receive and display accepted Request to Book reservations from Hospitable.
The reservation is confirmed immediately in Hospitable, even if it has not yet appeared in your Vrbo account.
Why isn't the guest portal link working for my Request to Book guest?
Vrbo may temporarily redact guest portal links while a newly accepted Request to Book reservation is still syncing.
If you send guest portal links through automated messages, consider sending them from an After a New Reservation message rule instead of during the Request to Book workflow.
Do these rules apply to Airbnb or Direct bookings?
No. These limitations apply only to Vrbo Request to Book reservations.