I am looking to speak with somebody with an actual reservation for a property through booking.com
Does the API integration update descriptions and pictures?
Am I correct to understand I need to manually create the property in booking.com, then connect it? (Not a problem, just looking to understand).
Almost all of the set-up is manual on Booking Dot Com's admin page, and it's an absolute PITA (the interface is TERRIBLE). That, plus the low quality of guest BDC attracts and the non-productivity of that channel in general, is why I've only bothered to set up two of my 11 properties with BDC.
I've hosted I think four guests from BDC. One of them left my property a filthy mess, and the other actually damaged things (nothing major, fortunately, but still). I was not able to collect from either guest (my listings were defaulting to "Payments By Booking," and I hadn't yet learned to collect CC info directly from BDC guests). I've since adjusted my BDC markup to 30% (to pay the 15% BDC commission plus an extra 15% "pain and suffering" fee for putting up with BDC). Ever since then, I've gotten exactly one booking that booked and then canceled a few days later (for travel next year).
I wouldn't bother.
