If you’re running a vacation rental business, you’ve probably spent years collecting great guest reviews.

The problem is… those reviews usually live on Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, or inside your Property Management System (PMS).

While that’s great for those platforms, it doesn’t do much for your own website.

This was exactly the challenge one of our clients brought to us.

They had hundreds of genuine guest reviews, but very few were helping convert visitors on their direct booking website. Every new review made Airbnb and VRBO stronger, while their own website stayed the same.

Instead of relying on another WordPress review plugin, we built a custom review platform that gave them complete ownership of their guest reviews.

Why Review Plugins Eventually Become a Problem

There are plenty of review plugins available for WordPress, and some of them are good.

The issue is that most of them are designed for general business websites—not vacation rental companies.

After working with Guesty, Hostaway, OwnerRez, Hostfully, Lodgify, Beds24, Cloudbeds and several other PMS platforms, we’ve noticed the same limitations again and again.

Most plugins expect you to manually enter reviews, don’t understand property-level data, or force you into a layout that doesn’t match your website.

Over time, you also end up dealing with plugin updates, compatibility issues, subscription renewals, and features you’ll never actually use.

Our client wanted something much simpler.

A system built around their business—not around a plugin.

Sync Guest Reviews from Guesty, Hostaway & Other PMS Platforms

If you’re using a modern Property Management System, there’s a good chance your reviews already exist.

Platforms such as:

  • Guesty
  • Hostaway
  • OwnerRez
  • Hostfully
  • Lodgify
  • Beds24
  • Cloudbeds
  • Rentals United
  • Escapia
  • iGMS
  • Smoobu
  • Uplisting

all provide APIs that make it possible to work with guest and property data.

Instead of copying reviews manually, we can build a system that synchronizes reviews directly from your PMS to your website.

Whether you want to sync Guesty reviews to your website, display Hostaway guest reviews, or import reviews from OwnerRez, Hostfully, Lodgify, Beds24, Cloudbeds, or another PMS, a custom API integration keeps your review platform updated automatically.

Once it’s configured, new reviews can appear automatically without anyone logging into WordPress to update them.

That saves time and keeps your website current.

Supported Property Management Systems

Our custom review synchronization solution supports many leading vacation rental platforms.

Guesty

Automatically synchronize Guesty guest reviews to your vacation rental website using the Guesty API. Reviews can be displayed on the correct property pages, keeping your direct booking website updated without manual data entry.

Hostaway

Synchronize Hostaway guest reviews to your website using a custom Hostaway API integration. New reviews can automatically appear on the relevant property pages, helping build trust and increase direct bookings.

OwnerRez

Import OwnerRez guest reviews into your custom review management system using the OwnerRez API. Display verified guest feedback directly on your website instead of relying on third-party booking platforms.

Hostfully

Automatically synchronize Hostfully guest reviews with your vacation rental website through the Hostfully API. Reviews stay connected to the correct properties and can be updated automatically as new guest feedback is received.

Lodgify

Display Lodgify guest reviews on your direct booking website using a custom Lodgify API integration. Keep your review content synchronized while maintaining complete control over the design and layout.

Beds24

Synchronize Beds24 guest reviews directly to your website using the Beds24 API. New reviews can be imported automatically, ensuring your website always displays the latest guest experiences.

Cloudbeds

Import Cloudbeds guest reviews into your website through a custom Cloudbeds API integration. Reviews can be matched with individual properties and displayed in a format that fits your website.

Rentals United

Synchronize Rentals United guest reviews with your vacation rental website using the Rentals United API. Showcase authentic guest experiences on your own website instead of sending visitors to third-party platforms.

Escapia

Automatically import Escapia guest reviews into your custom review management system. A custom API integration keeps your property reviews synchronized and reduces manual administration.

iGMS

Display iGMS guest reviews on your vacation rental website using a custom API integration. New reviews can be synchronized automatically and organized by property for a better guest experience.

Smoobu

Synchronize Smoobu guest reviews directly to your website with a custom Smoobu API integration. Your reviews remain up to date while giving you complete control over presentation and branding.

Uplisting

Import Uplisting guest reviews into your direct booking website using a custom API integration. Display verified guest feedback on the appropriate property pages and strengthen trust with future guests.

We don’t rely on generic review plugins. Every review synchronization project is built using the API provided by your Property Management System, giving you complete control over how guest reviews are imported, displayed, and managed on your vacation rental website.

Your Website Should Be the Source of Trust

One of the biggest mistakes we see is businesses investing heavily in collecting reviews while leaving them on third-party platforms.

Think about it.

A potential guest discovers your website through Google.

They like your property.

Then they leave your website because they want to read reviews somewhere else.

That’s a missed opportunity.

Your website should answer every question a guest has—including showing genuine guest experiences—without sending them away.

If your website becomes the place people trust, you’re much more likely to convert visitors into direct bookings.

We Built a System the Client Actually Owns

For this project, we didn’t install another plugin.

We built a review platform specifically for their business.

It displays reviews on the correct property pages, matches the website design, supports future API integrations, and can grow as the business grows.

Most importantly…

The client owns it.

There are no monthly plugin subscriptions.

No annual licence renewals.

No waiting for a plugin developer to release an update after every WordPress version.

It’s a one-time investment that becomes part of their website.

Built Around APIs, Not Plugins

One advantage of working with vacation rental APIs every day is that we don’t have to rely on workarounds.

Whether the project involves Guesty, Hostaway, OwnerRez, Lodgify or another PMS, we can build solutions around the data that’s already available.

That means features like:

  • Automatic review synchronisation
  • Property-specific reviews
  • Featured guest reviews
  • Review moderation
  • Verified guest badges
  • Owner replies
  • AI-generated review summaries
  • Multi-language reviews
  • Review Schema for Google
  • Search and filtering

can all be added as your business grows.

You’re not limited by what a plugin developer decided to include.

Watch the Complete Project

I’ve also created a video walkthrough of this project where I explain the business challenge, the overall workflow, and how we built a custom review management system for a vacation rental website.

Rather than diving into code, the video focuses on the client’s requirements, why a custom solution was the right choice, and how the entire review synchronization process works.

If you’re planning a direct booking website or want to own your guest reviews instead of relying on OTAs, I recommend watching the video below.

▶ Watch the complete case study:

Final Thoughts

After building custom integrations for many vacation rental businesses, one thing has become clear.

The more you rely on third-party platforms, the less control you have over your own business.

Your reviews, your guest data and your website should all work together.

If your PMS already stores your guest reviews, there’s no reason they should remain locked inside another platform.

Bring them onto your own website.

Improve trust.

Strengthen your SEO.

Increase direct bookings.

And most importantly, build something you actually own.

Why Use API Integrations Instead of Review Plugins?

Many businesses ask why we build review systems using PMS APIs instead of WordPress plugins.

The answer is simple.

APIs give you direct access to your own guest review data.

That means you can:

  • Synchronize reviews automatically
  • Display reviews on the correct property pages
  • Keep reviews updated without manual work
  • Customize the design to match your website
  • Build features around your business instead of plugin limitations

Because the solution is built around your PMS, you’re never restricted by the features included in a third-party plugin.

Need Help With PMS Integrations?

At Bolder Technologies, we specialize in custom solutions for the vacation rental industry, including:

If you’re looking to sync Guesty reviews, import Hostaway reviews, or build a custom PMS review synchronization system for your vacation rental website, we’d be happy to discuss your project.

Need Help Integrating APIs?

Let us handle the tech so you can focus on growing your business.

🚀 Book a Free Consultation
Category: Vacation Rental Tips & Technology

Author: Bolder