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Did you know when you book a vacation rental through any of the online travel platforms (OTA’S) like VRBO, ABNB, Tripadvisor, Booking.com, you pay a "travelers fee" or “guest fee” to the booking company?
That fee is "dynamic" and what you pay, percentage wise, depends on factors such as how many people are in the party, the total amount of the stay, the time of day you book, and "secret" algorithms that each company determines. VRBO’s average booking fee is about 14%. Abnb fees are 14-16%. That "fee" is paid to the booking company, NOT the owner of the rental. They bundle in that fee with taxes and housekeeping to “hide” what you are paying - and it works!
Not only does the booking company charge the guest a "fee" but they can also charge the owner a fee for listing on the site. To offset that cost, the owner will oftentimes increase the rates on the booking platforms.
When you book directly with the owner, you will usually benefit from lower rates, and no travelers fees.
If you find a rental on VRBO or Abnb, "Look, but don't Book" and try to find that owner directly by googling the name of their rental. Most owners want you to book direct so they will leave breadcrumbs, "hints" in their listing on how to find them. Owners who list on the platforms are not allowed to give any contact info or divert the booking off platform. IF you contact an owner, via the messaging feature on the platform, the owner is obligated to book on the platform or they get “de-listed”. These 3rd party platforms have AI and bots that scan all messages and detect keywords, contact info and anything related to “booking direct”. The owner cannot refer you to their website, phone number, email, etc without getting booted from the particular online booking platform. wix
Just like renting a car, buying a plane ticket, booking a hotel room, if you book direct, you pay no booking fees and if you book through a site like Expedia (who owns VRBO), you pay huge fees.
Additionally, The booking company immediately charges your credit card but if you need to cancel? The booking “fees” are not refundable and it will take anywhere from 5 days to 3 weeks for the money to be credited to your account.
There is nothing wrong with booking through a travel platform. Some people are more comfortable doing so. Some owners do not have websites or the capability of booking guests direct. Many “new” owners (post covid) don’t have websites or the experience to know how to book guests direct. They also are mistakenly under the assumption that if they book guests through ABNB, they are “covered” with insurance, however that is not the case. Every property owner who has a “transient” rental needs to have liability insurance as well as regular commercial property insurance. Many do not. Why? Because it’s expensive! The “aircover” insurance, thru Abnb, is not going to cover major liability in the event a guest is injured. It won’t re-build the home if it burns down. Is the person you are booking a vacation rental from insured?
Finally, booking directly with the owner gives you the opportunity to talk first hand to a “real” person. If you have questions, call, text or email the owner directly. Through the OTA’s sometimes their messaging system is delayed so if you have an emergency need, it could be hours that your message is delayed to the owner.
Booking direct is a win-win for both owner and the guest. On an average 2 day stay, you will save around 14-16%. That’s enough to pay for breakfast and lunch in Mentone for 2 days.
Follow our facebook pages for both Mountainwood cottages and Claudia’s Caboose for any last minute deals and cancellations. Please contact us through the Contact page for questions.