What iCal sync is
iCal (short for iCalendar) is a standard file format for exchanging calendar data. In the short-term rental and hotel industry, most booking channels, channel managers, and PMS platforms publish an iCal feed listing each property’s reservations — typically just arrival date, departure date, and a reservation reference, without full guest details.
Why it’s used for reservation verification
Because iCal feeds are widely supported and don’t require a custom-built integration for every platform, they’re a practical way for a compliance tool like Best Guest to check that a submitted guest registration corresponds to a real, confirmed reservation — without needing deep API access to every channel manager or PMS on the market.
Its limits
iCal feeds are read-only and typically don’t include full guest identity details, pricing, or two-way sync — they’re not a replacement for a direct API integration where one is available, and they can lag slightly behind real-time reservation changes depending on how often the source platform refreshes the feed. For many platforms, Best Guest also supports direct integrations alongside iCal.
Informational only
This page is provided for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Rates, deadlines and exemptions are set by law and municipal ordinances and can change — always verify current requirements with your municipality or a qualified advisor.