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Service fee avoidance - great app for those looking for direct owner contact

Thanks for all these options Dave123. Looking at the Home Escape site I see a few listings that are also on Homeaway and Airbnb - I will look more closely and compare prices as I wonder whether owners might just increase their prices so that renters pay the same total price as they would if they booked through the other sites.

I booked through VRBO/Homeaway in 2016 before the changes and everything was fine. However, I am a bit wary of Homeaway now given all the terrible reviews by owners and travellers. I use Airbnb but don't like the traveller fees and the fact that if you cancel the booking fee is still charged. I kept all the email contact details for the owners we stayed with in Italy in 2016 but as it was a trip with my sisters and we had 2 bedroom places I would be unlikely to use these again for my husband and I when we travel. We don't tend to return to the same places exactly.

Perhaps we could all share details for direct contact with owners for nice apartments we have rented on this forum? However, not all owners seem open to direct bookings. We have stayed twice at an apartment in Melbourne through Airbnb and I have the owners phone number and have suggested booking direct with him (as in paying him cash on arrival) but he prefers to do it all through Airbnb for his own ease of keeping records for tax purposes. The issue of having your booking cancelled happens with Airbnb also but perhaps the refund process is easier and I imagine that they would refund the traveller booking fee in these instances.

I'll be interested to read of success in booking and staying at a rental through these alternative sites.
Michelle
 
Both of our vacation rentals for 2019 have bypassed the mainstream advertising process, by booking directly (one owner has a web page, traceable via judicious searching).

Homelidays seemed to manage for many years without also charging the traveller, until they were acquired by Homeaway.

However, the dominance of the larger operators in the vacation rental market arguably allows them to charge both parties in the transaction, whilst offering a service of questionable value to the traveller (why is there no 'contact us' facility on the web site ?)

"Owners Direct, part of HomeAway, claims the extra money generated will be used to invest in brand marketing, build customer confidence and improve technology."

Travemole - Owners Direct slammed for 'greedy' booking fee, June 2016
http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?news_id=2022566

Finally: "The issue of having your booking cancelled happens with Airbnb also but perhaps the refund process is easier and I imagine that they would refund the traveller booking fee in these instances."

Try here for travellers' experiences:

https://www.airbnbhell.com/airbnb-guest-stories/

Good luck ?!
 
I prefer Google hotels. Nothing is really direct, the agent will charge owner provision or annually. Only what you can call direct is going to straight to reception where you will be charged more than online. Online you can get many discounts.
 

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