The word is out. Airbnb, VRBO.com, HomeAway, and TripAdvisor charge fees to consumers.
Unlike in the hotel industry, where the booking fees are passed on to the hotels, these sites are charging guests for the use of their online catalogs. And the charges are not insignificant with an additional 6 to 20 percent surcharge added to the rental rate, which translates to consumers paying hundreds of dollars more just to use these big websites.
But there is hope. With a little extra sleuthing, travelers can avoid fees and guarantee a better experience for their next vacation rental.
5 Ways to Bypass Fees and Book Directly with the Vacation Rental Manager or Owner
1. Search Google Local
When searching for a vacation rental, scroll past the paid listings (that say Ad in small letters underneath them) down to the Google Local listings next to the map. Click on the map find a treasure trove of local listings for vacation rentals.
2. Use Convention and Visitors Bureaus and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)
Convention and Visitors Bureaus and DMOs are tax-funded and provide listings of vacation rental management companies and homeowners. Plus there is an added benefit. Since these sites are funded by tax dollars, guests can rest assured that the listings, management companies, and owners are licensed and providing legitimate vacation experiences.
3. Try Google Image Search
Using Google image search, travelers can search photos instead of marketplace sites to find the right rental for their family. Additionally, if you find a home you love on Airbnb or VRBO, try copying the picture into Google image search to find the original source of the photo.
4. Look for Clues in Descriptions
If you do find the perfect home on one of the big sites, look for clues in the description, in photo captions, or in reviews leading directly to the owner or manager. If that fails, copy the description into the Google browser to find the direct source of the booking.
5. Check out Facebook
Don’t neglect Facebook in the search for a perfect vacation home. Almost all homeowners and managers have Facebook pages. A Facebook search may take as long as a search on Airbnb, but at least you are communicating directly with the owner or manager and saving a ton of money in the process. Plus, there are a ton of great reviews on Facebook.
Many of the best home and deals are not even listed on the big websites because of the costs and headaches of working with these channels. In addition, vacation rental managers and owners have intimate knowledge of the area and their homes and can provide local, insider information that makes the stay exponentially better. Plus, they often have deals and tips on how to optimize your dates and budget.
Besides saving money, booking directly with the vacation home manager or owner provides travelers with an all-around better experience.
My wife and I have always wanted to go vacationing on other states but don’t really know where to start looking for listings. It really helped when you suggested using conventions and visitor bureaus as guides for listings so that we can have trusted reviews and recommendations, as this was one of my wife’s biggest concerns. We’ll be using these tips to hopefully plan our vacations out in advance and then look for a vacation home rental service to accommodate us when we know where to go. Thank you!
Excellent article, it is easy to bypass the OTAs and go direct to the owners and score big discounts. Like you said, most owners leave little bits of hints. Airbnb is SO BIG most of its formerly manual scrubbing was turned over to the automated department so at least right now its easy to bypass the AI you know what I mean? Like please contact me at spiderlakecottage COMmunication and I can offer some great deals. Eventually, that ability will diminish and we will have to think of different ways to skip around the systems.