Learn the Ins and Outs of Booking Sites

It's never too early to start looking for summer rentals in the better vacation areas. Dreamstime/TCA

By Laura Vecsey From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Since its founding in 2008, Airbnb has helped more than 2 billion guests book and stay at short-term rentals in over 220 countries. But Airbnb’s explosive growth isn’t without its nightmares. The internet is riddled with scary scenarios: Bedbugs, last-minute cancellations, over-the-top host cleaning requests and bare-bones amenities.

As the new year approaches, it’s not too early to start looking for summer rentals in the better vacation areas. Here are some tools and tricks for successfully booking short-term rentals.

1. The Top Sites Each Have Specialties

Airbnb: With more than 7 million listings in 100,000 cities around the world, this is by far the largest, best-known short-term rental website.

Vrbo: Around since 1995, the site focuses on private homes and tends to attract a more mature clientele looking for the privacy of whole-home rentals.

Booking.com: With over 6 million listings in over 224 countries, Booking.com offers hotels alongside short-term rentals, making it valuable for comparing apartments, condos or home prices vs. hotels at your choice destination.

Expedia: This online travel agency offers short-term rentals and vacation homes alongside hotel listings.

TripAdvisor/FlipKey: A wealth of customer reviews helps ensure a satisfying rental.

2. Know Your Assignment

Searching listings can prove overwhelming. A weekend in Nashville will alone serve up over 1,000 different rental options. That’s why you need a game plan, says Adrian Selby, a retired entertainment and communications executive from Litchfield, Conn.

“Let’s say we are going to London,” Selby says, adding: “I scour the listings, create a short list that I review with my wife Maggie, then we pick one. It’s a lot of work to get it right, and even then, you can be fooled by artful photos.”

3. Know Your Filters

“Make sure the property has what you need, whether it’s a coffee machine, blender, pool access or beachfront views. These details can make a big difference in ensuring a comfortable, pleasant stay,” says Caitlin Johnston, co-founder along with Stefanie Medd of Host & Stay, a company that helps short-term rental owners maximize their listings.

4. There Is Good News for Consumers

As their reputations got hammered, short-term rental platforms learned and evolved. They’ve even persuaded hosts to stop leaving picayune checklists for pre-departure cleanup.

“One major update is AirCover on Airbnb, which provides 24/7 support, booking guarantees, protection against last-minute cancellations or other issues with the property,” says Stefanie Medd.

Airbnb has begun verifying listings to ensure that they’re real, their location is accurate and that the property’s “photos and descriptions align with what you’ll experience during your stay,” Caitlin Johnston says.

In June 2024, Airbnb implemented its major disruptive events policy, allowing guests and hosts to cancel without penalty when weather or natural disasters occur.

5. Booking Far in Advance vs. Last-Minute Deals

Nerdwallet studied Airbnb’s in 10 top markets and found that booking four weeks out yielded the lowest median price. Trying to hedge having the best rentals available vs. the best possible price is definitely a time-consuming game.

Landing a cool spot in Paris in June or New Year’s Eve in New Orleans requires planning and booking in advance, turning pricing into a secondary consideration. If you want bargains, look for deals and destinations off-peak.

©2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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