Location guide · Reviewed 2026-10-25

Holiday rental software in Victoria

Compare holiday rental software for Victorian owners and managers using a booking record that separates the marketplace, guest payment, refunds and reporting responsibility.

This guide compares software for hosts and property managers. StaySelect does not list accommodation or take guest bookings. Understand PMS and channel-management tools.

Currency

Australian dollar (AUD)

Channels to validate

Airbnb · Stayz / Vrbo connection to confirm · Booking.com · Direct bookings

Research status

Operational guide, not legal advice

Operating context

What the software needs to support.

Common property contexts

Melbourne apartments where the operating arrangement is permitted

Regional holiday homes and cottages

Mixed portfolios taking platform and direct bookings

Operational needs

Separate platform and direct-booking records

Fee and refund reconciliation

Consistent booking exports

Property-specific approval and levy checks

General regulation context

Verify the exact property.

Victoria has a short stay levy that may apply to eligible bookings. The State Revenue Office explains the applicable property types, responsibilities and records; the levy can be collected by a booking platform or host. Confirm the treatment of your property and booking arrangements with that source before configuring charges. Local planning requirements remain a separate check.

Victoria State Revenue Office: short stay levy

Official source linked for research. Regulations can change; check the source again before publishing or acting.

A Melbourne apartment and a regional holiday house need different briefs

The useful comparison starts with the allowed use of the property, the channels you sell through and the work you plan to move. An owner adding a direct-booking website has a different implementation task from a manager replacing guest messages across several properties. Describe that change before requesting a subscription quote.

Keep the local eligibility check separate from the software demo. A configured payment or a connected listing does not establish permission to operate. Ask the owner or relevant authority to settle that question, then document the records the team needs to maintain.

Test the booking ledger before relying on an export

Build one sample reservation with accommodation, cleaning, an optional extra and a partial refund. Ask which party charged each amount, where the original booking is identified and how the refund appears in the export. Compare a marketplace booking with a direct reservation using the same assumptions.

Have the person responsible for the records review that sample against the current SRO guidance. This guide does not certify a provider’s levy calculation or reporting integration. A useful system gives the team a record it can explain and reconcile; a generic promise of accounting support is not enough.

Your local demo

Test a real booking before choosing.

Operating scenarios for Victoria
Scenario	Evidence to request
Compare platform and direct reservations	Identify the source, property, dates, guest total, fees and responsible collecting party without combining unrelated charges.
Issue a partial refund	Reconcile the original reservation, adjustment and payout in a sample export that your recordkeeper can review.
Request a Victorian operating quote	Confirm AUD settlement, subscription currency, available payment services and any separate reporting work.

Use the full demo checklist and compare complete software costs with the same assumptions for every candidate.

Software shortlist

Best-fit starting points for this market.

Direct bookings and PMS

Lodgify

Hosts who want a direct-booking website alongside core operations

Evaluate the direct-booking site and reconcile the guest checkout with the resulting payment record.

Channel management

Smoobu

Small operators looking for a straightforward channel-management setup

Test channel records and compare the chosen fee model with the same booking assumptions.

Automation and operations

Hospitable

Small hosts prioritising guest communication and automation

Check whether the reservation context remains clear when automated messages and refunds intersect.

Dynamic pricing

PriceLabs

Hosts and managers who want dedicated pricing and revenue controls

Treat pricing as a separate decision layer; verify what reaches channels and keep payment or levy records with the responsible system.

Local questions

Frequently asked

Does StaySelect calculate Victoria’s short stay levy?

No. Use the State Revenue Office guidance to establish the treatment of the property and booking. Use the software demo to check whether the records and exports support the process your responsible adviser or recordkeeper requires.

Can a direct-booking website change my administration?

It can change who takes the guest payment and which records you maintain. Compare a direct reservation with a platform reservation before deciding that one subscription includes every reporting task.

What should I ask when comparing software for a Melbourne property?

Prepare your permitted operating arrangement, channels, currency and payment needs, then test a changed reservation and refund. Verify the exact property separately; a provider’s general availability does not establish local approval or a specific integration.