HostBuddy Feature Evolution: A Timeline of Innovation
At HostBuddy, our mission has always been clear: make hosting easier, smarter, and more connected. Over the past months, we’ve rolled out major updates that push guest communication and property management into a new era. Here’s the journey so far — a story of innovation, told through the milestones we’ve released.
8/20/2025 – Action Item Expansion: Categories + Manual Creation 🗂️✍️
Action items are at the heart of how HostBuddy keeps your operations organized. With this release, we expanded their power in two major ways: Custom Categories and Manual Action Items.
Custom Action Item Categories
By default, HostBuddy provides five preset categories — Cleanliness, Guest Requests, Maintenance, Reservation Changes, and Other (non-editable). Now, you can fully customize this system:
Edit or delete preset categories (except “Other”)
Create new categories with specific names and descriptions
Route issues automatically to the right team members
Example: Create a custom category called Electrical Issues with the description “Anything related to power outages or electrical malfunctions.” HostBuddy AI will classify relevant items there, and you can route notifications directly to your electrician — ensuring fast, accurate responses.
Manual Action Items
Not everything happens inside HostBuddy’s automated detection. That’s why we added the ability to create your own action items directly in guest conversations. Manual action items are perfect when:
A guest raises an issue during a phone call or outside of the platform
You want to leave a note or follow-up for your team
You need to tie a task directly to a specific reservation
Every manual action item is visible in your Action Items portal and linked to the right guest, so nothing falls through the cracks.
The Impact
Together, custom categories and manual creation give you total control over how issues are flagged, organized, and resolved. No matter the scenario, HostBuddy ensures the right problems reach the right people at the right time.
7/31/2025 – Communication Revolution Continues: OpenPhone Integration Now Live! 📞
HostBuddy’s transformation into the ultimate unified communication hub takes another leap forward with OpenPhone integration.
Now, SMS messages and call records join WhatsApp and PMS messaging in a single inbox. With smart number matching, transcript summaries, vendor communication management, and manual linking, every interaction — from a guest text to a vendor update — is seamlessly organized under one roof.
Together with WhatsApp Business and PMS channels, OpenPhone ensures you have complete visibility across all guest and vendor touchpoints — without ever juggling multiple apps.
6/17/2025 – Take Control: Custom Action Item Instructions
Not every host wants automation to work the same way — so we gave you control.
With Custom Action Item Instructions, you define the rules for what deserves your attention. Want HostBuddy to flag pet mentions but ignore broken ceiling fan complaints? Done. This release lets you fine-tune automation by property, reduce noise, and focus on what matters most.
6/12/2025 – Your HostBuddy Inbox Just Got a MAJOR Upgrade
This was the biggest inbox overhaul in HostBuddy history.
We introduced a completely redesigned interface, intelligent auto-tagging, advanced filtering, smart conversation management, and team collaboration tools like private notes and conversation assignment.
But the real game-changer? WhatsApp Business integration. Finally, Airbnb and WhatsApp conversations flow into one place, automatically matched to reservations. A giant step toward truly unified guest communication.
6/9/2025 – New Integration Alert: Hostfully Digital Guidebooks
Your AI messaging became more personal and powerful with the launch of our Hostfully Guidebooks integration.
HostBuddy AI can now reference your guidebooks directly — from check-in instructions to local tips — making guest responses smarter, more personalized, and upsell-friendly. Updates sync in real time, ensuring your AI always speaks with your latest knowledge.
4/25/2025 – Smarter Boundaries with Topics to Avoid 🚦
This release introduced Topics to Avoid, giving you more control over when HostBuddy should not respond.
Think of them as red lights for AI: booking changes, access codes, maintenance issues — you decide when the AI steps aside so your team can take over. Combined with SOPs (the green lights), this gave hosts a full playbook for intelligent, balanced automation.
We also enhanced SOP reasoning, improved calendar understanding, and added language preference controls, ensuring HostBuddy works seamlessly across every scenario.
The Road Ahead
From smarter automation to unified communication, every release has been about one thing: giving hosts more control, context, and confidence. And we’re just getting started. With email integration, bulk messaging, and more on the horizon, the future of hosting is looking brighter — and more connected — than ever.