![]() ![]() TripAdvisor-owned FlipKeyįlipKey is a vacation rental site offering “rentals and private rooms for every kind of trip.” When you search for listings, the property’s TripAdvisor starred rating appears on each photo, as well as the distinction of “Certificate of Excellence” if applicable. What if you don’t want trip insurance? And that’s on top of tax and the service and processing fees, which seemingly should be combined. I didn’t understand why additional fees like “accidental waiver fee” and trip insurance are added to the total with no explanation or option for removal. ![]() There is no pet option in the initial search bar. ![]() Listing photos suggest homes with more unique character/aesthetic appeal. You pay half of the total upfront and the second half prior to your arrival. And there is a free cancellation option for a certain period of time. ProsĪs with HomeAway and VRBO, it’s easy to size up the location as you browse listings. Many listings have a longer minimum stay threshold of five or seven nights. I did notice there were fewer NYC listings, suggesting this site is geared more toward beach houses and country getaways than short-term urban rentals. However, the nightly rates on listings I browsed in NYC and Rehoboth Beach, DE, weren’t significantly cheaper than HomeAway and VRBO. seems geared more toward budget-conscious travelers. Many of the listing photos look like generic rentals rather than someone’s home. A second option had a smaller damage deposit but also a cleaning fee. One listing I reviewed didn’t have a cleaning fee but it did ask for a refundable $400 damage deposit. ![]() The amount of each is at the owner’s discretion. Some owners ask for a cleaning fee and/or a refundable damage deposit. VRBO’s additional fees vary more than any other site I reviewed except for. When you fill out the reservation request form, you’re told that “taxes and fees” are included in the total, but you have to click on “show details” to see the exact breakdown. You can also search for pet-friendly rentals and enjoy the convenience of seeing a listing’s location on the map as you hover over it. When I browsed properties in NYC I saw some of the same listings as on HomeAway, but in general VRBO has lower nightly rates. VRBO calls itself “the most popular vacation rental site in the US” as well as a place to search for short-term rentals. Depending on the nightly rate, this could be the equivalent of paying for one or two additional nights. For one sample listing I looked at, there was a $150 cleaning fee and a $140 service fee. ConsĮxtra fees don’t show until you request a reservation. You can take advantage of free cancellation for about a week after you book. When you book you only pay half the total upfront. This is helpful since many listing titles don’t mention a particular neighborhood. As you move your mouse over each listing, the corresponding dot on the map lights up. There is an option to search for pet-friendly homes. However, most listings have only a two or three-night minimum stay, so you could also use HomeAway for weekend getaways and other short trips. HomeAway offers “ vacation rentals” and “vacation homes”, suggesting a target audience of leisure travelers seeking week-long beach house or cabin rentals. Overall, the websites of these next three short-term rental sites are visually similar, but they vary in terms of average price, extra fees, property selection, and target audience. Since Expedia purchased the HomeAway family of alternative lodging sites in 2015, property owners and travelers have complained about policy changes including increased service fees and a review process that requires approval by owners (potentially leading to the exclusion of negative reviews). Some even pre-dating Airbnb, and many are owned by larger travel companies. These short-term rental sites have all been around for a while. Established Airbnb alternatives in the short-term rental marketĮstablished Airbnb alternatives in the short-term rental market. ![]()
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