TL;DR: HomeToGo snapshot for hosts
HomeToGo is a vacation rental search engine and meta-OTA that aggregates listings from Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and more.
- The audience: Users skew 35+ with high purchasing power, long lead times (~90 days), and week-long stays, making it interesting for hosts who want longer, higher-value bookings.
- Why list: It offers international demand and allows you to diversify your revenue stream.
- How to succeed: Keep prices consistent with other channels and ensure your calendar is synced via a property management system like Guesty
In the flourishing world of short-term rentals, platforms like HomeToGo have become beacons of opportunity for property owners looking to diversify their booking sources beyond the standard giants. They may not be the most advertised platform, but they offer distinct benefits for hosts looking to capture a global audience seeking unique vacation experiences.
If you’re a host or property manager considering HomeToGo as an additional distribution channel, here’s what you need to know.
What is HomeToGo?
HomeToGo is a vacation rental search engine and aggregator. Unlike single-OTA platforms like Airbnb or Booking.com, HomeToGo operates primarily as a meta-search engine — surfacing listings from multiple platforms in one place, then routing users to the underlying platform or partner to complete the booking.
They have been successful as a distribution partner thanks to extensive property listings and user-friendly search functionality. One of the platform’s key features is its comparison capability, which lets travelers view properties side by side to make informed decisions. Additionally, it offers multilingual and multi-currency support, traveler reviews, and is fully mobile-friendly.
Who are HomeToGo users?
Because HomeToGo caters to a wide range of users, it is a strong channel if you want longer, higher-value family or “slow travel” bookings rather than last-minute weekend breaks. While the user base varies in budget and preference, the demographic data points to a specific type of traveler valuable to professional hosts:
- High purchasing power: Over 70% of HomeToGo users are over 35.
- Long lead times: On average, HomeToGo guests book over 90 days in advance, allowing for better revenue forecasting.
- Extended stays: The average length of stay is 7 days, reducing turnover costs for hosts.
Its versatility as a search aggregator appeals to vacation planners, business travelers, and holidaymakers alike.
How to become a HomeToGo host
To become a HomeToGo host and list your vacation rental property on this platform, you need to ensure you meet their standards and follow a structured onboarding process. While you can list directly, many professional hosts connect via a channel manager like Guesty to ensure accurate synchronization.
The onboarding checklist:
- Prep the property: Ensure your property is in good condition, cleaned, organized, and decorated to appeal to guests.
- Sign up: Complete the sign-up process on the HomeToGo website or connect via your PMS.
- Add details: Provide essential information, including location, size, amenities, and pricing.
- Sync: Connect your calendar and rates via Guesty to prevent double bookings.
- Review policies: Familiarize yourself with HomeToGo’s host policies and guidelines.
Host requirements on HomeToGo
HomeToGo has specific expectations for its partners. To remain in good standing, you must:
- Maintain data accuracy: Keep property information, availability, and pricing up to date across all connected channels.
- Be responsive: Address guest needs promptly and provide clear instructions for check-in and check-out.
- Be a responsible host: Offer assistance during the stay if necessary.
- Stay compliant: Stay updated on HomeToGo’s host policies.
Listing on HomeToGo
Once registered, you can create a detailed listing. To maximize your conversion rate, treat this as an optimization exercise rather than just a setup step.
Optimization mini-checklist:
- Visuals: Include 15–25 high-quality photos that showcase your space inside and out.
- Description: Write a compelling description that leads with your top selling points.
- Amenities: Highlight unique features and amenities to appear in filtered searches.
- Consistency: HomeToGo expects price parity. Ensure your prices and availability are consistent with your listings on Airbnb and Vrbo.
Reputation and expectations
Respond to guest inquiries
As a HomeToGo host, you are expected to promptly respond to inquiries and booking requests. Timely communication is critical for securing bookings. Aim to respond to HomeToGo inquiries within one hour during your core working hours. You can use Guesty’s Unified Inbox to centralize these messages and streamline your response time.
Verify guest reviews
Encouraging guests to leave reviews after their stay is vital. Positive reviews boost your property’s appeal and ranking on HomeToGo and other booking platforms, signaling reliability to future guests.
Make sure to list your house rules
The house rules section gives guests a clear understanding of what is and isn’t allowed. Be transparent about your policies regarding pets, smoking, and children.
Example snippet: “We love hosting respectful travelers. To keep the home comfortable for everyone: no parties or events, no smoking inside, quiet hours from 10 pm–7 am, and only registered guests on the property.”
The nitty-gritty of listing on HomeToGo
Here are the unique factors and operational quirks you should know about the platform:
- Support: HomeToGo offers account support via phone, email, and chat. They were awarded first place in the vacation rentals category by Newsweek and Statista for guest relations.
- Communication split: They cover guest communications until check-in. For anything from that point on, you take over, utilizing tools like Guesty to streamline messages.
- Meta-search nature: Because it aggregates listings, guests often compare your property side-by-side with your listings on other OTAs. Rate parity is essential to avoid confusing potential bookers.
Why choose HomeToGo?
Listing on HomeToGo involves trade-offs, but the benefits often outweigh the added complexity for professional hosts:
- Global reach: Your property is exposed to a massive international audience, increasing the likelihood of bookings.
- Diverse audience: Access to older, higher-spend guests increases your chances of finding renters who match your property profile.
- User-friendly: The platform and app are easy to navigate for both property owners and travelers.
- Flexible listing options: You retain control to set your own rules, prices, and availability.
- Customer support: High-quality support for owners and guests ensures assistance is available on demand.
- Trade-off: Adding another channel requires diligent calendar and price synchronization to avoid double bookings, which is best managed via a distribution hub.
How to use Guesty CRM to streamline guest communication
While HomeToGo offers great communication support pre-check-in, you are responsible for the on-stay experience. Lean on Guesty CRM and the Unified Inbox to save time and ensure clarity.
The workflow:
- Booking: A guest finds your property on HomeToGo and books.
- Sync: The reservation flows automatically into Guesty.
- Profile: Guesty CRM creates a unified guest profile with their details.
- Automation: Your pre-set workflows send check-in instructions before arrival and follow-ups during the stay.
- Management: You track all communication in one inbox, alongside your Airbnb and Vrbo conversations.
FAQs
HomeToGo is primarily a search engine and aggregator (meta-search) that displays listings from many different OTAs (like Airbnb and Booking.com) as well as direct partner listings.
While not strictly required, using a channel manager or PMS like Guesty is highly recommended to ensure your rates and availability are synchronized in real-time across HomeToGo and your other sales channels.
The platform attracts a slightly older demographic (70% are 35+) who tend to book longer stays (7+ days) well in advance (90+ days), making it ideal for filling calendars early.
The most reliable method is to use a distribution hub like Guesty. You connect all your channels to Guesty, and it acts as the “source of truth,” pushing updates to HomeToGo, Airbnb, and Vrbo simultaneously.
Guesty’s talented marketing team is comprised of passionate professionals who share insightful industry knowledge and shape brand narratives. By bringing a diverse blend of expertise to the table, we are the visionary architects behind the Guesty brand and innovative campaigns that help people understand our product.
