Which is better or you prefer VRBO or AirBnB? (rentals, hotel, hotels)

[SunnyKayak]

I never used either service and looking to book a condo or room in an ocean front hotel in Myrtle Beach.
In this city if you never been its basically wall to wall hotel resorts.In years past, I typically book several months ahead directly with hotel for several reasons.

Talking to hotel I get more preference of room verses using a discount site like Expedia, etc..
Plus I noticed there higher fees and the resort typically only allows some and certain rooms.

Anyways, getting back to my thread question. Since Im booking later than in past the hotel rates are higher than I desire.
I have been skimming both AirBnB and Vrbo and I come across a few rentals im interested in but what are draw backs or caution I should take?
I ran across a VRBO listing I like but it has no reviews. I look at that member profile and name of Account is 'Manager' who has been a member since 2003.
Im thinking it must be a manager of the resort who owns one of the condos especially since the photos are professional shots.
Another reason is there no added fees for cleaning etc, just normal hotel tax.

If you have used both Airbnb and Vrbo, which do you like better and do you prefer doing it from an app or laptop?

Thanks

[earthlyfather]

Have limited experience with vrbo/homeaway - two rentals (a beachfront hi-rise condo and a beachfront humongous house for a family reunion). Airbnb experience is about 12 to 15 rentals from airbnb, almost exclusively the whole house, studio, condo, apartment. Airbnb is from major cities, Rome, DC, Nashville and smaller towns in Italy.

Both VRBO experiences were great, properties as represented on the internet, market priced and owners very attentive and available. Airbnb has mostly good to great, as per VRBO, although there were a couple of 'bummer' experiences with airbnb hosts/properties this Spring in Italy. Airbnb has been better priced; as in cheaper than a hotel, more spacious and well-located. be aware of cancellation policies as they vary from property to property, booking site-to-site.

I can recommend either. Here are a couple of caveats. Like any lodging, know where the placemis in reference to what you are doing, need to be near and if depending on public transportation that it is convenient to get too. We noticed this year, that airbnb is attracting more businesses as 'hosts'. This is a negative to us, in that one loses the local host/home welcoming feel. These are business people who are advertising on multiple sites, at different price points and will take the best deal (sometimes booking.com will not charge as much as airbnb, or visa versa). We like the personal touch airbnb brought to the market initially. Over the past four years, we have seen a diminunition of the personal touch that first attracted us to airbnb.

Hope this helps.

[StealthRabbit]

I have had great success with homeaway, and I prefer initial contact via email, ALWAYS to follow with a phone call and references.

I only have need of this in international resort destinations that might be short on my usual $10 / night superb accommodations.
Hospitality exchange - Wikitravel

I don't enjoy the 'solitude' of sterile travel (hotels and the like)

[SandyJet]

VRBO gets the better more expensive listings that generally are for long time periods and renter pays no fees.

AIRBNB is much better for short stays at smaller places.

VRBO you rent entire place. AIRBNB you could be renting with owner home.

AIRBNB sometimes charges by person or has a limit.

I rent my place on VRBO and AIRBNB and like VRBO better as I get more flakey folk on AIRBNB contacting me.

[DefiantNJ]

Rented from VRBO/HomeAway a number of times. Rented apartments in Barcelona and Budapest about six years ago. The experience was great to good, especially the apartment in Budapest. It was a huge one bedroom in the center, renovated with AC, a balcony and two bathrooms. It was walking distance to the Metro, restaurants and supermarkets. All that for about $80 per night or so...

This year rented in Montreal & Quebec, Canada. Overall not bad, but there were some not so pleasant surprises that were not mentioned in the listing. But overall, we still received clean, spacious accomodations that are larger then the hotel room and substantially cheaper...

[SunnyKayak]

Thanks, this helpful verses reviews from the apps themselves. Especially as of late on vrbo. Ton of praise from property owners so I couldn't get a vibe.
I'm also skeptic on paying someone I don't know there credibility.

[Roadking2003]

I've rented more than 20 homes from VRBO/Homeaway over the past ten years in three different countries. I've never had a bad experience (only a few things that needed to be addressed). Our house sizes have ranged from 2 bedrooms to 10 bedrooms. All were houses, not condos.

[kavm]

I have rented with both AirBnB as well as VRBO. Generally positive experiences with both, but one really poor experience with AirBnB in Stockholm which spoiled our vacation. While AirBnB acknowledged it and we got some discount, it was still a poor experience. And, when I found that AirBnB subtly edited our negative review of the property and it remained listed without any loss of rating or poor review for the future renters - I canceled my membership there.

That said, you can have poor experience anywhere...

[biscuitmom]

DH & I have used VRBO and Homeaway dozens of times over the past several years, and AirBnB twice. We try to avoid AirBnB for these reasons:

AirBnB requires potential renters to upload an image of a passport or drivers license before they can proceed with a booking. They of course say they don't "share" it but in this time of hacks, it makes me nervous.
They also require the renter pay a nonrefundable 6.5% booking fee.

VRBO and Homeaway don't require you to give them sensitive information.
Any listing/booking fees are paid by the owner. Some owners list with both VRBO or Homeaway and alslo AirBnB. In those cases, all sites usually show the same rental rates so if you go through AirBnB, you'll pay 6.5% more for the same place.

Also AirBnB requires all communications between the owner and renter be processed through their website messaging. If we have concerns about a place, we prefer to talk to the owner by phone. There are some strange owners and renters, and they're both easier to flush out by phone.

Although we've never had a bad experience with any of the sites (we're vey cautious and do our research) we prefer VRBO and Homeaway.

[Jkgourmet]

SunnyKayak - if you are still open to a hotel, check out the deals on Groupon. They have been running sone great stuff on myrtle Beach lately. Otherwise, I'd go with vrbo and tread carefully.