Vrbo Instant Booking: Pros, Cons & Best Practices

Key Takeaways:

• Vrbo Instant Booking is a feature that automatically approves all guest reservation requests without requiring approval from the host.
• The Instant Booking feature saves time for hosts and guests and may lead to increased occupancy.
• While Instant Booking offers convenience, hosts must balance it with the effort of maintaining clear house rules and managing potential cancellations to optimize their hosting experience.

Vrbo Instant Booking eases the burden of maximizing occupancy at your STR by appealing to last-minute travelers whose trips don’t allow time for confirmation. By enabling Instant Booking on your Vrbo listing, you open your property to more types of travelers, increasing your occupancy potential and maximizing your earning potential.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Vrbo Instant Booking to give you new ways to optimize your hosting experience. Whether you're a seasoned host or just starting out, Instant Booking can elevate your hosting game and take your vacation rental business to new heights.

What is Vrbo Instant Booking?

Vrbo Instant Booking lets travelers book vacation rental properties instantly, without needing to wait for hosts to respond. Unlike traditional booking methods where hosts have to approve each reservation request manually, Instant Booking is seamless and instantaneous.

Travelers can select desired dates on a host's calendar and confirm their reservation in just a few clicks. This streamlined process saves travelers time and eliminates the need for back-and-forth check in communication with hosts. When a host enables Vrbo Instant Booking on their listings:

• Traveler booking requests are instantly confirmed.
• The traveler's credit card is charged for the initial amount.
• A confirmation email is sent to the host with booking details.
• The reservation is automatically updated in the host’s Reservation Manager.  

With the ease of this feature in mind, it makes sense why 75% of Vrbo properties have Instant Booking enabled. That said, Instant Book is considerably more prevalent at properties with shorter minimum stays.

90% of Vrbo properties with a 1-night minimum stay have Instant Booking enabled, compared to less than 50% of properties with a 28+-night minimum stay policy.

What Are the Benefits of Enabling Instant Booking on Vrbo? 

The biggest benefit of Vrbo Instant Booking is that it saves time for hosts and travelers alike. Guests can secure a reservation without waiting for host approval, helping to speed up the booking and check-in process. Hosts eliminate the headache of having to respond to every booking request.

Other benefits of Vrbo Instant Booking include:

• Greater occupancy: Over the last year, average occupancy for Instant Booking properties in the US was 53%, while average occupancy for non-Instant Book properties was 51%. 
• More visibility on Vrbo: Instant Booking listings see greater search visibility on the Vrbo platform, as Vrbo prioritizes these convenient listings. 
• Less headache: Hosts and property owners bypass the fuss of booking inquiries by automating the process.

While properties of all sizes can benefit from enabling Instant Booking, larger properties with more bedrooms see a greater occupancy boost than their smaller peers. 

Four- to five-bedroom listings with Instant Booking enabled see a 5% occupancy boost, compared to a 1-2% occupancy boost for similarly enabled one- or two-bedroom properties. AirDNA offers tools that can help you evaluate your property’s revenue potential to see if Instant Booking could help. 

Overall, enabling Instant Booking on your Vrbo listing can save time, improve your listing’s search visibility, and increase bookings. This makes it a valuable feature for hosts and property owners looking to attract more guests.

What Are the Disadvantages of Using Instant Booking on Vrbo? 

While Vrbo Instant Booking is convenient, it has its own potential disadvantages. 

Vrbo’s House Rules Requirement, for example, requires that Instant Booking hosts outline clear house rules in their listing. Guests must meet and agree to the host’s House Rules before they can use Instant Book to secure their reservation. 

While this can increase transparency and clarify guest expectations, it may require more effort on the host’s part. Expect to spend time on a comprehensive welcome guide, including photos or even virtual tours. 

Instant Booking can also lead to more cancellations since guests can book rental dates immediately. Guests may not take the time or care to confirm their travel details before booking, whereas an extended booking process can motivate guests to lock in details so they don’t have to repeat the process later on should travel changes come up.

Hosts who enable Instant Booking need to carefully manage cancellations to avoid negative impacts on their metrics. For example, high cancellation rates can affect their Premier Host status.

Overall, while Vrbo Instant Booking offers convenience and efficiency, potential drawbacks like the House Rules Requirement and more cancellations mean hosts need to keep a close eye on how Vrbo Instant Booking is affecting their business.

How Do You Turn Vrbo Instant Booking On and Off?

1. Log in to your Vrbo account and navigate to your dashboard.

2. Select the property for which you want to adjust the booking settings.

3. Go to the "Calendar & Pricing" section of your property dashboard.

4. Look for the "Booking settings" or "Booking options" tab.

5. Find the option to enable or disable Instant Booking.

6. Toggle the switch to turn Instant Booking on or off according to your preference.

7. Save your changes, and your booking settings will be updated accordingly

Frequently Asked Questions 

How does Vrbo Instant Booking benefit hosts?

Instant Booking can save hosts time by automating the booking process, improving their listings’ search visibility, and increasing bookings by making it more convenient for guests.

What are the disadvantages of using Vrbo Instant Booking?

One major potential drawback is the House Rules Requirement, which may limit host control over who can book their property while requiring a more comprehensive welcome guide. Another potential drawback is that Instant Booking may lead to more cancellations, which can hurt your metrics and Premier Host status. 

How can I turn Vrbo Instant Booking on or off?

You can adjust your booking type settings in your Vrbo account to enable or disable Instant Booking based on your preferences and hosting style. Head to the “Calendar & Pricing" section, and then the “Booking settings” tab, of your property dashboard.

Can I still set specific requirements for guests with Instant Booking enabled?

You can still set specific requirements, such as minimum stay lengths and guest qualifications, with Instant Booking enabled.

Which areas see the most properties with Instant Booking?

Markets with the highest percentages of Instant Booking-enabled properties include:

• Fredericksburg, Texas (94%)
• Red River Gorge, Kentucky (93%)
• Corpus Christi, Texas (92%)
• St. George, Utah (92%)

New York has the lowest percentage of Vrbo properties with Instant Booking—only 38% of properties use Instant Booking.