Switching guide
Switching to Staying
What moves when you start on Staying, what you rebuild yourself, and the order to do it in. Staying works alongside your PMS, so most operators connect it rather than migrate away from anything.
Last reviewed: October 2026
What moves, and how
| From | How | What comes over | What does not |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMS (Guesty, Hostaway, OwnerRez, Hospitable, Lodgify) | iCal export from the PMS, plus a one-time CSV import. A direct connection is in beta | Booked and blocked dates by iCal; guests and current reservations by CSV | Guest names and emails for new bookings: iCal does not carry them, so guests add them at online check-in. The direct PMS connection that carries them is in beta |
| Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com | iCal import and export | Booked and blocked dates, in both directions | Guest names, emails and prices: iCal does not carry them. Guests add their details at online check-in |
| Spreadsheet or another system | CSV import | Guests (name, email, phone) and bookings (check-in, check-out, room number, notes, source, status) | Marketing consent: imported guests are not opted in and are asked at check-in |
| Another guidebook or guest app | Rebuild from a template | Nothing automatically. Copy your texts into one of 4 templates and the WiFi, map and FAQ blocks | Message history, reviews, order history and payment records stay in the old tool |
Steps
- Start on the Free plan with one property. No card and no sales call.
- Add rooms with the same numbers your PMS uses, so CSV bookings land in the right room.
- Connect bookings: iCal calendars from your OTAs or your PMS. Then import current future reservations once by CSV.
- Brand the portal and write the guidebook from a template.
- List services to sell during the stay (Growth and above).
- Share the portal link or QR code in your booking confirmation, then upgrade when you add more properties.
Limits to know before you switch
- Direct PMS connections are in beta; PMS bookings come in by iCal and CSV meanwhile. Staying never writes back to your PMS.
- Staying does not push rates or availability to OTAs.
- There is no importer for other guidebook tools; guidebooks are rebuilt.
- Online check-in does not verify identity documents or file police registrations.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to stop using my PMS?
- No. Staying is not a PMS or channel manager. Keep your PMS for reservations, rates and channels and connect its calendars to Staying by iCal; Staying runs the guest portal on top. Direct PMS connections are in beta.
- How long does switching take?
- We do not publish a measured onboarding time yet. The setup is self-serve: account, property, booking connection, branding, guidebook and services. The guidebook usually takes the longest because you write it yourself. Start on the Free plan and time it on one property before moving the rest.
- Can someone help me move?
- Scale includes a dedicated account manager. On other plans, use the help center or contact us at andreas@getia.no.
- What date format does the CSV import accept?
- Use YYYY-MM-DD. Slash dates such as 03/04/2026 are ambiguous: the importer tries month/day before day/month. Room numbers must match the room numbers in Staying, otherwise the booking is placed in the property's first room and the row is reported.