Do I need to leave Hostaway to use CraftedStays?
No. Hostaway stays your PMS — that's the entire model. CraftedStays runs as a conversion layer on top of your Hostaway data. Listings, calendar, pricing, payments, and guest messaging all stay in Hostaway. CraftedStays adds a polished, conversion-tuned website on your own domain.
Where does CraftedStays fit alongside what Hostaway already offers?
Hostaway handles the operations layer — listings, calendars, guest messaging, payments — and they do that beautifully. CraftedStays adds a dedicated conversion layer on top: e-commerce-grade website design, schema markup for AI search visibility, and your own branded domain. We complement Hostaway's operations stack rather than replace any part of it. Most CraftedStays customers continue using Hostaway's full feature set; we just give their guests a polished website to book on.
Where do guests check out — Hostaway or CraftedStays?
You have two options. By default, CraftedStays hands off to Hostaway's bundled checkout once a guest is ready to book. For operators who want a fully on-domain flow, CraftedStays also supports a custom Stripe integration so the entire booking — dates, guest details, payment — happens on your own domain through your own Stripe account. The on-domain Stripe path tends to be more cost-efficient at higher volume and gives you cleaner attribution. Either way, the reservation pushes into Hostaway in real time.
What payment processors does CraftedStays support for Hostaway operators?
CraftedStays integrates with Stripe. Payments settle the way they do today; CraftedStays adds zero markup on bookings.
Do guest reviews from Hostaway appear on the CraftedStays website?
Yes. Guest reviews and star ratings sync from Hostaway automatically. Written reviews, ratings, and reviewer details flow into the CraftedStays site so guests see real social proof on listing and property pages. New reviews appear on the website without manual republishing.
What happens to bookings already in Hostaway?
Nothing changes. Existing bookings stay in Hostaway. New bookings from your CraftedStays site flow back into Hostaway in real time, so your operations team works in one place. We don't take a cut of bookings; you keep the full guest payment minus standard payment processing fees.
How long does the Hostaway direct booking website build take?
Most operators are looking at their first preview within 15 minutes of connecting Hostaway, and live within a week. Compared to a custom WordPress agency build (8–14 weeks, $15k–$50k), it's a different tier of speed.
Can I move my existing domain?
Yes. Bring your existing domain (yourbrand.com) and we'll handle DNS + SSL. If you have an existing site, we'll set up redirects so your SEO equity transfers cleanly.
What if Hostaway changes their API?
That's our problem, not yours. We maintain the integration. Hostaway API changes are handled by our engineering team without you needing to lift a finger.
How does CraftedStays optimize for AI search visibility?
Every CraftedStays site ships with schema markup (Article, FAQPage, Organization, Quotation, Product/Offer, BreadcrumbList) on every commercial page. FAQ accordions are structured for AI engines to lift directly. Citation-friendly content patterns — named entities, dated quotes, specific data — are baked into the templates. We publish original quarterly research on what patterns ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude cite, then build the findings into the platform.
