Stay in the know on the latest and greatest Escapia releases for vacation rental property managers. These are the most impactful, can’t-miss enhancements based on customer feedback! And with our focused investment in Escapia, there is a whole lot more to come.
What’s new in Escapia
November 2023
To provide you with more operational efficiency and oversight, Escapia just launched a Rates Audit Log that allows you to view and track changes made within your Escapia account.
You can view event details for changes made across seven different areas, including:
Nightly rates
Rate adjustments
Minimum nights
Lead time and advance booking
Check-in and checkout
Seasons
Coupons
For each event you can view information about the date an event was created, deleted, and updated along with the entry date, time, and user information. It’s also easy to navigate past events with the search functionality.
Access the Rates Audit Log by navigating to “Rates” and selecting “Rates Audit”.
October 2023
To better optimize occupancy, you can now see what properties are booked in one efficient view with the Reservation Overlay in Escapia's new Rates Manager. This new feature helps you view all confirmed bookings at a glance so you can see where you may need to adapt rates and to help you reply to customer inquiries quicker.
Reservation Overlay works alongside unit filters so you can filter by location, unit group, type, number of bedrooms or unit name to easily see availability for a group of properties. Additionally, the quick search functionality allows you to view bookings for a specific unit. And to get more information on the booking, you can simply right click, and the reservation details page pops up with the booked rates, folio information and more.
This new functionality allows you to optimize occupancy by quickly viewing confirmed bookings, see if there any gaps between bookings, and keep an eye on how occupancy looks for upcoming seasons directly in the Rates Manger. It also allows you to better serve your guests and reply to inquiries for things like late checkout and extended stays—with less clicks and less headache!
To help you be more proactive with rates with less clicks, Escapia’s new Rates Manager now allows you to Click and Drag to Set Rates.
Previously, you had to select units, then date ranges, and with several more clicks navigate in the drawer to change the rates. Now with just a drag of your mouse, you can simultaneously select the units and dates to populate the rate change screen much faster with fewer clicks. You can immediately update the nightly rate for your selected properties and dates and even specify different rates by day of the week. Click and Drag to Set Rates also works with the existing units search and filters, allowing you to change minimum night stays and make rate adjustments quicker for specific units or by groups of properties.
Strategic rate management is the key to getting more bookings without leaving money on the table. With Click and Drag to Set Rates you can adjust rates on the fly to increase occupancy, fill gaps, and adapt to changing market needs.
This new simplified rate experience is just one more way Escapia allows you to run your business your way. Check out this video walk-through to learn more!
August 2023
Creating targeted promotions with coupon codes is now easier than ever in the new Rates Manager. Whether your goal is to attract and retain travelers with enticing offers or increase occupancy and revenue, coupon codes allow you to offer promotional pricing without devaluing the perception of your properties with mass discounts. Guests can book these exclusive rates directly on your API-supported website or by contacting a reservation agent.
The new coupon codes allow you to offer discounts as a percent or flat dollar amount. You can also specify whether to attribute the discount per night or apply the discounted rate to the entire stay. Both options give you control over your discount strategy without limiting bookings or coupon usage.
Coupon codes support flexible options for when you want to offer an anytime/anywhere discount to all members of an association or affinity group, as well as more restrictive offerings, such as Black Friday deals, which must be booked during a specific period of time.
The best part? You can do all of this right in your software! If you haven't already, start using Escapia's Rates Manager and take advantage of all the brand new features today.
June 2023
Communicating with travelers just got easier with 2-way email communication! Escapia users can now send outbound emails to travelers and receive inbound emails from travelers for communications related to inquiries or bookings, right from within the Communications Hub.
Getting started
Every Escapia account has been provided with a unique email address. This email address cannot be edited, however, you can update your Sender Name. This is what recipients will typically see in their inbox. Start with updating your Sender Name by going to Admin > Setup > Business
Your unique email address
Your unique email address has been created from the Host Name used in your Escapia domain name and will look like this: info@mail.Escapia Host Name.escapia.com.
Watch a quick demo video here.
May 2023
We have officially rolled out a new modern interface for creating units in Escapia that will match the unit editor! In addition to a streamlined look, the new experience includes new standard amenities and new functionality to create draft units, save, and return later to resume editing before activating the new unit.
This upgrade includes:
- Adding bed and bath configurations at creation: You can now provide specific details about bedroom and bathroom features to provide a better traveler experience. You will no longer need to come back to a unit to update this information.
- Using the map to generate unit coordinates: The map will automatically generate coordinates based on the unit address or where you move the map to.
- Navigating between pages: The new interface allows you navigate between pages as you enter information, so you don't have to complete an entire page before entering information on a different page.
- Creating a draft unit: When you create a new unit in the new experience, you are actually creating a draft unit. This means you no longer need to finish entering all the information at once. You can save a draft and come back later to resume editing without worrying about losing your work.
- List of draft units: You can view a list of all your agency’s draft units on a new page.
- New standard amenities: You can now add new standard amenities to your unit that travelers want to see. The new amenities include items such as EV car chargers (maps to Vrbo), fire pits (maps to Vrbo), ice makers (maps to Vrbo), shampoo & conditioner, a safe, and much more.
We hope you enjoy the more powerful and intuitive create new unit and draft unit experience!
Watch a quick demo video here.
Watch our latest webinar recording! Join Escapia leadership and product teams for a comprehensive look at what is new in Escapia. In this webinar, we cover first-hand updates on:
- Rates Manager
- Units Editor
- Communications Hub
- E-Signatures
- New partner integrations
- And more!
We also answer your top-ranked questions and preview features coming to you soon.
April 2023
Autohost is a guest screening and background check software designed for short-term rental property management companies. It automates and optimizes the guest screening process, freeing up time for your team to focus on other tasks.
Autohost provides Escapia users with a one-stop shop for ID verification, credit and background checks, security deposits, and more.
A few benefits you can expect with your Autohost integration include:
- Intelligent guest screening
- Prevention of fraud and chargebacks
- Trust and safety at scale
- Potential to increase business revenue
Learn more about the Autohost and Escapia integration here
Escapia now has more options to quickly filter and select specific units when creating or editing new Seasons, Rate Adjustments, and Rate Export.
In addition to the quick Unit Code or Unit Name search above the units list, you can now filter by Unit Group, Unit Type, Bedrooms and Unit Location - i.e.
- Unit Group is a user-defined categorization of units sometimes used to govern rates for similar properties. For example, you may define Unit Groups like “3BR2BAGLD” or “2BR1BASLV” to indicate the size (3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths or 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath) and quality of a unit (Gold or Silver)
- Unit Type indicates what kind of property the unit is – for example a House, Apartment, Condo, Cabin, Villa, etc.
- Bedrooms can be used to as a measure of the size of the property – for example 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom, 3 Bedroom, etc
- Unit Location categorizes a geographic location, such as Austin, TX or Denver, CO
By more efficiently narrowing down your full list of properties to include only your desired unit(s), you can create Seasons and Rate Adjustments faster, customize Rate Exports, and more easily segment and manage your properties.
Check out this demo video here
March 2023
Owner Signatures: You can now choose to have your owners sign rental agreements! To get started, create or edit an existing template, then add the owner signature merge tag. Your rental agreement will automatically be sent to the owner to sign once the guest has signed the agreement.
Business Dashboard Tile: You can now quickly view the number of agreements awaiting a signature from the guest and/or owner. By clicking into the Rental Agreement tile, you can review reservation details, guest information, as well as send a reminder to the guest to sign the agreement.
We are excited to announce we have earned status as an Elite Connectivity Partner for 2023 with Vrbo. This recognition underscores our focus on building and maintaining a high-quality software connection that empowers you to serve guests better and grow your business on Vrbo’s global travel platform.
You can count on our high-quality software connection to take you to the next level this year. We qualified for Elite Partner status because of our commitment to:
- Improving traveler experiences on Vrbo
- Developing integrated tools and capabilities to a high standard
- Providing a quality technical connection to Vrbo with a reliable user experience
- Delivering exceptional performance outcomes on Vrbo to our clients
- Engaging with the Vrbo team to continually optimize tools and capabilities
The Vrbo Connectivity Partner Program recognizes and rewards top vacation rental software companies for maintaining high-quality software connections to Vrbo’s platform and helping vacation rental property managers grow their businesses. There are two status tiers: Elite is the top tier status, followed by Preferred. Only 10 companies qualified for Elite status this year, with over 90 global property management software companies eligible.
We are proud to share this news with you, and we look forward to providing more value to you in the year ahead.
There is now an easier way to export current rates with the new export rates feature in Rates Manager. This new tool enables Escapia customers - with access to the new rates experience - to quickly share rates with owners, retain historical rate records, and analyze rates data in external applications including Excel and Google Sheets. Exported data can also be imported into external BI tools for more advanced analyses and strategic decision-making.
Nightly rates can be downloaded for selected units (or all units) and selected dates from 1 year in the past to 2 years into the future.
February 2023
There’s now a simplified way to search for units on the Rates Manager grid! Above the units list you’ll find a new search box where you can type in unit name or unit code.
Based on your query, the rates grid will narrow down and allow you to efficiently view or make changes to desired properties. Now if an owner calls with a rate question, you can find their property and have an answer in seconds.
Search was a top customer request and we’re happy to deliver this new Rates Manager feature based on your feedback.
January 2023
Marketing Categories and Channels: You can now customize your rental agreement and addendum templates by marketing category and channel. To get started, create a new template or edit an existing template then select "Edit Source Categories".
Preview Templates: You can now preview your rental agreement templates within Escapia! While editing your template, select "preview" to view and finalize your agreement prior to sending it to your guests.
December 2022
You can now create, send, and manage rental agreements directly within Escapia! Create custom templates to be sent manually or automatically to your guests. Signatures Platform also includes unit-based and pet addendums, allowing you to customize agreements by unit or when a pet is added to a reservation.
For a walkthrough of the new Signatures Platform, watch this quick overview or read our step-by-step guide.
The all-new Communications Hub has arrived! Communications Hub directly integrates with Vrbo and simplifies your guest communications. To access the new tool, go to Inbox > Communications Hub Inbox within Escapia.
The Communications Hub offers:
- A unified inbox with organized grouping categories
- One-way SMS messaging regardless of booking channel
- Alerts to unread messages in the inbox
- Moves conversations to a booked folder once an inquiry becomes a booking
- An easier way to find inquiries from Vrbo and existing bookings by name, reservation and keywords from the conversation thread
- With more functionality on the way!
November 2022
You can now modify rate adjustments by a flat dollar amount per night, instead of only a percentage. This provides more customization and control for length-of-stay and booking window rates. It’s particularly useful when you’re trying to hit an exact price for your nightly rates.
The Seasons feature is our easiest way to set rates in bulk yet. Create a base rate plan for one season, then quickly copy and adjust for different unit sets or time periods. This is a great way to easily and accurately set future rates in minutes.
Learn more about Seasons
October 2022
OK2Charge now directly integrates with Escapia! OK2Charge is the first integrated and fully automated electric vehicle (EV) charging solution. They enable property managers to monetize EV charging while providing a much-desired guest amenity and property differentiator.
Why integrate with OK2Charge?
- Attract and market to a growing demographic: electric vehicle drivers
- Adds an automated revenue stream to your property
- Flexible pricing: choose between pay-per-use and flat-rate charging
- For every charge, OK2Charge donates to OneTreePlanted.org
- See real-time stats in your management system
September 2022
You can now add attachments, such as images, to bills and service orders! This upgrade allows you to reference the invoices for easier reconcilliation, acts as a digital receipt, and provides better owner visibility in the Owner Portal.
August 2022
You can now set maximum lead time for bookings by number of days (up to 2 years) in Global Rate Settings. This allows you to reserve bookings for repeat guests or owners and lower the risk of setting future rates with unpredictable demand.
You can now create automated discounts or premiums based on booking window. These time-based custom adjustments can help meet demand (and willingness to pay) for early bookers or last-minute guests. This is an additional option along with the new length-of-stay adjustments.
July 2022
Wheelhouse, PriceLabs, and Rented direct integrations are now available in the new Rates Manager!
These dynamic pricing partners recommend rates based on a competitive set and their unique algorithms. Once you accept the recommendation, the integration will automatically update the property rate in Escapia’s Rate Manager. You’ll also be able to take advantage of advanced features like dynamic minimum night stay and gap fillers.
Whether you're looking to free up time with automation, leave it to the experts with consulting services, or somewhere in between, our dynamic pricing partners can help you achieve your goals.
You can now select up to 10 different date ranges to customize rates and minimum night stay settings all at once in the new Rates Manager!
You also have the option to select specific days of the week – enabling you to define your own weekends with custom rates and minimum night stays, or even quickly set different rates for each night of the week.
Selected date ranges and days of the week will also apply when accepting market rates or adjusting rates by percentage. This will allow you to limit market rate acceptance to specific days of the week by toggling on “Select days of the week” and choosing specific days to accept market rates.
These enhancements make the new Rates Manager more efficient and flexible than ever.
You can now create and email a quote from the reservation grid in Escapia! Quotes will be emailed to the traveler and can include a direct link to book the property. You can add links to book the property from the Unit Editor under “Property URL”.
Quote emails will also be stored on the customer contact record for future reference.
To get started, navigate to the reservation grid, select a unit and date range, then click the “Quick Quote” button.
June 2022
The Escapia Unit Editor now has a new modern interface! Alongside a streamlined look, the Unit Editor will include additional features to customize units.
New functionality includes:
- Custom bed and bath configurations — Provide specific details about bedroom and bathroom features to provide a better traveler experience. This data is optional (but recommended) and can be added over time.
- Map pins to select a specific property location — Automatically create coordinates to your exact specified location. Please note: if you change the pin location you may need to contact individual channels (such as Vrbo) to update the location on their site.
- New filters and organization for amenities — Use tabs and filtering to see Vrbo amenities and which amenities you've selected. This will reduce time searching for amenities, provide clarity on where they appear, and what the amenity makeup of the unit is.
May 2022
The new Rates Manager now includes length-of-stay adjustments which give you the flexibility to entice travelers to stay for your ideal length of time, while not limiting search results.
Users can create adjustments based on customizable length-of-stay ranges to automatically apply a discount or premium for travelers who stay a specified number of nights.
To create rate adjustments, navigate to the new Rates Strategy section in the rates menu dropdown, select “Create new adjustment”, then input the required information into the new adjustments template. Once created, length of stay adjustments are saved and allow you to view and modify your settings.
Learn more at the Rates Resources page.
March 2022
We are excited to announce we have earned status as an Elite Connectivity Partner for 2022 with Vrbo. This recognition underscores our focus on building and maintaining a high-quality software connection that empowers you to serve guests better and grow your business on Vrbo’s global travel platform.
You can count on our high-quality software connection to take you to the next level this year. We qualified for Elite Partner status because of our commitment to:
- Improving traveler experiences on Vrbo
- Developing integrated tools and capabilities to a high standard
- Providing a quality technical connection to Vrbo with a reliable user experience
- Delivering exceptional performance outcomes on Vrbo to our clients
- Engaging with the Vrbo team to continually optimize tools and capabilities
The Vrbo Connectivity Partner Program recognizes and rewards top vacation rental software companies for maintaining high-quality software connections to Vrbo’s platform and helping vacation rental property managers grow their businesses. There are two status tiers: Elite is the top tier status, followed by Preferred. Only 9 companies qualified for Elite status this year, with over 90 global property management software companies eligible.
We are proud to share this news with you, and we look forward to providing more value to you in the year ahead.
You can reach millions of travelers every day on Vrbo through our advanced connection. Learn more about Vrbo.
January 2022
Brand new to Escapia is the ability to generate electronic 1099 files for simplified filing to the IRS. Increase year end accuracy and save time, money, and paper with the new electronic option. When you’re ready for year end processing, you’ll see the new “Generate IRS file” option in the Print 1099s Wizard located under Accounting > Reports > Tax > Print 1099s.
December 2021
Fast and easy Market Rate adoption is live in the new Rates Manager! Market Rates can help you make decisions about your rates to optimize your return based on billions of vacation rental data points. Users can now view or apply these Market Rate suggestions in just a few clicks.
Start by navigating to the Rates Manager and selecting the “Market Rates” view. There you’ll see Market Rates opportunities in blue for properties distributed on Vrbo/Stayz, up to 365 days out. Those with US-based properties can accept an opportunity by simply selecting the property(s) and using the “Accept market rates” option in the right edit drawer. Those outside of the US do not yet have the automated option, but can still input suggested rates manually using the right edit drawer.
Several of the reports most used by Escapia customers just got a speed boost so you can quickly get to the data you need. Upgraded reports include:
- Folio Payments Report
- Accounting > Reports > Reservations > Folio Payments Report
- Projected Owner Charges Report
- Accounting > Reports > Revenue Projection > Projected Owner Contract Charges- Standard
- Advanced Deposit Report
- Accounting > Reports > Banking > Advanced Deposit Reports > Advance Deposits by Unit
- Booking Cancellation Revenue Report
- Reservations > Reports > Bookings > Booking Cancellation Revenue Report
Escapia users can now complete these reports 90% faster on average.
November 2021
We're excited to announce an all-new Billing Management page in Escapia that allows you to add a new credit or debit card. You can now manage payments to Escapia in just a few clicks – saving time and simplifying the billing process.
What does this mean?
- You no longer need to contact support to add a new card.
- You can now quickly, easily, and securely add payment methods within the Billing Management page in Escapia.
- This new option will save you time and ensure you are able to pay for Escapia through your preferred payment method.
Escapia’s new built-in channel management solution, EscapiaConnect, successfully expanded to a second group of users this fall. EscapiaConnect brings channel management right into Escapia, unlocking seamless distribution from one platform. With EscapiaConnect, it’s easier than ever to reach top channels like Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and Google – all without leaving your Escapia software.
The team is currently working on additional API optimizations identified in our last round of feedback, and we look forward to expanding access to a larger audience once these updates are complete in 2022. More availability information coming soon!
October 2021
We have heard your request for adding more credit card payment providers, and Escapia is excited to announce new options available now! In addition to our current connection with VacationRentPayment, we are adding all-new credit card gateway and processing options to help automate and secure your transactions. Options include:
1. Authorize.net + your preferred processor: A subsidiary of Visa, Authorize.net is a leading payment gateway trusted by 430,000+ businesses. If you already have a preferred credit card processor, contact that processor to see if they are one of Authorize.net’s many supported connections.
2 . Authorize.net + Celero Commerce processor: A full credit card processing solution, Celero Commerce is a long-time partner of Authorize.net and is ready to help Escapia customers get completely up and running. Get a quote >
These partners offer competitive rates along with industry experience to provide property managers with reliable credit card solutions. We hope these new options bring you the choice and flexibility you’ve been looking for.
*Auth.net serves US and Canada only. Celero serves US-based companies only. More providers for additional countries are coming coon!
This fall the Communications Hub hit an exciting milestone with the successful onboarding of our first Alpha user! As announced earlier this year, the Communications Hub is a new solution in progress that will pull all key communications into one place.
The team is currently focused on guest communications and started with your two biggest requests: bringing in messaging from Vrbo and enabling SMS (text) communication. We are delighted to share that this integration is complete, and our next focus is on making it easy as possible to manage a large volume of guest communications all within Escapia.
September 2021
The new Rates Manager now includes the option to override your default check-in and checkout dates set in global rate settings! The new option makes it easy to specify your turnover days at the unit level, and/or for a specific date range. Just select your unit(s) and use the right edit drawer to specify the unique check-in and/or checkout days.
August 2021
Fueled by billions of data points from the Vrbo marketplace, Market Rates make it easier than ever for you to competitively set your rates (get details here). To see Market Rates for your properties, select the “Market rates” view in the top right of your rates grid and scroll through the grid to see data-based opportunities. Input suggested rates by selecting at least one property and using the set by weekday and weekend option in the right edit drawer.
July 2021
We're making the collection and storage of payments in Escapia even more secure. Most of these updates are behind the scenes, but later this July* you may notice:
- The Payment Account screen has a more modern look and feel – with all the same functionality!
- There are a couple screens where you may need to click “Manage Payment Accounts” to open a secure pop-up module for adding new credit card details, instead of adding those details directly in those screens. This option will be in the same place as before.
These updates will further enhance Escapia security and support PCI compliance, and we anticipate little to no impact to the way you do business.
*Note that these updates will be released on a rolling basis throughout the month of July.
Escapia users live on the new Rates Manager now have the option to ignore booking restrictions and still get a price using the Quick Quote screen and Reservation Grid. This feature is perfect for instances where a potential stay does not meet booking restrictions such as minimum nights, lead time or changeover days – but you may want to make an exception. To take advantage of this option, click the “Ignore Rate Settings” checkbox in the Reservation Grid and/or the Verify Pricing area (details here).
June 2021
Did you know 70% of travelers are willing to pay extra for properties that have their favorite amenities and services?*
Flexcation Amenities:
Attract new guests on Vrbo by highlighting the amenities travelers want to work and learn remotely. From Wi-Fi details to office essentials, “Flexcation” amenities are now available in Escapia and will map directly into Vrbo.
Flexcation amenities are also available in the EscapiaNET API, giving third-party partners and your personal websites the option to map and display them once website providers complete their system updates.
Learn more about Flexcation Amenities and how to add them in Escapia
Beach Amenities:
Also new to Escapia is the “Location Type: Beach” standard amenity, which will map to the Vrbo setting and view type “Beach.” If you have already created and selected a custom amenity called “Beach,” this will now also map to Vrbo setting and view type “Beach.”
Please note that the existing “Location Type: Beach View” and “Location Type: Beachfront” standard amenities have not changed and will continue to map to Vrbo.
Make sure to include all applicable beach amenities for your properties for the best chance of attracting travelers!
Learn more about Standard Amenities in Escapia
*Expedia Group, What Travelers Want in 2021
The new Rates Manager now includes the ability to add a weekly discount for stays of 7 nights or more, or a monthly discount for stays of 28 nights or more. Select the unit(s) you would like to add a discount to and use the right edit drawer to add your percentage (details here).
May 2021
Get started on the new Rates Manager faster with the new option to import your existing nightly rates. Click the “Populate your rates” button in the upper right of your rates grid to get details on which rates will populate (also available here) and import your existing rates.
April 2021
Escapia’s new Rates Manager helps you quickly get to the right properties with robust filtering options by unit location, group, type, bedrooms, and code/name. With the new active filter visual, you will be able to easily keep track of which filters are actively applying to your rates grid and add or remove each filter accordingly.
March 2021
We’ve added a brand-new “Folio Audit Export” report to make it easier than ever to view all folio-related details in Escapia. The new report includes information about guests, units, reservation type and number, marketing data, rent, guest fees, and owner fees.
To access the new report in Escapia, simply navigate to: Accounting > Reports > Reservations > Folio Audit Export.
This information is especially helpful for revenue recognition, budgeting, and diagnostic purposes – so be sure to take a look!
It’s now easier than ever to update rates on the fly! We’ve added an “Adjust by percentage” field to the new Rates Manager, enabling live users to easily increase or decrease nightly rates by a percentage. This feature is especially helpful for adjusting periods of high or low demand.
Rates updated in Escapia’s all-new Rates Manager will now be live on Vrbo in an average of five minutes! This process could be longer for customers with many properties; however, it will still be much quicker than the six-hour average of the previous rate tools.
Note: Channels other than Vrbo may take longer to begin using your new rates as they pull rates from Escapia at specific time intervals.
February 2021
We’ve added a new filter allowing you to exclude bookings from specific channels from Automated Payments. That means you can now take advantage of Automated Payments only on the channels that fit your business! Get full instructions on Automated Payments and how to use the new “Booking Channel” filter.
The team has made it easier to print report PDFs directly from Escapia. Before this update, some reports required users to run the report, download the PDF, and then open the PDF on your device before you could print. In the spirit of “killing the clicks,” this new update will allow you to run reports and print directly from Escapia — no download required. This time saving update is already live in your system today.
January 2021
In addition to the fiscal year and reporting enhancements announced last month (see details here), the Escapia team has rolled out two new accounting reports. These reports are especially beneficial for compliance in Australia and New Zealand:
3-Way Reconciliation (Accounting > Reports > Banking): This new report saves you time by combining the following three reports into one single view: Bank Reconciliation Report, Summary Trust Reconciliation Report, and Bank Reconciliation Worksheets.
Advanced Deposits by Unit (Accounting > Reports > Banking > Advanced Deposit Reports): This new report is similar to the Advanced Deposit by Reservation report, but it is grouped by Unit instead of by Reservation/Guest.