You're getting ready to plan your next vacation and a hotel is definitely out of the question! You may be considering an Airbnb or looking at VRBO to provide your fur babies with a little extra leg room. You may have discovered that the expense of a hotel no longer outweighs the privacy, hosts and experiences that vacation rental homes and apartments have to offer. If you’re brand new to short-term rentals or if you’re a seasoned pro, here’s a list to have and rely on before booking with Airbnb or VRBO.
It’s important to understand that vacation rental homes provide a wide array of varieties from facilities and location to host experiences, interactions and pricing. There’s also the fact that the best way to feel at one in any community is by living in one of its private homes. Travelers choose short-term vacation rentals to select from shared spaces, private apartments, condos, or luxury estates that provide the additional freedom, affordability and accommodations that meet or exceed all of your at home conveniences.
Ready to Book Your Vacation Rental? Here’s what you need to know first.
1) How to Keep your Vacation on Budget
Travelers are learning how to vacation on a budget with savvy solutions and thinking outside of the box. The best method for affordable to traveling is to always begin with a budget. You can expect the bulk of the budget to go to flight and accommodations expenses. To control daily expenses, you may want to set a daily spending limit or use gift cards to for restaurant and shopping excursions. Another budget friendly opportunity is to take advantage of any credit cards that offer travel rewards and incentives. If you’re looking for deeper savings consider traveling during the off-season if your schedule allows. Last minute deals also offer travelers discounts up to 50% off standard pricing.
2) Immerse in the Vacation Experience
Vacation rentals are by far the best ways to immerse yourself in local cultures and experiences. The best travel takeaways are the memories, experiences and photos! It’s a truly special event when traveling around the world and witnessing amazing sights. To make sure that trips are unforgettable, many travelers are adding experiences that take vacationing to the next level. Whether you’re creating a bonding experience for the family or vacationing for a cause, you’ll be able to choose a location that offers adrenalin pumping adventures, local culture or ambiance. When you choose a short-term rental for your vacation home, you’ll be able to enjoy a private oasis after any adventure you choose.
3) Pay Attention to Reviews
In today’s client-centered business world, ratings and reviews are crucial for the success of business. When choosing a vacation home, most people begin with the photos then go straight to the reviews! Reviews help travelers determine if a property meets their specific needs. Vacation homes that have ranked highly with positive reviews help to instantly create trust and let’s travelers know that they’re in good hands. When searching for your vacation home, pay very close attention to the reviews. A property that has five-star ratings in cleanliness, location, condition and overall satisfaction will help to ensure that your vacation is one that is not only memorable but remarkable.
4) Direct Booking vs. The OTAs
Some travelers prefer booking with OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) because they have done amazing work to earn brand loyalty and offer modern user experiences. Most of the major brands create a perception of lower prices but don’t measure up when facing the extra service fees, commissions and added costs. Forward thinking travelers have learned that it pays to do their research and save money with direct booking. Direct bookings are reservations that are confirmed directly with the property manager or owner and allows you to cut out the middleman. Online travel agencies are also at a loss when it comes to the superior level of hospitality received by a personal booking experience and host.
5) Smart travelers don't pay for extra service fees.
If you decide to book with Airbnb or VRBO, be warned. The price you’ll pay is NOT the price displayed. You’re going to run into service fees, and taxes on top of the daily price. Smart travelers know that it saves money when they book direct! Booking a vacation rental on a travel agent site can cost 10-30% more. Sites like Home Away, Airbnb, VRBO, etc., all charge added fees. Most property owners who list on these sites are forced to pay a listing commission. Many property managers have to increase their rental rates on those platforms to help cover the extra expenses that the platform mandates. Book your property directly with the property owners or management companies and lower the cost of your vacation home or short-term property rental. Here's what Airbnb & VRBO don't want you to know:
- you are paying up to 18% more than you need to for the same property!
- you’re paying taxes on their service fees!
- and, your host probably has a direct booking channel for you to book on, but because of Airbnb and VRBO's terms of service, they can’t tell you!
6) How to Find Direct Bookings
Many VRBO and Airbnb hosts have decided to band together using direct booking websites to escape the constant fee cycles that are automatically imposed by the major brands. Hosts have more control with direct-booking and are able to provide flexible guest solutions when facing refund requests, cancellations, or damage claims. This flexibility is passed on to guests because the middleman is eliminated, lowering the bottom line. Same property, cheaper price! It’s not difficult to find direct bookings for your next vacation and you may notice that many of these sites come with a few extra perks that even Airbnb doesn’t yet support. When planning a vacation, we want to see photos or the next best thing, videos! Although, Airbnb doesn’t yet offer video functionality, many property managers are offering video tours on their direct websites. In addition to videos, you’ll be more likely to run into loyalty programs and referral discounts when you decide to go with direct booking over Airbnb and VRBO.
To find your next direct booking you can jump online and take advantage of the hundreds of Google and direct booking platforms to help you make an immediate connect with the property manager. You may want to begin with a simple Google search of the city and keyword that matches your preference. (Chicago, short-term-rental or Chicago, vacation rental) This type of search will lead you to websites listing local vacation properties but you’ll want to search through this list to avoid links directing you to online travel agencies. If you want to save even more time, check out all the adventures, experiences and luxury offered through these direct booking sites.
There is a site to highlight that doesn’t charge any “service fees” and connects travelers directly with hosts, worldwide. It’s HOUFY.COM and had been around and growing since 2014. Houfy provides travelers with an easy to use, modern site and user experience and does NOT charge booking fees and doesn’t limit or restrict communications.
Think of Houfy as a vacation rental networking site. It works to combine the best elements of social networks, marketplaces and real estate lodging professionals to travelers across the globe. Houfy hosts share “guidebooks” that share unique insights about their property, community and local experiences. Get ready to join the Houfy revolution and start saving up to 20% off the cost of your vacation rental. To get started, create a free account at Houfy.com. As a guest you’ll need to confirm your e-mail address and phone number before making a reservation. Booking direct means, you experience the very best that vacation rentals have to offer, but for less.
Put that extra savings back in your wallet or use it for extra vacation fun while you’re traveling. Remember to vacation well, vacation affordably and make every moment unforgettable!
Travelers Tip of the day!
Create a travel planning board on Pinterest! Set your plans in motion with simple planning, ahead of time!
Traveling to Northwest Phoenix area? This beautiful home in Surprise, Arizona is sure to delight the inner child in you! Sign up for the Queen's Rock Garden Adventure series and request the key to the Dream Room to begin your own customized adventure story.
CONNECT WITH A HOUFY HOST before you plan your next trip! Start here.
Stacey, the Heartshire Queen of Hearts
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