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AL, USA
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Posted: 4/28/2024 11:51:04 PM EDT
I've been rolling the idea of a few days down on the Gulf.
My needs are minimal. I just need a place to park my boat at night, to sleep, shower and shove off for fishing during the days down there. Last year, i did the same. A little 3 night, 4 day fishing vacay. I was looking at a small house. Perfect. Parking for boat and only $94/night. I'm surprised about the total price, so i check the details. $265 for a "host fee"....crap, drop taxes and the host fee is near the cost of the "rental fee". The other trip i did last year was an AirBnB. It was near Navarre the bayside of things. It was actually an Airstream in a secluded property. It was perfect for my needs...shower, bed and ample, secure parking. A little less expensive and i only recall a tax fee, small cleaning and security fee. Also, the host was a totally cool fellow. Me and he just shot the shit for an hour one night. Is this exorbitant host fee a thing for VRBO? Do the hosts not make anything from the rental fee? |
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Posted: 4/28/2024 11:51:49 PM EDT
[#1]
VRBO is taking from the Ticketmaster playbook on "fees".
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Posted: 4/28/2024 11:55:41 PM EDT
[#2]
I deleted the app. The fees are ridiculous.
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USA
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Posted: 4/28/2024 11:56:37 PM EDT
[#3]
That's crazy.
Also their ads seem specially calculated to piss me off. I don't know what it is about them but they seem particularly hate-able. |
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Posted: 4/28/2024 11:58:27 PM EDT
[#4]
Same, it’s not usually worth it anymore. I just stay at hotels.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:01:18 AM EDT
[#5]
Their "subsidizing" investment money has dried up and now they have to charge actual costs... kinda like what Prime shipping has turned into....
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:04:39 AM EDT
[Last Edit: kc-coyote]
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Echd: That's crazy. Also their ads seem specially calculated to piss me off. I don't know what it is about them but they seem particularly hate-able. Yep, they make totally woke ads catering to the libs. The ads are so unrealistic, but sadly mirror most others ads you see in the past couple of years. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:04:43 AM EDT
[#7]
I used to do similar trips before I moved down here. I had good luck finding a condo with a small local management company.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:10:20 AM EDT
[#8]
A few years ago vrbo starting gouging owners. Air bnb is no different..owners pass the fees along . Is it cheaper than a hotel in the area? Can you afford to own the rental?
Shits expensive. Stay home I guess. |
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AL, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:27:17 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DubyaB: A few years ago vrbo starting gouging owners. Air bnb is no different..owners pass the fees along . Is it cheaper than a hotel in the area? Can you afford to own the rental? Shits expensive. Stay home I guess. For these type fishing jaunts, hotels won't really work because of parking....the only amenity i really need. I also rented a whole week for the family in a nice stilt house on the beach, but that was for a normal vacation with the family. My ideal setup for a long weekend solo is a place to park the boat without worrying if meth heads are going to go through it. That little Airstream stay was perfect. It didn't even have a TV. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:13:22 AM EDT
[#10]
Most people I know have stopped using the short term rental apps and have gone back to hotels. We have had a couple of stays where the house came with some crazy list of rules, the fees are crazy to the point a hotel is cheaper, we don’t have to clean anything when we leave. It’s just a headache now.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 5:30:22 AM EDT
[#11]
Location & local competition has a lot to do with how prevalent the extras fees are. They can get away with it easier in popular areas. Neither of the cabins that we rented in AR for the eclipse hit us with extra-high fees like that, nor will the house we're renting this summer in the NC mountains.
Set your filter to show total price including fees to make it easier to weed them out. |
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VA, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 5:51:04 AM EDT
[#12]
I find it easier to use that app and airbnb for longer stays like 2 weeks or more
Shorter term stuff hotels tend to be cheaper and easier |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 5:56:31 AM EDT
[#13]
I’ve never had an issue getting parking for truck and trailer at Hilton hotels.
I don’t do rentals due to fees and I do not clean. |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:00:56 AM EDT
[#14]
Ticket master led the way, but it's gotten absurd since Covid. "Service Fees" get tacked on to everything and everyone has their hand out for a "tip." Hotels are as bad as the alternatives with their added "resort fees."
Just be honest and upfront on what something is gonna cost instead of trying to slip them in unnoticed at the end. The cost increases suck, but it's the sneakiness that pisses me off. I go out to relax. If I have to feel like I need to always be on alert, I just won't bother. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:06:29 AM EDT
[#15]
We have a $289 host fee and a $220 service fee for our PCB stay next month.
But like poster above said, it was up front and I agreed to it. Nothing sneaky about it |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:52:20 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FistPeso: Same, it’s not usually worth it anymore. I just stay at hotels. Yep. Come and go as I please. |
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AL, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:53:27 AM EDT
[#17]
With AirBNB and VRBO i make sure to set it to show "total cost" not "daily rate" or whatever they call it on each platform. Some places have fees that pile like crazy and that "cheaper night" can be really deceiving with all the extra fees that might have tacked on.
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:58:07 AM EDT
[#18]
Last week I attended a big event, lots of food vendors and dropped $20 on a taco bowl.
Knew someone that has a food trailer that used to do that event. Said he dropped out because the venue requires $2000 for the ‘spot’ and 30% commission on all sales. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:05:16 AM EDT
[#19]
Vrbo and airbnb tech fees should be something like 5-10 bucks per transaction.
It’s absurd they’re so high, and a flashing arrow sign indicating need for greater competition in the market. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:06:47 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FistPeso: Same, it’s not usually worth it anymore. I just stay at hotels. As he said, he’s fishing. If you bring your boat your best bet is to rent a house with a driveway and a close by boat ramp. Gulf shores/orange beach will tow or ticket boats in parking lots overnight. Even if the parking lot is an abandoned shopping center. Even if the entire town exists because of fishing and tourism. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:06:52 AM EDT
[#21]
Neighbor has a house between mine and his main house he rents on VRBO. Now it is a huge place, but he said VRBO takes a big cut of everything. He may or may not tell repeat customers to contact him directly.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:07:45 AM EDT
[#22]
I have pretty much quit even checking VRBO because of fees like that. The per night part seems like a good deal until you add all that crap in...its kind of lure you in with a decent per night rather than just being honest and rolling that fee into the per night. Usually a hotel ends up being a lot cheaper in my experience...
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:09:22 AM EDT
[#23]
They try to play bait-n-switch with their published pricing.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:13:46 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ScottsGT: Neighbor has a house between mine and his main house he rents on VRBO. Now it is a huge place, but he said VRBO takes a big cut of everything. He may or may not tell repeat customers to contact him directly. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:14:47 AM EDT
[#25]
Originally Posted By Flysc: I've been rolling the idea of a few days down on the Gulf. My needs are minimal. I just need a place to park my boat at night, to sleep, shower and shove off for fishing during the days down there. Last year, i did the same. A little 3 night, 4 day fishing vacay. I was looking at a small house. Perfect. Parking for boat and only $94/night. I'm surprised about the total price, so i check the details. $265 for a "host fee"....crap, drop taxes and the host fee is near the cost of the "rental fee". The other trip i did last year was an AirBnB. It was near Navarre the bayside of things. It was actually an Airstream in a secluded property. It was perfect for my needs...shower, bed and ample, secure parking. A little less expensive and i only recall a tax fee, small cleaning and security fee. Also, the host was a totally cool fellow. Me and he just shot the shit for an hour one night. Is this exorbitant host fee a thing for VRBO? Do the hosts not make anything from the rental fee? Why not just hit up the guy with the Airstream? They will happily book outside of VRBO to avoid fees. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:16:13 AM EDT
[#26]
That high fee tells me there's a niche that VRBO caters to.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:16:20 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kc-coyote: VRBO is taking from the Ticketmaster playbook on "fees". Ticket purchases are a scam these days. I had to pay $380 for $150 face value tickets the last time I bought tickets. Other people paid much more in fees, closer to the event day. What kind of shit is that? How is that not scalping? |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:17:08 AM EDT
[#28]
Buy a tent, find a campground
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:17:35 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ScottsGT: Neighbor has a house between mine and his main house he rents on VRBO. Now it is a huge place, but he said VRBO takes a big cut of everything. He may or may not tell repeat customers to contact him directly. The last two Uber drivers I have had experience with have told me to take down their numbers and call them directly next time. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:20:56 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kentucky_smith: I've used VRBO and AIRBNB to find a rental, then google the site name to find the renters' website or other places they have it posted, then rented directly from them, circumventing the fees. Win, Win. We’ve done this too. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:21:34 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 50cal]
[#31]
The wife stopped using Vrbo for longer stays while traveling for her travel nurse gig. She strictly uses AirBnB now. She will book through the website, stay a week or 2 then make a side offer outside the website for cash payment for the remaining of her 10-12 weeks left. She has yet to find a host that isn't adverse to doing it that way.
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LA, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:25:49 AM EDT
[#32]
AirBnb and VRBO both do it.
They advertise a price then when you book it, all the other charges come in. Host fee, cleaning fee, BnB fee, then taxes on the rental and all the fees. I look at BnBs because hotels have gotten so expensive but the BnBs are catching up. Everybody wants their "morder". The Bite. |
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NV, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:32:08 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kc-coyote: VRBO is taking from the Ticketmaster playbook on "fees". They’re getting taxed and hit with a bunch of regulatory fees previously only reserved for hotels. Amazing how the government saw a profit and wanted to be part of it while neighbors complained about cheap rentals ruining things. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:48:50 AM EDT
[Last Edit: flcracker]
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Spasm:Usually a hotel ends up being a lot cheaper in my experience... Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Spasm:Usually a hotel ends up being a lot cheaper in my experience... Unless you're traveling in rural America where there simply aren't many hotels. Originally Posted By huggybro: AirBnb and VRBO both do it. They advertise a price then when you book it, all the other charges come in. Host fee, cleaning fee, BnB fee, then taxes on the rental and all the fees. In the past, yes. Not true now. I just hit the VRBO and AirBnB apps. AirBnB has a toggle switch on the search page that displays all charges, fees, etc. excluding taxes. VRBO does it automatically - every single listing shows the nightly price and total price, including everything except taxes. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:21:57 AM EDT
[#35]
The fees can get stupid. We only stay in them now when we want a second room for our daughter because two hotel rooms are too expensive.
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AL, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:27:23 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By durtychemist: They're getting taxed and hit with a bunch of regulatory fees previously only reserved for hotels. Amazing how the government saw a profit and wanted to be part of it while neighbors complained about cheap rentals ruining things. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By durtychemist: Originally Posted By kc-coyote: VRBO is taking from the Ticketmaster playbook on "fees". They're getting taxed and hit with a bunch of regulatory fees previously only reserved for hotels. Amazing how the government saw a profit and wanted to be part of it while neighbors complained about cheap rentals ruining things. |
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NM, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:13:45 PM EDT
[#37]
Used them for a stay in a Maui condo a few years back. So I consider that I paid the host fee as my tuition. From that point on, we just call the rental agency directly. Most places on VRBO are thru another agency that uses VRBO to facilitate advertising for them, basically. Have had no bad experiences yet and we go to Maui a couple times a year. We even get a better deal than the agency typically gives as we are now considered long time customers to them. So while I typically say, Fuck VRBO, the original host fee I gave them was money well spent. If you have no idea if it is an agency advertising on there, you can copy the first part of the ad description and put it into google and it should pop up at the agency's own website. Then call them and get the true price.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:21:10 PM EDT
[#38]
Originally Posted By Flysc: I've been rolling the idea of a few days down on the Gulf. My needs are minimal. I just need a place to park my boat at night, to sleep, shower and shove off for fishing during the days down there. Last year, i did the same. A little 3 night, 4 day fishing vacay. I was looking at a small house. Perfect. Parking for boat and only $94/night. I'm surprised about the total price, so i check the details. $265 for a "host fee"....crap, drop taxes and the host fee is near the cost of the "rental fee". The other trip i did last year was an AirBnB. It was near Navarre the bayside of things. It was actually an Airstream in a secluded property. It was perfect for my needs...shower, bed and ample, secure parking. A little less expensive and i only recall a tax fee, small cleaning and security fee. Also, the host was a totally cool fellow. Me and he just shot the shit for an hour one night. Is this exorbitant host fee a thing for VRBO? Do the hosts not make anything from the rental fee? I imagine A lot of it to pay for the cleaning service to come in. That seemed like the Achilles heel of the short term rentals. The owner either has to come and clean it themselves, or pay a company $200 to come in and clean the place. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:25:06 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Ayada]
[#39]
Plenty of it is a marketing tactic. Push the initial price lower and make up the rest with additional fees. I know VRBO did change their listings around in that it now shows a total price right under it, but there still is some motivation in having the lowest 'per night' price.
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VI, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:50:48 PM EDT
[#40]
This BS with fees is going to push people right into going direct either right away or if they plan on staying again.
That's a win for the owner and renter. I did a hotel years ago in the USVI through Hotels.com and the owner handed me his card and said contact us directly next time. Next time rolls around and he gives us a $40.00 a day discount plus no fees except for the local hotel tax. Same thing when looking up hotels in SJU through Hotels.com,, the cheapest rate may not be the cheapest due to the fees tacked on to the daily rate. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:58:27 PM EDT
[#41]
OP look for fish camps.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:03:22 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JimEb: Last week I attended a big event, lots of food vendors and dropped $20 on a taco bowl. Knew someone that has a food trailer that used to do that event. Said he dropped out because the venue requires $2000 for the ‘spot’ and 30% commission on all sales. Additionally, that's the real reason many venues are/push for vendors to be cashless. They don't get to miss 30% of the un-/under- reported cash sales. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:31:11 PM EDT
[#43]
get on a fb group and ask if any local people have beach houses that they would rent out outside of vrbo
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:34:12 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kentucky_smith: I've used VRBO and AIRBNB to find a rental, then google the site name to find the renters' website or other places they have it posted, then rented directly from them, circumventing the fees. Win, Win. That's exactly what I do. Either that or stick to hotels if practical. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:35:50 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FistPeso: Same, it’s not usually worth it anymore. I just stay at hotels. Yea, Air BNB along with VRBO peaked around 2021. I just did a gulf trip myself and the cost was insane...not even close to worth it. I'll be going back to hotels. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:38:32 PM EDT
[Last Edit: thesilvercord]
[#46]
Find where the property is. Google it. Sometimes the owner sets up their own page without the fees.
Edit: Posted above |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:39:27 PM EDT
[#47]
That may be partly on the host adding fees? You should look at the break down of the fees to see if it's including their cleaning fee which is a host fee. I used to use AirBNB but changed to VRBO as their fees were lower for the same exact places. I have noticed though some of the hosts have gotten carried away with their "cleaning" fees.
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NJ, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:40:57 PM EDT
[#48]
Shits a scam. Stay in a hotel. Better in every way.
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SK, CAN
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:41:26 PM EDT
[#49]
All businesses are extorting consumers in the name of Covid blame. I hop one day they crash. Consumers need to start saying “no.”
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VA, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:44:35 PM EDT
[#50]
I'm finding the same thing. I got tasked with planning a vacation. I'm finding the extra fees add about $150 a night onto most of the places I'm looking at. It's insane.
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