Migration guide
Switch from Hostaway to FrontDesk
Export reservations from Hostaway as CSV and import them into FrontDesk; each listing becomes a room and guest name, email, phone and dates map on upload.
1. Export from Hostaway
- In Hostaway, open Reservations.
- Filter check-in from today onwards and status to confirmed/new only.
- Export to CSV.
Menu names change between Hostaway versions and plans; if yours differ, look for the reservation list or report with an export button. We have no commercial relationship with Hostaway.
2. Import into FrontDesk
Upload the file in Import. FrontDesk pre-fills the mapping from the header wording below (there is no Hostaway-specific preset yet); any column it does not recognise you assign by hand in the mapping step, before anything is written.
First nameGuest nameNameA single full-name column lands in the first-name field whole; that is enough to import, and you can split it later on the guest profile.
Last nameSurnameEmailE-mailPhoneMobileTelephoneRoomRoom nameUnitCheck-inArrivalArrival dateCheck-outDepartureDeparture dateAdultsChildrenNotesCommentsHeaders are matched without regard to capitals or extra spaces; where several are listed, the first one found is used.
Specific to Hostaway
- • There is no Hostaway-specific preset yet: the import reads the header wording (table above), and the status column is not read, so leave cancelled and no-show bookings out of the export.
- • The listing name is your room: create FrontDesk rooms with the same names as your Hostaway listings (or their internal nicknames, whichever column you export) and map it to Room.
- • Owner statements, automated messages and task rules stay in Hostaway; export anything you need for your records before closing the account.
How the import behaves
- Create your rooms in FrontDesk first. The room column must match a FrontDesk room name exactly (case does not matter); a row whose room is not found is skipped and listed with the reason.
- Arrival and departure are required, as is a guest name (first, last or full). Dates with a time ("03/10/2026 14:00") and local day/month orders are converted automatically.
- Guests are de-duplicated by email, then by first + last name, so a repeat guest keeps a single profile.
- A row that overlaps an existing booking on the same room is refused, so importing the same file twice does not create duplicates.
- Formats: .xlsx, .xls or .csv, first sheet, one reservation per row, headers in the first row.
- Nothing is written until you confirm: you see the detected preset, the column mapping (editable) and a preview of the first rows.
What does not migrate
The import brings guests and reservations. Everything else stays in Hostaway or is set up again:
- Rate plans and seasons: the stay total comes across when the export has a price column (mapped to Stay total, read as an amount in your property currency), but rate plans, seasons and payment history do not. Rebuild rates in FrontDesk for new bookings.
- Payments, deposits and stored card tokens: tokens belong to the old PMS's payment provider and cannot be moved. Deposits already taken stay in your old payment account; note them on the reservation.
- Folios, invoices and historical charges: FrontDesk starts its own invoice series. Keep the old PMS export (or its invoice PDFs) for accounting and tax retention.
- Reservation status and source: every imported row becomes a confirmed reservation with source "Import Excel". Rows whose status column says cancelled or no-show are dropped automatically; checked-out past stays should be filtered out before upload, or they come in as confirmed.
- Guest ID documents, nationality and date of birth: only name, email and phone are imported for the guest profile.
- Channel manager mappings and OTA connections: reconnect in FrontDesk through Channex (two-way, a separate subscription) or iCal feeds, and map room types again.
- Rooms, room types, rate plans, restrictions, users, housekeeping history and reports: set these up in FrontDesk; the import only creates guests and reservations.
And if you ever leave FrontDesk: Settings → Data export downloads your reservations, guests, invoices and payments as Excel or CSV, for one property or the whole group, on every plan. No ticket, no fee, no waiting.
How long it takes
Small property (up to ~20 rooms)
30–60 minutes
Create rooms, export future reservations, import (cancelled rows are skipped). Most of the time goes into rooms and rates, not the file.
Mid-size hotel (20–150 rooms)
Half a day
Same steps; export by month or quarter so any refused rows are easy to fix, and reconnect channels on the switch-over day.
Large hotel or group
About a day per property
The import runs on the property you have open, so do one property at a time: start with a pilot property, check the planner against the old PMS, then repeat. Channel reconnection and staff logins take longer than the import itself.
Estimates for the whole switch, not measurements: the file import itself takes minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is FrontDesk built for large rental portfolios?
FrontDesk is a hotel PMS that also fits aparthotels and serviced apartments run like a hotel. If most of your work is owner accounting across hundreds of owners, a rental-specific tool may still suit you better.
Does the channel (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) come across?
No. Imported reservations get the source "Import Excel". Keep the original export if you need channel reporting for past bookings.
Can I test the import before I commit?
Yes. The 14-day trial needs no credit card and includes the import: create a couple of rooms, upload a real export and look at the result in the planner. The demo at /demo shows a sample hotel with no sign-up at all.
Try the import with your own Hostaway file
The demo runs on a sample hotel with no forms or sales calls; the 14-day trial needs no credit card.