VRBO, AirBnB and Tripadvisor think again before you rent from those sites.? (vacation, properties)

[whtviper1]

Isn't the BOOK IT button on VRBO? I was looking at Homeaway.

So, I looked at Homeescape just now - a bit of a clunkier interface (type in Kona and you have to scroll down to actually find Kona, HI) -

We can agree to disagree - but there is no way I would use a site that you can't make the actual booking on - unless I'm mistaken (and I might be), you can only make the booking directly with the owner. Way to many scams/identity theft, etc for me to ever consider that - and it is an extra step that I personally wouldn't want to play the waiting game for an owner to contact me.

A lot of places on Homeescape have no reviews - another issue for me.

[1freespirit]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Isn't the BOOK IT button on VRBO? I was looking at Homeaway.

So, I looked at Homeescape just now - a bit of a clunkier interface (type in Kona and you have to scroll down to actually find Kona, HI) -

We can agree to disagree - but there is no way I would use a site that you can't make the actual booking on - unless I'm mistaken (and I might be), you can only make the booking directly with the owner. Way to many scams/identity theft, etc for me to ever consider that - and it is an extra step that I personally wouldn't want to play the waiting game for an owner to contact me.

A lot of places on Homeescape have no reviews - another issue for me.

Yes "Book It" on VRBO means the same as "Request to Book" on HomeAway they are owned by the same company both options start the 24 hour booking clock. On HomeAway above the "Request to book" button is this message. Confirmation within 24 hours

Yes HomeEscape is a newer site so still a learning curve for them but they are working on it and since a newer site not alot of reviews yet.

Another free site for travelers to search is www.vacationHomeRentals.com they are part of TripAdvisor/Flipkey but the listings on this site they do not charge owners and travelers just us owners. A few more listings on that site but that site really is not very user friendly in my opinion.

Boy your getting good fast on searching sites if you just recently tried Homeway today and have so many good things to say about them but understand as you stated this is your fist time of even looking at the site.

Way to many scams/identity theft, etc for me to ever consider that: I agree me as a owner do not want just anyone renting our property without the ability to screen them first there are many scammers out their on both sides not only property owners. You hear of horror stories from both sides..

I personally would rather check out my own rental prospects by doing my own investigative work on a property before I decided to book as a traveler! I myself would never book anything without some type of direct communication first.

A scammer is more apt to post a fraudulent home on a listing site or a site like craigslist then a property that offers their own vacation rental website specifically for their home or one that is part of a private network of vacation rental properties for owners and travelers such as a network referral service run by owners and travelers direct. I would trust those types more so especially now with all the changes in the industry but then that is me it might not be for everyone.

As an owner I would NEVER just allow someone to stay at our home simply by clicking "book It" that I have not even communicated with as We stand to loose much more of an investment on a home being damaged to a group of party goers or have 7 young children under the age of 10 etc. or being robbed blind of furnishing furniture etc a few $1,000 that a traveler may risk loosing on a scam property is nothing compared to the risk a owner is taking. Nor would I rent to someone where the credit card did not match the main renters name. Something VRBO/HomeAway does not verify.

A Coin does have both sides.

I suggest everyone use their due diligence whenever reserving a Vacation Rental Home. Do not book until you are comfortable. Even booking direct through listings sites that say they offer protection against scammers this may not be the case. I would also not rent a place that had no reviews unless I felt totally comfortable with my decision and or the property was referred to me by someone who stayed there already. For some they may feel booking through a listing site direct is best for them and for others it may not be.

I suggest for people to read reviews on both listing sites and individual properties prior before making the decision on how or where/who/how they want to rent a vacation rental or hotel or any type of lodging for that matter.

Some HomeAway review complaints for both sides.

HomeAway Reviews - Consumer Reviews of Homeaway.com | SiteJabber

VRBO review: again from both sides.

VRBO Reviews - Consumer Reviews of Vrbo.com | SiteJabber

Consumer affairs: VRBO

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/vrbo.html

Same goes with TripAdvisor and AirBnB read consumer reviews.

We live in a world where there are bad people everywhere unfortunately!

So PLEASE Everyone use due diligence and only pass funds over when you feel safe in doing so. You may not have the protection you think you have.

I'm ready to drop this discussion I think people have enough information to make their own decisions when booking going forward and what may be the most comfortable route for them.

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Originally Posted by 1freespirit

Irish Eyes: I just sent you a private message. When your ready to look for a vacation rental on the Big Island or anywhere for that matter. Contact me (Private message) I am a member of a network of multiple vacation rental owners and travelers. We have our own traveler referral network between travelers and owners. You can communicate with the owners direct and you will not have any booking or service fees. Additionally these are all safe and legitimate rentals. We are not a business or corporation we are simply a group vacation rental owners that care about our properties and wish to be in direct communication with those who are considering staying in our home. Our network is growing each and every day. We believe in old fashioned "customer service" something the Big Boy sites are trying to take away.

If anyone is interested may also PM me I would be happy to share the information.

Got it! Will check it out more closely, later, though. I've been "under the weather" for a few days....

[je4xff]

I know a couple people that work at HomeAway who have expressed concerns over some of the new changes from Expedia.

As an aside note, VRBO is such an interesting success story. I remember using it in the late 90's to look for rentals on Kauai. It was founded by a couple (Dave & Lynn Clouse) in 1995 so that they could list their single Breckenridge ski condo vacation home online. It was the very beginning of the internet as we know it. They soon began to offer listings on VRBO for a small yearly fee (< ~$100), and over the course of a decade built the business up to almost 40 employees. By the time HomeAway purchased VRBO in 2006, they were getting over 100 new listings each day. The purchase by HomeAway was one of HomeAway's smartest moves ever. HomeAway's business model has been to dominate the online search results by owning page 1 of all vacation rental related searches made on Google. By gobbling up as many vacation rental sites as possible, just about any vacation rental search phrase now ultimately leads back to one of HomeAway owned listings. Anyways, its kind of fun to think about how a small family business website has now become part of a giant global mega-corporation.

I also use VRBO and Airbnb. Thanks for the info on the alternative options - I'll be looking into those for next time.

[ComoAmero]

I've been very happy using VRBO for the last 2 years, but why should I pay a fee when I'm the one doing the searching and "due diligence"? I also remember reading that if you have to cancel the reservation, even if you get 100% refund from the owner, you still forfeit the VRBO fee. No thanks.
I'll be doing what the OP suggested and searching initially on VRBO. When I find a property I'm interested in, I'll either check out one of the listed sites, or just Googling until I find a listing where I can contact the owner directly.
Yes, VRBO has a right to double-dip all they want, but I also have the right to move on. I hope a large percentage of their customers do.

[kauailover]

I have used vrbo almost every year for the last decade. No more!
If they decide to drop this service fee I might reconsider, but with the price of a rental, tax and cleaning fee enough is enough.

[tpirsig]

Originally Posted by ComoAmero

I also remember reading that if you have to cancel the reservation, even if you get 100% refund from the owner, you still forfeit the VRBO fee. No thanks..

Not true, we just had a guest cancel and VRBO gave a 100% refund to them.

[67Cam]

We're coming to the Big Island for 10 days in November (before/during/after Thanksgiving). I had wanted to rent a house for a couple days in different areas - Hamakua area, Puna/Kapoho Vacationland & possibly Volcano - but after seeing all the charges and fees when looking at VRBO I don't think I can justify it. The cleaning fees at each place add the equivalent of a nights rental. Renting 3 different places over the time we'll be there is a lot of money in cleaning fees. Add that to the other fees/charges and the cost just balloons.

We'll be buying plane tickets towards the end of the month and still not sure what we're going to do for lodging...

[1freespirit]

Originally Posted by 67Cam

We're coming to the Big Island for 10 days in November (before/during/after Thanksgiving). I had wanted to rent a house for a couple days in different areas - Hamakua area, Puna/Kapoho Vacationland & possibly Volcano - but after seeing all the charges and fees when looking at VRBO I don't think I can justify it. The cleaning fees at each place add the equivalent of a nights rental. Renting 3 different places over the time we'll be there is a lot of money in cleaning fees. Add that to the other fees/charges and the cost just balloons.

We'll be buying plane tickets towards the end of the month and still not sure what we're going to do for lodging...

67Cam I sent you a private message - maybe I can offer you something we had a cancellation on our vacation rental for November so we have some dates opened up. Our rental home is in the Puna area. You could deal direct with us the owner and bypass the fee's etc on the listings sites.

[Scooby Snacks]

I'm glad I dug up this thread. I'm going on a long vacation and just discovered Air B&B is now charging renters a "service fee." So they want their customers to pay them a fee for making them money as well as charging the owners for renting out their properties with their advertising. I don't think so I much prefer renting homes and apartments owned by individuals over renting hotels, but it looks like we will be doing hotels this time. If we paid all these service fees they are asking for, it would tack on an at least an extra $120+ to our 15 night stay in multiple cities. We already abandoned VRBO when they added these fees onto every one of their rentals.