Airbnb vs. Vrbo....

[hsmamato2]

any advice on using these services? this isn't for a Disney trip, but we are planning a trip,and it looks like some excellent deals can be found at these sites. I don't understand 100% how they work, it appears to me that airbnb is more 'legit'....am I wrong? airbnb has prices,cancellation policies,all set up.....
the Vrbo listings seem less informative...and the ones that look good to me say things like 'once you pay,no refunds under any circumstances'..... which is easier to deal with? Looking for reviews,advice,anything!
is airbnb really a safer company to go through? on the surface,it seems more reassuring, but the vrbo listings are somewhat less expensive.....I am hesitating to use either,for fear something will go all wrong,and I'll lose my money in trying to save some

 

[hsmamato2]

and then there's flipkey......ahhh! any advice?

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

I have only used VRBO in the past. You are working directly with the owner so it really depends on the property you are looking at. We had a great experience with them renting a townhouse condo in the Orlando area.

 

[bjscheel]

We rented a Branson cabin through VRBO. I looked at a lot of cabins in the Gatlinburg area too. I felt good about the cabin we chose partly because of the personal information the owners shared about themselves and largely because of the large number of reviews they had on that property and their others.

It was a seamless transaction and everything was perfect. On vrbo, I would recommend you find something with many good reviews.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I got a great place in San Francisco with VRBO. I've had friends find places with Airbnb. I think it's six of one, half dozen of the other.

 

[kellia]

I've used VRBO a couple of times with no problem.

I thought you were guaranteed if something went wrong with VRBO, but looking at it now, maybe you aren't unless you pay extra? Or have they changed it in the past year?

 

[wnissen]

VRBO is Craigslist, AirBnB is eBay, to use an analogy.

VRBO puts all the responsibility on you, the renter, to make payments and handle the details of the booking. If something goes wrong (rental is not as pictured, owner absconds with your deposit, owners are chain smokers but did note that in the ad, etc.), VRBO will perform some limited mediation, but will wash their hands of the whole affair. That said, they have a lot of properties listed and I have used them on several occasions to locate rentals with great success.

AirBnB handles all the payments and holds them in escrow for 24 hours after check-in. That way you have the opportunity to fix a potential nightmare scenario. I have also used AirBnB successfully several times and they are always the place I check first.

 

[wekhogan]

Hadn't heard of Airbnb, but the above is great info. I've used VRBO to rent NH condos many times and used it for the Outer Banks. I've had no problems, but I've used the same owners multiple times if possible. I love VRBO

 

[JandJ]

We've used VRBO many times, even in other countries. We've never been disappointed. You are dealing directly with the property owner and they will have their own rules and policies. Generally, I read the reviews and the policies, look at the pictures, e-mail the owner to get a feel for them, and go from there. Many owners, especially in other countries, will have a contract for you to sign. I don't think we've ever rented from one that doesn't have a cancellation policy and don't think I would.

I like the analogy of VRBO is to Craigslist as Airbnb is to eBay - that makes sense!

 

[scrapbooksellman]

We used Aribnb for 3 different rentals in Europe. It was great. No problems, every place was just as described. Owners were great.

We used flipkey for a rental in Florida this past summer and it was great as well.

 

[AquaDame]

We've used VRBO several times in Hawaii with no issues; we have stayed in places that have many recent reviews and use our gut during our conversations with the owners. Getting ready for two more stays over the holidays!

 

[marykatmp]

We used AirBnB this summer for a house on Cape Cod and it was a great experience. I liked having another company backing everything and handling the financial aspects. We dealt with the owner individually and had great communication. I appreciate the safeguards of having someone else handling all financial aspects and having the cancellation policy and deposits firm through another party.

 

[badiggio]

We've used VRBO several times in Hawaii with no issues; we have stayed in places that have many recent reviews and use our gut during our conversations with the owners. Getting ready for two more stays over the holidays!

same here.we've stayed twice at the same unit at Ko OLINA Beach Villas ,next to aulani,and going back at the end of February.The units are gorgeous and VERY spacious,about 1400 sq ft.The reviews are a BIG help.

 

[hsmamato2]

wnissen...THANK YOU for that example! It does clarify the difference.... I like the variety on VRBO, but I like the 'company feel" on airbnb....and then I found a very nice looking place on flipkey...... right now I am leaning towards airbnb,simply for the idea that it seems somewhat 'safer'...... but again..... I guess,as with most travel,especially to somewhere new, reviews,reviews,reviews,right? Of course the best deals don't have any....and traveling with a family,I don't like to option of it not working out once we get there.....

 

[Deb & Bill]

There is also Homeaway. They offer protection on your purchase if you want to buy it. We've done both VRBO and Homeaway. Both places were very nice, very different and in different locations. One was a condo on the beach, the other a 100 yr old cabin in the Ozarks.

 

[blanq]

I have never used Airbnb but have used VRBO numerous times and have had great experiences every time. Sometimes you are dealing directly with an owner and sometimes a management company. Yes, many of these rentals places do have terms regarding cancellation and other things and it is wise to understand what you are getting into.

Last summer, DH and I booked a condo in Keystone Colorado through VRBO. We initially emailed the owner, but the transaction was actually handled by a management company. The management company did have terms for no refunds if you cancelled within a specified period of time. Well, we had a bad auto accident in Colorado Springs before we made it to Keystone, necessitating we cancel our trip and return home. The management company stuck firm to their policy; they even refused to forgo the unit cleaning fee, even though the unit didn't need cleaning because we never used it. I could have, and perhaps should have, purchased trip insurance, which the management company had offered. I did connect with the owner though and she was so nice. She told me she would allow me to return anytime in the summer of 2014, at no additional cost than what we originally paid. This was not something she needed to do, based on the terms of the original transaction. We have plans to go back in July 2014.

We also will be booking Honua Kai, in Maui, through VRBO for next November.

 

[hsmamato2]

thanks for all the great advice and experience! right now,I think we've found a great listing on homeaway....with 17 very happy reviews....I think that would qualify as a good find....(I hope)

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I have never used Airbnb but have used VRBO numerous times and have had great experiences every time. Sometimes you are dealing directly with an owner and sometimes a management company. Yes, many of these rentals places do have terms regarding cancellation and other things and it is wise to understand what you are getting into.

Last summer, DH and I booked a condo in Keystone Colorado through VRBO. We initially emailed the owner, but the transaction was actually handled by a management company. The management company did have terms for no refunds if you cancelled within a specified period of time. Well, we had a bad auto accident in Colorado Springs before we made it to Keystone, necessitating we cancel our trip and return home. The management company stuck firm to their policy; they even refused to forgo the unit cleaning fee, even though the unit didn't need cleaning because we never used it. I could have, and perhaps should have, purchased trip insurance, which the management company had offered. I did connect with the owner though and she was so nice. She told me she would allow me to return anytime in the summer of 2014, at no additional cost than what we originally paid. This was not something she needed to do, based on the terms of the original transaction. We have plans to go back in July 2014.

We also will be booking Honua Kai, in Maui, through VRBO for next November.

This is the key. Any trip that involves no refunds after a certain time, which would include cruising on DCL, would make me want insurance. So many last minute things can happen which would result in losing all $$ paid. Stuff happens. I always buy trip ins through www.insuremytrip.com which is very reasonable, and if bought within a certain time after booking, can cover pre-existing conditions if needed or even 'cancel for any reason', cancel for work reasons, etc. I buy it to cover the whole trip: airfare etc.
I don't mean to sound snarky, just putting it out there for vacation knowledge to everyone.
We love cruising and are accustomed to having to pay in full 75 or even 120 days prior. If your same situation happened prior to a Disney cruise, they didn't used to, but now they stick to their contract and you would lose all $$ paid w/o insurance.
I also like knowing if God forbid dh has a heart attack while at sea and has to be emergency lifted back to Miami, it's covered. The cost w/o insurance could bankrupt a family. Also a more likely problem, if our home airport is snowed in and we can't fly home post cruise, ins would cover the cost of getting a hotel in FL (up to covered amount) until we could fly home. This did happen to my parents and hotels in Ft. Lauderdale are crazy high in Feb but they had peace of mind knowing that it was all covered.

 

[uccats97]

I've used VRBO in Orlando 3 times, Anna Maria Island twice and Myrtle Beach once. All were great. No issues. I like working directly with the owners. I always bargain with them on price. The best deal I ever got was a 5 bed/5 bath house with private pool in the yard in a gated community 5 miles away from Disney. Owner was asking $1200 for Saturday to Saturday. I paid $700 total!

 

[hsmamato2]

looks like homeaway and airbnb offer insurance anyone use these? I have never gotten trip insurance....